What type of flowers should be used in still life or macro photography – fresh, dried, or artificial? Personally, I believe there’s space for all three options in photography; each has their own advantages and disadvantages that should be considered carefully before making your choice. Let’s take a closer look.
Fresh flowers cannot compare with their beauty – both visually and aromatically. Unfortunately, however, their lifespan can often be short lived under studio lighting; some species in particular may fare worse. Shooting natural flowers in their natural habitat is always rewarding with some morning dewdrops gracing your frame; unfortunately this might not always be possible depending on the look you want or shooting environment.
Flowers tend to be seasonal. With today’s easy access to nearly any product (albeit more costly) you may be able to order flowers that are out-of-season in your region from elsewhere, though this may not always be cost effective or practical. Sometimes the type of flower you want may just not exist locally – this can be frustrating; but if you can locate an excellent florist or market, they often can locate what you are searching for with some advance notice. But when searching for color schemes or specific florals – fresh is best!
Artificial Flowers
Some may be surprised that I use artificial flowers often, but their quality has advanced considerably over the years. There are some truly exquisite silk and handmade vintage styled blooms out there — some so lifelike it’s hard to tell the difference — while there are also cheap and nasty varieties out there as well.
At specialty artificial flower shops both online and brick and mortar shops, it is wise to request samples or visit in person in order to gauge the quality of their wares before making large purchases. I have even purchased paper flowers made out of old book pages – they fit right in! Artificial plants and flowers last forever with just minimal care needed from you.
Flowers can be ordered and delivered quickly and inexpensively; once they arrive, they’re yours for good. I have used artificial plants on numerous occasions; when used as backgrounds like wisteria curtains it’s hard to tell whether they are real or artificial – this calls for good quality stock photos of artificial plants too! Recently there has also been something of a revival in paper flowers, something similar to what you may have created as kids (such as papier flowers). They’re bigger, fancier and easier than what I could ever create; with plenty of tutorials online about how you can do just this!
Dependent upon lighting and styling choices, artificial flowers can either make a statement about themselves or blend in seamlessly. Withstanding hours and days of shooting sessions and being suitable for water droplet spraying (though only select areas should be tested first), these flowers can stand up beautifully for your images.
Macro photography often disappoints me as you can clearly see all of its imperfections: fabric texture differences and wire or plastic stems which just don’t seem “real”.
Dried flowers contul I find these to be the perfect combination. I adore vintage-style shoots, and using dried hydrangea or rose petals as part of this motif works particularly well. I especially recommend using roses because these tend to dry more easily than any other variety.
Once I am finished shooting fresh flowers, I tie them in a bundle with string and hang them upside-down in my studio for several weeks to completely dry out; hydrangeas fade to lovely soft pastel hues while rose petals often intensify in color as they dry. You can use dried flowers when fresh ones just won’t do; their beauty still lies within looking and touching as their textures change with age; you could even create potpourri with them; I have used rose petals from dried flowers in images as well. Plus they make for stunning macro shots!
Did you know? Not all fresh flowers float on water; some will sink, as will many artificial ones. When creating water shoots or milk baths with suspended flowers and foliage, try using dried flowers and leaves as these tend to float beautifully on top.
Next time you photograph flowers, think creatively. Fresh is always best but fresh flowers may not always be available – artificial and dried flowers can also make stunning still life images! Just keep an open mind when shooting floral images!