Macro Photography Tip: Shoot Up at Flowers (and weeds!)

One way to put an interesting twist on macro subjects--particularly low-growing flowers--is to lay down on the grass and shoot up at them. Often looking at flowers (or in this case a "weed") from underneath provides an entirely new perspective and appreciation for the flower. I had no idea, for example, that a dandelion had such interesting details until I was laying on the back lawn looking up at them through the viewfinder of my Olympus C5050 (which, incidentally, has incredible close-up capabilities and a very fast f/1.8 lens--a great camera to pick up used if you can find one). I used this shot in my new book Exposure Photo Workshop and have it posted on my Flickr account.

We're so used to looking down at flowers--it can be a lot of fun to see how low you can get and look up at them. Keep an old blanket handy and you can even keep your clothes clean while you're shooting.