Let nature's brilliant colors and lovely shapes inspire you: what can your images say with flowers?

Say it with flowers

You should be able to find plenty of possible subjects for this assignment: you can use a houseplant, a bouquet in a vase, a field of wildflowers or a dried floral wreath — whatever catches your eye. You can choose a close-up still life composition, a landscape shot, or even a macro shot. Whatever you choose, give some thought to your composition and the atmosphere you wish to convey. If you're trying to invoke a springtime theme, for example, make sure your blossoms are fresh and pretty. Dying or dusty plants will create a different mood altogether…

Tip #1: Shoot wide open

For a soft, blurry background that brings all the attention to the blooms, try opening up the diaphragm. When shooting wide open in this way, you'll want to keep the subject in perfect focus. Take a few shots to make sure you get sharp focus where you want it.

Tip #2: Freshen up the scene

You don't have to get up at dawn to catch dewdrops on your flower petals — just spray them lightly with water right before you shoot for a fresh, dewy look. The water droplets will help keep your subjects from drooping, too.

Tip #3: Choose the right angle

Since your subject for this assignment will be extremely patient, why not take some time to experiment with different points of view? Climb up on a chair with camera in hand, for example, and shoot from above, or get down on the ground and try out a very low point of view.