Spring is a time of renewal and freshness. It's also the perfect time for you to elevate your outdoor photography skills and develop your style.
If you want to take stunning photographs of the world around you, you're in the right place! These creative ideas will help you make the most of this season while improving your photography knowledge. No matter what genre you specialize in, we have something for you.
Shoot Through Spring Flowers
Spring comes with a variety of colorful flowers. You can use them to add depth and color to your photographs. Your subject can be a person, a landscape, or an object.
Manually focus on your subject to keep it sharp. Autofocus is great, but it can get confusing when you have too many details in your frame. Your camera might automatically focus on the wrong subject, even if you use specific autofocus settings. In this case, the flowers might end up being in focus instead of your subject.
If you want your photos to have a soft-focus, use a wide aperture. The wider your aperture, the more bokeh you'll be able to create. It's okay to use a narrow aperture if you want to capture more details. However, consider using a smaller f-number (e.g. f/1.8 or f/1.2) if you want your photos to have more depth.
Then, place the flowers in front of your lens. They should be much closer to the lens than your subject. Leave a few gaps so that your subject is visible in your shot. Experiment with different angles and colors to make the most of your session.
Create a Themed Photo Collage
Spring is an inspiring time of year that provides us with diverse photo opportunities. You can take stunning landscape, macro, and portrait photos in the same locations! Use this to your advantage by creating a spring-themed photo collage.
The type of collage that you choose depends on your style. Many professional photographers choose to create diptychs, which are collages made of two photos. Oftentimes, both photos are vertical and have a specific theme. (This is just a general rule; if you want to take horizontal photos instead, go for it!)
Let's say you're taking photos in a tulip field. You could take a wide vertical photo of the field and a close-up of a tulip. Together, these photos could tell an interesting story about the location. There are millions of possibilities when it comes to photo collages, so think outside the box and enjoy the process!
Use Props to Tell a Story
Props are the perfect addition to any photo shoot. If you want your portrait, macro, and still life photos to stand out, make sure to include a few props in your images.
If you're going for a spring-themed photoshoot, you can photograph:
Bicycles
Books
Picnic baskets
Suitcases
Vintage cars
Fake butterflies
Objects like these can help you create interesting scenes. They can also fill your frame, add depth to your images, and help you improve your storytelling skills.
Take Refreshing Macro Photos
Spring is one of the best times of year to take breathtaking macro photos. You can capture all kinds of stunning details - dew drops, insects, and flower petals, just to name a few - without having to travel very far. This is the perfect time to grow your nature photography portfolio.
If you don't have a macro lens, you don't need to worry about breaking the bank. As of March 2022, the price of budget-friendly macro lenses ranges from $150 (Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro Lens) to $800 (Canon EF 180mm f3.5L Macro USM).
Photograph the Same Location Multiple Times
If you're interested in landscape photography, this tip is for you! Find a location that stands out to you and photograph it in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Spring weather can be unpredictable, so you could end up with very different results at the end of the day!
(Bonus tip: if possible, manually adjust your camera settings. This will help you improve your photography skills very quickly.)
If you find this project inspiring, turn it into a long-term photo series! You can photograph the same location every month or every season. Documenting nature's changes is one of the best ways to motivate yourself as an outdoor photographer.
Take Surreal Infrared Photos
Why not take surreal spring photos? Infrared photography can help you look at the world from a completely different perspective and take outstanding photographs in the process. All you need is a lens filter and lots of beautiful landscapes!
Popular infrared filters include HOYA, Kenko, and Kood. You can purchase a HOYA filter for less than $200. However, this might not be a good option if you just want to experiment with the effect a few times.
A practical alternative is infrared photography editing tools. Infrared Lightroom presets will transform the colors in your photographs and give them an otherworldly look. Infrared Photoshop actions will have a similar effect on your work.
Create a Floral Double Exposure Photo
A double exposure merges multiple photographs. This type of photography is ideal for anyone who wants to elevate their editing skills and create interesting results. You'll need:
An editing program
A silhouette photo with a clean background
Colorful photos of flowers or landscapes
We'll be using Photoshop as an example here, but you can use any editing software that you like. Open your photographs (drag one image over the other to open them in the same document). Click on Blend Mode and select Screen. This will help your photos merge seamlessly. If the effect looks too intense, lower the layer opacity.
Don't stop there! Feel free to add even more images to your composition. Rotate your document. Warp a few photos. Get as creative as you like to get incredible results.
Conclusion
In the words of Charles Dickens, spring is a time when "the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade." Allow this diverse season to rejuvenate your creativity and inspire you to look at photography from a different perspective. The more you do this, the easier it will be to take amazing photographs from the heart.
