What is it about flower photography that draws you in? Could it be the beautiful flowers themselves? Maybe. There are some gorgeous flowers out there. But chances are you’ve seen a snapshot of a beautiful flower that hasn’t really done it justice. So what is it then? What is it that makes a gorgeous flower photo if it isn’t the beauty of the flower itself?

Psst…I’m going to let you in on a little secret…Selective Focus. That’s right, remember it. Ingrain it into your mind, because this is what gives a flower photo that extra something special!

Selective focus isolates the subject of the photo by blurring the other elements. To create this effect, choose a lens with a very wide aperture (f/1.4, f/2.8, even f/5.6) in order to create shallow depth of field. Then focus only on the subject you want to be sharp, snap the photo, and voila! You have a beautiful flower photo with that dreamy bokeh everyone’s talking about!

What are some things you love about photographing flowers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!