flower image : Great Flower Photos

We've occasionally run into fine photographers who consider their skills some sort of endangered species. They want to protect their techniques, much afraid that if the "masses" find out about them, all will be lost.

Luckily, most photographers aren't so insecure, or Outdoor Photographer magazine wouldn't have much to talk about. One of the best communicators about photo technique in the business is George Lepp, our OP Tech Tips columnist. He has refined information-giving to an art. He loves to be in front of an audience, whether in person or through the magazine, to help all photographers make better outdoor images. He has no fear about others stealing his ideas--Lepp brings a unique eye to his photography, an eye he hopes will encourage others to discover their own way of seeing.

One big reason for this is that, at heart, Lepp likes to experiment. He'll try everything (even shooting through the bottom of a Coke bottle) to get a better, more interesting image. By experimenting, Lepp knows what works and doesn't, and he's happy to tell you all about it, too. He bubbles over with excitement about new ways of doing things. I think if one tried to stop this up, George Lepp would demonstrate that people can, indeed, explode.

This consummate pro has been doing a lot of work with flowers in recent years, from California poppies to Netherlands tulips. He believes that flowers are the ultimate outdoor subject: They're accessible for nearly every photographer, with great varieties growing almost everywhere. Photographers rarely have to go far to work with flowers. And because of the combination of quantity and availability, Lepp tells us, they're perfect for trying new techniques.

"Flowers give you a lot of creative freedom," he says. "They have a bit of mystery, too, since you can never predict exactly what they will do from year to year, and I think that adds to the attraction. Everyone relates to flowers. You can always get a response of some sort from an audience who experiences flower photos."

Yet, flower photos aren't always as successful as they could be, according to Lepp: "Flowers can be a trap for the photographer, too. It seems as if all you have to do is line up a pretty flower in your viewfinder and you're done. But a pretty flower doesn't automatically translate into a pretty picture." The problem, Lepp explains, is that people have simply seen a lot of flower photos over the years. If it's just another rose picture, everyone has seen what roses look like, so the photo won't necessarily be something anyone wants to see again. Says Lepp, "People need a reason to look at your photos. If you can come back with a truly different image, then people have a reason to look. Today's equipment makes it fairly easy to get a good record shot of the flower. A good artistic, creative photo is a different challenge."

By Rob Sheppard; Photography By George Lepp