Now that summer is in full swing, I’m sure many of you have been tending to your gardens.  As an avid gardener, I’ll often take time out to photograph the flowers I work so hard on helping grow. However, I am the first to admit, my flower photography is lacking.  This is where I met Justin Jayubo  to help me and others who might be challenged in this area of photography. I met Justin on Twitter and soon started to follow his photography. He is a student of the arts and freelance photojournalist based in Northern California. While keeping a diverse style in shooting,  his main subjects include landscapes, nature, sports, and street photography. Aside from photography and school, he enjoys collecting art, traveling, comic conventions, video games, and spending time with family.

Justin breaks it down for us into five easy tips on how to photograph flowers.

1. Familiarize Yourself with the Environment – I usually find myself doing macro shots in the morning or late afternoon. The direct light on flowers can really throw off the colors I look for. Shadows and highlights can be hard to avoid during the day when the sun is shining on almost everything. If wind is a problem, then I avoid using a tripod, and use the lens image stabilization.

2.Water the Plants/Flowers – Water can give the petals a more rich and healthy color. The droplets add a new dimension with their reflection, which I always find interesting. Don’t hose the flowers soaking wet, but enough to make it look natural.

3. Know Your Bloom – Find out what exactly you’re shooting, what time of year they bloom, and what they look like at all stages of life. If you’re shooting something that blooms once a year, then make sure you get what you want before the flowers wilt. I always make sure to get pictures of cherry blossoms once spring arrives.

-4.Smaller Aperture – Having a smaller aperture will bring more of the image in focus. If you want more of the flowers in focus, then more depth of field can give you what you want.

5. Experiment – Try composing shots at various angles and distances. Explore the possibilities and creative process before moving on. I try to find new ways to compose shots each time I go out and take pictures of flowers.

If you would like to see more of Justin’s work you can find his website HERE. You can also find him on these social media channels, Twitter, Flickr, Facebook,  and Tumblr.

The birds are singing.

The trees are blossoming.

Spring has finally arrived and with it, glorious photo opportunities.

Capture the beauty of spring with the following flower photography tips, whether you shoot with a fancy DSLR, point-and-shoot camera or your trusty camera phone.

5 Flower Photography Tips

These easy-to-follow tips are perfect for the everyday photographer. Grab your camera and get ready to click!

1. Frame your subject, creatively and thoughtfully. Beautifully composed photos have the power to wow! Eliminate distracting elements in the background and fight the urge to constantly position your subject in the center of your photo. Shake things up and add a bit of interest by placing your subject off center.

2. Get up close and personal. Pull in closer. Don’t be shy. Create more powerful images by getting up close and personal with your subject.

3. Shoot from different perspectives. Break out of that boring photography rut and think outside of the box. Experiment with a variety of angles and perspectives – shoot from up high, down low, straight on, etc.

4. Capture the often overlooked details. There’s beauty in the details. Don’t forget to photograph details like stems, buds and pollen.

5. Find ideal light. Sunny, cloudless days can make for tricky lighting conditions – creating harsh shadows, loss of detail and highlights. Try shooting on a bright, but overcast day when light is soft and diffused.

Or add major drama to your photos by shooting during the Golden Hours – the hour or so following sunrise and prior to sunset.

Capturing the beauty of spring can be so much fun. What are some of your favorite things to photograph each spring?

AdoramaPix Contributor: Kristi Bonney is a writer, photographer and speaker with a deep-seated love for all things social media. Her blog, Live and Love Out Loud, is a beautiful and inspiring hub for photographers of all skill levels – featuring photography tips and tutorials, freebies and inspiring photo challenges. Kristi’s passion for photography is matched by her love of parenting and empowering women.