Enhancing the light for balance
Use modifiers and artificial light to create more balanced exposures on sunny days
Soft lighting tends to complement the delicate form of a flower. Hazy or overcast conditions, where the sky acts as a giant softbox, can be perfect. On sunny days, however, the light can be harsh, resulting in bright spots and strong shadows. There are workarounds, though. Shooting flowers in the shade can help, but you’ll need to keep an eye on both the shutter speed (as the lower light levels can lead to longer exposures and the risk of camera shake) and the white balance (shade can produce a cool, blue cast).
You can also use a reflector to help balance the exposure on a shot taken in stronger lighting. Manually set the exposure for the brightest part of the flower,
Lift the shadows
There was a window to the left of this arrangement that created dark shadows in the original shot. Using a remote flashgun to the right opens up to the shadows in the second shot. then hold a piece of white card or crumpled foil next to the flower to bounce light into the shadows. You can also achieve a similar effect by using an off-camera flashgun, fitted with a diffuser to soften and spread the light.
These are useful techniques to use when you’re taking pictures of flowers indoors, too. If you set up near a window, try taping tracing paper to the glass to diffuse the light, or position a reflector or artificial light on the shadow side of the subject.