10 Ways To Capture Spring!

Make the most of the new season with fresh creative assignments from Jon Adams & Andrew James

- Jon Adams & Andrew James

1 KICK-START SPRING WITH SOME CROCUS FOCUS!

Shoot a bright and vibrant photo of this humble and hardy seasonal icon

Nothing says that spring has arrived like a colourful crocus opening up its petals to the sunshine. Crocuses come in various colours, but all share a beautiful shape that allows you to get really arty when you shoot them.

To make the most of the delicate, semitransparent petals, shoot them with a very limited depth of field, so they stand out perfectly from the background and look translucent. You can choose to shoot one crocus if you can find one away from the crowd, or concentrate on a small bunch. Either way, you need to act fast and catch them when they are first open, before the wind and rain take their toll.

Crocuses are a few inches high, so work low to the ground. You want the shot to look arty with lots of shallow focus, so use a wide aperture (like f/2.8) on a 100mm macro lens. Where you focus is critical, as this will be the only small point in the frame that is sharp. It could be the foremost petal or perhaps the stamen at the centre.

What’s in your background is also important. You want something either in line with the colours of your crocus or something that contrasts strongly, like an area of green or deep shade.

1 Macro lens & tripod

Use a macro lens or a close-up filter. Because crocuses are just a few inches high, use a tripod where you can fix the centre column upside down. That way, you can lock your composition in place.

2 Camera settings