Water droplet reflections

Adding water can make your flower images seem mysterious and more attractive. Here's how to grab the reflections in water droplets.

Shooting after a rain shower provides natural raindrops. On the other hand, you can create your own raindrops with a spray bottle of water.

Spraying water

After a rain, go out and look for raindrops or, if no rain, use the spray bottle of water.

If you continually spray a flower, water will accumulate in certain places to form large drops. This may give you more control because you can spray from different angles if you want a raindrop in a certain area.

Some photographers use glycerin in an eyedropper to place their droplets where they want. Glycerin is sticky, so your droplet will hold on better, but it's also more difficult to move. Don't get your camera sticky!

Shoot outside on a day with no wind.

Steady tripod

Place a tripod low to the ground.

Shoot in macro with a narrow depth-of-field. Use a macro lens or macro setup with a telephoto lens with extenders.

Put the camera on the tripod with the macro lens focused on your raindrop or water droplet.

Use something you devise to hold the flower or flowers firmly in place.

Move in close

Move your view in so close that you see the flower reflected in the raindrop or water droplet.

Focus on the reflection inside the raindrop, not the contours of the raindrop.

If you accidentally bump the flower and knock the raindrop off, spray on some new droplets.

See the reflection

Make sure you are able to see through the droplet so a reflection appears. You won't want to merely photograph the surface of the raindrop. Instead, shoot through it.

Pick a raindrop or water droplet with minimum glare. Avoid highlights which will reduce the vividness of the reflection.

With the camera mounted firmly on the tripod, compose a picture with S or C curves so the image seems to flow.

Focus the macro lens on the center of the water droplet, where the flower reflection appears.

A blurry background will provide a pleasant image of the in-focus droplet and reflection.