How to Photograph Your Floral Work Like a Pro

Great Photos Are Your Best Marketing Tool

You can be the most talented florist in your city, but if your photos do not reflect that talent, clients will never find you. In the wedding industry, visual quality is everything. Brides scroll Instagram and Pinterest for hours before they ever reach out to a florist, and the quality of your images determines whether they stop on your post or keep scrolling.

The good news: you do not need a professional camera or a photography degree. Here is how to photograph your floral work with the phone you already have.

Lighting Is Everything

Natural light is your best friend. Shoot near a large window during the morning or late afternoon when light is soft and directional. Avoid direct sunlight, which creates harsh shadows and washes out colors.

The rules:

• Overcast days produce the best light for flowers. The clouds act as a giant diffuser.


• North-facing windows provide consistent, soft light throughout the day.


• Never use flash. Flash flattens dimension and creates an artificial look.


• Avoid overhead fluorescent lighting. It casts a green tint that makes flowers look dull.

The Three Essential Angles

1. Straight-on (eye level): Hold your phone at the same height as the arrangement. This is the most flattering angle for bouquets and centerpieces. It shows the full face of the flowers and creates depth.

2. 45-degree angle: Shoot from slightly above. This works well for tablescapes and flat-lay detail shots. It shows the top of the arrangement while maintaining dimension.

3. Overhead (flat lay): Shoot directly from above. Best for bouquets laid on a surface, detail shots with accessories (rings, invitations), and ingredient-style shots of loose stems.

Styling Tips

• Use a clean background. A white or neutral surface (marble, linen, wood) keeps the focus on the flowers.


• Add props sparingly. Candles, ribbon, and vintage scissors can add interest, but the flowers should be the star.


• Leave negative space. Do not fill every inch of the frame. Space around the arrangement makes it feel more editorial.


• Style for the platform. Instagram favors square and vertical images. Pinterest favors tall verticals. Website galleries need horizontal images.

Phone Settings

• Use portrait mode for bouquets and single arrangements. The background blur makes the flowers pop.


• Turn on grid lines (rule of thirds) to improve composition.


• Tap to focus on the most important bloom in the arrangement.


• Lock exposure by pressing and holding on the brightest area to prevent overexposure.

Editing Apps

Keep edits subtle. Over-editing makes flowers look artificial.

• Lightroom Mobile (free): Best overall. Adjust exposure, whites, and vibrance. Save presets for consistent style.


• VSCO: Great preset filters that feel natural. Good for Instagram consistency.


• Snapseed: Free, powerful selective editing. Use the brush tool to brighten or sharpen specific areas.

Editing workflow:


• Straighten and crop


• Slightly increase exposure if needed


• Boost vibrance (not saturation) by 10 to 15 percent


• Increase clarity or structure by 5 to 10 percent


• Adjust white balance if colors look off

Getting Professional Photos from Wedding Photographers

This is the most underutilized strategy for building your portfolio:

• Ask before the wedding. Tell the photographer you would love to be tagged when they share images of your work.


• Provide a shot list. Ask the photographer to capture specific details: the bouquet with the rings, a close-up of the ceremony arch, an overhead of the sweetheart table.


• Tag and credit. When you share their photos, always tag the photographer. This builds goodwill and encourages them to share your work.


• Build relationships. The photographers who consistently shoot your work become your best referral partners.

Instagram Strategy for Florists

• Post three to five times per week during your first year of building


• Use a mix of content: finished arrangements (60 percent), behind-the-scenes (20 percent), process and design (20 percent)


• Hashtag strategy: Use 15 to 20 hashtags per post mixing broad and specific. Examples: #weddingflorist, #sandiegoweddingflorist, #bridalflowers, #floristlife


• Stories daily: Show your day, your process, your personality. Stories build connection that grid posts cannot.


• Reels: Film quick 15 to 30 second videos of arrangement assembly. These get significantly more reach than static images.

Marketing and photography strategies are covered in Chic Academy, including our Instagram content calendar template.