lovelifey: [Photography] 5 Spring Photography Ideas to Get You Inspired

The post 5 Spring Photography Ideas to Get You Inspired appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.

fun ideas for beautiful spring photography

Are you looking to capture stunning spring photography? Are you in need of some spring photoshoot ideas?

In this article, I share five easy-to-follow spring photography ideas – many of which can be tackled in your backyard or at a local park. And you don’t need sophisticated gear, either; you can capture most of these spring pictures with nothing but a cheap camera and some good light.

So if you’re excited to photograph spring but you’re not sure what to shoot, or you’re simply looking for inspiration before heading outside, then read on!

spring photography ideas woman with an umbrella

1. Focus on the finer details

No matter what you photograph, capturing the details is always a good idea – and this is especially true when creating springtime compositions.

If you like to photograph nature, you can whip out that macro lens and capture some stunning shots of bluebells, daffodils, or cherry blossoms.

And even if you prefer to photograph in cities or at festivals, I still recommend you look for detail shots.

In particular, aim to photograph:

Bokeh: Bokeh and detail photos go well together, plus it’s easy to produce beautiful bokeh when shooting close up. Simply widen your lens’s aperture as far as it can go, push your lens to its maximum magnification, then adjust your composition to include colors and/or lights in the background. You can create nice bokeh with any lens, but the effect does work best with macro lenses or prime lenses with a large maximum aperture.
Patterns: Nature is full of nice patterns, so use this to your advantage. Flowers can repeat, making for a very nice macro shot. Or you can photograph petal patterns on the ground (once they petals have fallen). At spring festivals, produce is often laid out in patterns, which is ideal for photography.
Backgrounds: Photographers tend to focus on the main subject, but did you know that interesting backgrounds are an essential part of great photos? They’re not hard to create, either. Simply adjust your composition until you get a clean, beautiful background effect – using a wide aperture will help! – and snap away. If you’re not sure how to start, try shoot up at the sky on a clear day for a nice blue background, or aim down toward the grass for a green background.
Lighting: The best photographers know how to use the light for all sorts of interesting effects, and you can do the same! In fact, a great spring photography idea is to choose a subject, then capture ten images that vary only in their lighting. For instance, if you’re shooting a flower, you can capture light shining through petals, sidelight dramatically illuminating the flower stem, backlight creating an interesting flare effect, and much more.

2. Explore the wider scene in your spring photography

When photographing spring beauties – such as flowers and plants – you may be tempted to get in close and stay there.

But while this will certainly get you some stunning shots, you can also capture beautiful photos by switching to a wide-angle lens and shooting the scene from afar. Flower beds, blossoming trees, and petal-strewn paths can make for some gorgeous landscape shots, after all!

By the way, if you’re looking to capture some beautiful spring compositions – especially if you want to include flowers – here are a few recommendations:

Check the forecast: Here, I’m talking about both the weather forecast and the blossom forecast. The weather forecast will ensure you head out to shoot when the light is good, while the blossom forecast will get you shooting during the peak flower period.
Composition is king: As with all landscape photography, good composition will get you the best results. Aim to balance your spring shots with compositional techniques such as symmetry, the rule of thirds, and the rule of odds. Also look to incorporate leading lines into your photos for a bit of extra dynamism.
Add extra context: Remember how I encouraged you to use a wide-angle lens? Go as wide as you can and include some context. For instance, shoot a cherry tree alongside some local architecture, or capture a person walking through a field of petals.

3. Take some portrait photos!

spring photography ideas people beneath trees

Spring is an amazing time for portrait photography. You can find some amazing nature backdrops, plus you can incorporate fun flower themes into your spring photoshoots.

Here are a few easy spring photoshoot ideas:

Combine the subjects with the trees: Clients love portraits that include beautiful, natural backgrounds. Position your subject(s) in front of trees or flowers, then use a large aperture to blur out the background. Lines of trees can add depth to a photo, while flowers will create stunning spots of backdrop color. For a nice touch, ask your model to hold a flower or two.
Do candid spring photography: As the weather warms up and people start to get out and enjoy park life, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to photograph individuals enjoying spring. You can capture people walking through flowery fields, people hiking through forests, people enjoying a picnic on the grass, and so much more.
Grab a selfie: It might not be the most original spring photo idea out there, but everyone needs a new profile picture for spring. So the next time you get the chance, capture a selfie (and make sure that you include a flower or two in the frame!).

4. Get experimental

Spring photography is a broad subject, but if you spend a bit of time browsing Instagram, you’ll see that most spring photos are often, well, the same.

Want to shake things up a bit? Break out those experimental techniques, such as intentional camera movement, image compositing, and more. Here are just a few of my favorite ways to get creative during spring:

Try light trails: Spring foliage often grows by the side of the road. Take a walk at night, bring a tripod, and shoot some car light trail photos. Be sure to include some spring blossoms for context!
Take a refraction shot: If you haven’t tried crystal ball photography, then you’re missing out! Crystal balls are inexpensive, plus they can create astonishing effects (see the shot below!).
Deliberately photograph motion blur: Who says blur has to be bad? Head out on a windy day, set your camera on a tripod, and use a slow shutter speed. If you can capture plants and flowers in mid-move, you’ll create some beautifully abstract results!

5. Don’t forget about spring festivals

Most of my spring picture ideas involve flowers and plants – but there are plenty of great shots to capture at spring festivals and religious holidays, too.

Head out with your camera and a couple of lenses (I recommend a fast prime and a wide-angle zoom). Have fun shooting subjects from a distance (so as to capture the ambiance of the entire event). Then get up close for some candid street shots.

Try to tell a story with your photos. What is happening at the event? What is it about? How do people engage?

Aim to leave with a little mini-series that tells the story of the festival!