If your camera has a zoom lens with a telephoto setting, this will give you a lot of versatility in composing your shot and finding the best background. While looking through the viewfinder, move around to see the various possibilities. Before you shoot, take a look around the frame to see if there are any extraneous objects you can eliminate.

Reader photo by John Matthews, Harrogate, TN	Reader photo by Barbara Jeska, Plainwell, MI

You don't need to limit yourself to tight shots of a single flower, either. Gardens or fields of flowers offer opportunities for some great landscape pictures. You can shoot rows of flower beds from a high angle to show their patterns, or use your zoom lens's wide-angle setting to capture the perspective of long flower rows at a low angle. Peak seasons like springtime are obvious times to visit a botanical garden, but many of these gardens may feature foliage and flowers that bloom at different times of the year.

Like gardening, photographing flowers can be a peaceful and enjoyable experience. You can take your time to think about the elements that must come together to make an interesting image. Take time to smell the flowers!

Reader photo by Bartley d' Alfonso, Westminster, CA

If your camera has a zoom lens with a telephoto setting, you'll have a lot of versatility in composing a shot. Be sure to eliminate distracting elements in the frame before shooting.

Readers are encouraged to submit photos to our monthly Point & Shoot Homework Assignment feature. Please see the table
of contents for the location of the entry coupon, which lists topics and more details.

Reader photo by Raj Bhotani, Ann Arbor, MI

Due to overwhelming response, we are unable to return images submitted for our monthly Homework Assignment. Therefore, please do not send original negatives or transparencies.