Photographing Tulip Fields (ENG)

Spring has already started and everything has started to bloom. It is a fantastic time to capture all of this with the camera. But before you go out, it's smart to be prepared. You will not be the first one to see a fantastic sunset and then find out that the camera's battery is empty or that the memory card is full. So here are seven tips to create the most beautiful tulip field photos.

Tip 1: Prepare your camera gear It's always good to have your camera gear ready to go, so that you can be sure that you have everything with you. An extra charged battery, some extra memory cards, ND filters or Polariser filters, lens cloth, tripod and so on. I also always bring along a large garbage bag so that I can sit or lie on it I really want to take pictures down low. The most important thing is that you have everything ready so you can go out without any worries. Then when you come back and transferred the photos to your computer and recharged your batteries, you can immediately prepare your bag for the next shoot.

Tip 2: Plan your tulip shoot. Before you go out, it is good to plan your tulip shoot. A good location is important, but also plan everything around getting there. Can I park my car easily? Do I have to take a walk far and how much time does that take? It is easier if you live near such a field, you may have already passed it a few times and you know exactly how to get there. When you live farther away, it's all a bit more difficult to find a beautiful Tulip field. I find Google Maps very helpful to see how the roads look like. Don't you know where such a field is located? Feel free to ask other photographers on photo forums or check on Facebook or Instagram for example, people will be happy to share it with you. Tip 3: Arrive on time I think the most beautiful photos at sunrise and sunset. There are many hone applications these days that tell you at what time these moments take place. I would try to be at the location at least 1 hour before sunset or sunrise. You can try out some compositions and find the most beautiful spot before the sun rises or sets. You will probably also not be the only one there who will be taking photos around this time, so account for that too.

Tip 4: Take different kind of photos A tulip field is quite large and can be a bit overwhelming, it can sometimes be difficult to take a nice photo. Therefore, alternate with, for example, some detail shots of the tulips themselves, alternate between wide-angle and more tele-zoom photos. Also make sure that you have enough vertically oriented photos if you want to share your photos later on, for example, Instagram.

Bonus tip! Always pay close attention to your horizon and that it runs nicely straight or your photo, or many modern cameras nowadays even have a digital level. 

Tip 5: Camera settings The camera settings are always dependent on the weather that day. You can play with different kinds of settings, so you can take nice photo with a small aperture number (f2.8, for example) if you want to blur out the background. If you want everything as sharp as possible, a larger aperture number is more convenient (f8 or f11). If your camera has to option to do focus stacking you could take multiple shot to create 1 super sharp image in post production.

Shutter speed is also dependent on the weather, for example, if there is no wind you can work with slower shutter speeds. When there is a lot of wind, the shutter speed should be faster to avoid moving tulips. Using a tripod will help you keep your ISO low and have less noise on your photos. Also use the countdown function of your camera, at somewhat slower shutter speeds or work with a shutter release cable.

Tip 6: Which lens do I need? I often get asked which lens I use and I usually say the lens you have is often more than good enough. Of course you can take beautiful wide photos with a wide-angle lens. But most of the photos I take are taken with my Fujifilm kit lens (18-55mm) and they are more than fine. You can also take beautiful panoramic photos, when you take a number of photos that you later stitch together in Photoshop. It's a somewhat more cumbersome process but it is cheaper than a new expensive wide angle lens, it only takes you some time. On Youtube you'll find enough videos about stitching photos.

Stitched Panorama taken from 5 vertical images

Tip 7: Enjoy the environment alone or with friends Perhaps the most important tip is to enjoy nature and the moment possibly with a friend. It is also easy to lose yourself in taking pictures, but also enjoy the moment. The photos should give a nice memory of that moment. Also respect the farmer's work and don't trample or take flowers and don't leave a mess behind.

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