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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 45 7 RETOUCHING. Repeat after me: "Retouching is OK!" Sometimes lightning strikes, and an image is perfect without any editing whatsoever, but more often than not, your flowers will need a little help to appear as beautiful in your photos as they do in real life. Whether working on a mobile phone or computer, there are many free photo- editing apps that can help enhance your botanical photography. When fine-tuning photos, avoid adopting heavy filters and trendy color enhancements that will look dated quickly. Instead, work toward finding a consistent look that feels true to you. If you are a beginner, start by lightly increasing your brightness, decreasing shadows and cropping any distractions from your pictures. Your results will be light, airy and delightfully modern. 8 B-ROLL (SECONDARY, SUPPLEMENTAL OR ALTERNATIVE PHOTOS). Gone are the days of limiting image quantity due to film costs. Embrace the ability to take lots of images. Create a shot list. Be sure to get a few photos of raw materials before designing, in progress (if possible), finished work, and close-ups of your favorite design elements. Especially on social media platforms like Instagram, you will be rewarded in higher likes/views if you share carousel-style collections of images for your followers to view. 9 WHICH CAMERA IS BEST? Artists have long held the belief that "the best camera is the one you have," which is valuable advice, indeed. While it can be tempting to think your photos will be share-worthy only if shot on a fancy camera, the truth is that most smartphone cameras are fully capable of bringing out your best work. If it is in your budget, upgrading to a lightweight mirrorless camera—such as the Sony Alpha, Canon EOS and Panasonic LUMIX series—will ensure that you can consistently capture high-resolution professional-quality images, but it is not necessary to your success. e most important thing is to use the camera you have—and use it more often. Every time you design something beautiful and let it slip away without photographing it, you are losing potential future customers who may be inspired to order your flowers based on that work. From beginning florists to experienced certified floral designers, we can all benefit from documenting our work more often and improving our floral photography skills along the way. PULUZ Folding Portable Ring-light Photo Lighting Studio light box $35.99 at Amazon.com Sony Alpha a7 Mirrorless Camera $999 at BestBuy.com

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