April 2024 DPA Newsletter
April 2024 DPA Newsletter:
Flower Photography Tips
A Flower Photography Webinar
April FinerWorks Winners!
Photo by Carla Shapiro, a Digital Photo Academy instructor in the Hudson Valley.
Welcome to the April issue of our newsletter! As spring blossoms around us, we invite you to embark on a journey with us. Let’s uncover the seeds of inspiration, nurture them with knowledge, and watch as they bloom into opportunities within our dynamic community.
Digital Photo Academy is pleased to bring you the latest updates and photography inspiration in our recently relaunched monthly newsletter. This is all made possible by our valued sponsor, Finerworks.
Flower Photography Tips from Instructor Carl Finkbeiner
Read below for practical advice and tips on photographing flowers from Carl Finkbeiner, a Digital Photo Academy instructor in Philadelphia.
This excerpt comes from Carl’s own newsletter last year.
News and Views from:
Flower Photography
A spring photo of crocuses has been added to the Deliberate Light Fine Art Gallery. On my long walks, these were a little unusual and later than the blue crocuses. For a more detailed, enlarged view, see it in the first gallery photo on my website.
I feel like I ought to apologize for having two new photos of crocuses, as Ann, my sister, did after posting several spring flower pictures. But I don’t think I will. I just love the hopefulness of early spring.
Here’s a thing to do when taking pictures of flowers: Stalk your image. The flower is probably not going anywhere, so move around it and take a little time to really look at it and its surroundings before shooting. Try to consider a few things, like:
- How the light strikes the flower and how different angles reveal different aspects and details. Shooting flowers straight down from above is rarely their best view. And flowers almost always benefit from close-ups.
- Avoid strong direct sunlight. The harsh shadows detract from an image of a delicate flower and strong sunlight can make the flower look washed out. Try something simple, like having someone cast a shadow on the flower you are photographing to eliminate the harsh light on it.
- Don’t forget about the background. Flowers look best if they stand out against the background, so think about how to make the flower contrast with its background. You can do this if the flower is brighter than its background or has a contrasting color or texture. And look at whether the background has an element that detracts, like part of somebody’s hand.
- Right before clicking the shutter button, look around the edges of your viewfinder to make sure you aren’t accidentally cutting something in half.
Here is an example of a poorly composed flower photo, which I admit I took. First of all, the perspective on the flowers is poor, coming from straight overhead, not their best face. Secondly, the light is bright sunlight with some very harsh shadows, including a very obtrusive shadow of the photographer on the ground on the right. The bright light also makes it more difficult to separate the flowers from the stuff in the background. And finally, because I was concentrating on the main bunch of flowers, part of the blossom on the bottom got cut off awkwardly. Not my best effort.
Finally, do not hesitate to edit a photo that you like. If the images you shoot are JPG format (true for most casual photographers), then your camera edits your image before you even see it and you can probably improve on that. If you are using a smartphone camera, both Android and iOS offer very good editing apps for free (Google Photos and iPhone Photos), allowing easy cropping and tonality adjustment (dark/bright and contrast adjustments).
Here is a photo right out of the camera with default JPG editing.
And here is the same photo edited only for tonality, easily accomplished on smartphones using Google or iPhone Photos, or on a computer using Snapseed or Lightroom. More detail shows in the flower, and it stands out more against the background. It only took a moment, and the improvement is noticeable.
Carl Finkbeiner
Mobile: 610-551-3349 website instagram facebook linkedin digitalphotoacademy
Carl Finkbeiner’s Private Webinar Class on Photographing Flowers
Spring has sprung, and what better way to embrace the beauty of April blooms than by capturing them through the lens? If you found Carl’s newsletter insights captivating, imagine the personalized guidance you’ll receive in a private webinar lesson on photographing flowers!
Below is a small sample of images from our previous webinars, showcasing the different results achievable with some guidance:
Elevate your photographic mastery with tonality adjustments such as darkening the dark tones to exaggerate shadows and brightening the bright light tones to draw attention:
Explore the nuances of black and white, color, and the mesmerizing combination of both:
Interested? Contact Us!
Call: (877) 372-2231 | Email: [email protected]
Investment: $125 per hour
April Finerworks Award Winners
Every month, our judges select 2 of our social media members to receive an HD Metal print of one of their photos, printed by our sponsor Finerworks.
We choose one winner from each of our Facebook groups:
“Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” and “Digital Photo Academy Community”
| Posted on our “Digital Photo Academy Community” Facebook group by Lisa Gregory: |
| Posted on our “Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” Facebook group by Rick Jackoway: |
Here’s Rick with his stunning print, revisiting the same spot where he snapped his award-winning shot: the Tide Pools Beach in La Jolla!
Live Photography Classes in 24 Cities
Access the live cities page on our website to explore upcoming photo workshops in your area. Elevate your photography skills with help from our experienced instructors in interactive sessions!
Our Social Media
Connect, share, and spread cheer! Join our Facebook groups to participate in our monthly prize contests in collaboration with Finerworks.
Facebook Groups:
“Celebrating Senior Shutterbugs” and “Digital Photo Academy Community”
Main Pages:
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