After such a long winter and now a few days into spring we thought it called for a colorful post with flowers and green mountain meadows, wouldn’t you agree? The divine floral fantasy in the fields around Dumont Lake is a dream location for any wildflower enthusiast, photographer or not. It is located 22 miles southeast of Steamboat Springs just off US 40 near the base of Rabbit Ears Peak (in the right upper back of this image).
There is also a campground with 22 sites, and a multitude of activities to enjoy, including fly-fishing, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, and naturally, photographing. With incredible views of the Snowy and Never Summer mountains to the East and the Gore Range to the South, the area straddles the Continental Divide.
Spring and Summer are perfect seasons to shoot landscapes with flowers. Even if you can’t make it to Colorado’s Dumont Lake, there are plenty of parks and public gardens nationwide to visit. Here are some tips to help your flower photography skills blossom.
Use a Wide-Angle Lens
If you want to not only capture flowers but also put them in a context with their surroundings, a wide-angle lens is the perfect tool. The larger angle of view gives the viewer a greater context and allows the photographer to increase the depth of field to keep the image sharp from foreground to background, if desired.
Shoot Manually
While it’s easy to trust our cameras, shooting manually is the best way for you to take complete control. This way, you can affect the results by choosing the aperture and shutter combination to create the effect you want. To ensure the image is properly exposed, check your histogram and then alter your settings accordingly. Flowers can be tricky in that they may cause your camera to underexpose if it’s not in manual exposure mode.
Get Down and Dirty
Outdoor photography requires creative thinking and a willingness to contort your body for the perfect shot. With flower photography, we’ve been known to wriggle in the dirt like worms. Trust us, it’s worth it. Become one with your surroundings and capture images in unique ways.
Are you ready for spring photography? Share your best springtime photos with us on Facebook. Award-winning photographers Jim & Lori Steinberg capture nature’s wonders all over the world. To learn how to become a travel photographer in Colorado’s Dumont Lake or beyond, or to learn new tricks, check out our workshops here.
