If you’re into photography, and especially taking pictures of beautiful outdoor recreation areas with flowers, Michelle Slatalla can help. She has written an article on gardenista.com with a bunch of tips for aspiring flora shutterbugs.

Michelle begins by clarifying some of the difficulties: for example, the fact that taking pictures outside is more difficult because there are many more variables that cannot be controlled, such as sunlight changes when clouds go by.

She then provides a series of tips from various photographers who specialize in garden photos. Here’s a synopsis of her tips:

• Avoiding taking pictures in bright sunshine helps to make more natural coloring. Cloudy days a perfect, because there’s usually still plenty of light, but it is diffused.
• Taking lots of shots of the same subject. This enables selection of that “perfect” picture that everyone asks: “how did you do that?” Using a digital camera is best, because you can see the results immediately.
• Selecting details rather than a wide view. According to some experts, taking a wide shot of a garden is almost boring, because there is so much going on that it just blurs together. By focusing in on a tiny detail of the overall scene, some amazing compositions can result.
• Considering the architecture, or structure of a plant. To quote the photographer, “Just like with buildings or homes, whenever I’m photographing flora I look for the ‘architecture’ of the plant—dramatic angles or curves created by leaves, stems or blooms.”
• Getting down to the same level of the plant being shot, enables a view that reveals a less common appearance.
• Editing on the fly. You may have a great composition, but the light is not quite right. Using a built-in photo editor can make that otherwise less-than-perfect shot into an instant winner.
• Exposure control. Often outdoor pictures are too bright, or even over-exposed. Reducing the brightness or contact can help soften the picture.
• Always use natural light. Flash can ruin an otherwise good picture, so use natural light whenever possible.
• Shorten the depth of field. This will have the effect of bringing the subject into intense focus against the blurred background.

Another tip is to bring your outdoor subject indoors. You can make a picture-perfect arrangement and control the environment much more, for better results.