Hints on painting a composition from numerous photographs

Hints on painting floral subjects from many photographs

Photographs are great for reference but try not to rely on them entirely. The first step to break away from dependence on them is to become use to working from several different photographs and to compose a subject comprising of many parts of many photographs. You will be forced to use artistic license and this will build your confidence.

I generally use photographs for reference or fine detail. Seldom will I use just one photograph. I use numerous photographs - often just or two leaves or maybe one bloom from each. I design a pleasing composition - referring to the photographs for the fine detail.

If you use numerous photographs for one composition - you need to ensure the following:
-The light source and direction is the same in each photograph
-The perspective is the same (don't have some blooms from a very low angle and others from a very high angle - it will be difficult to make the composition look convincing)
-Photograph at the same time of day - the shadows will be a consistent length and direction.
-Ensure you use numerous focal planes otherwise everything will fight for dominance and crowd the front focal plane
-Suggest flowers in the background rather than have them in full detail
-Choose a main bloom - the rest should be softer focus and have less contrast
-Ensure you have blooms on different angles. Some side on - some back on - some three quarter on. Imagine a painting with every bloom facing forward. It would look like a row of soldiers. Turn some around and see the difference!
-Remember to paint things as they are in nature - some 'spent' flowers as well as tight buds - and everything in between. This is the story of that flower variety.

Hope that helps!
Susan