I love nature and photography, that’s why spring is one of my favourite seasons, especially in the Netherlands!
First the blooming of the blossom trees, magnolias, daffodils and hyacinth fields start in March. Followed by the impressive blooming of the tulip fields from half April, turning the countryside of my country into a colorful quilt.
Then the roses start in June and July, followed by the dahlias in August, and purple heather fields in August/September! See where to find these in: purple heather hotspots blog.
All this makes my homeland flower photography heaven for almost half a year!
As seasonal pictures work very well on social media and I really enjoy exploring my local, I go out regularly with my drone, camera and phone. I love to capture all the natural beauty the Netherlands has to offer, especially in springtime.
But why does the Netherlands have so many tulip fields?
The soil in the Dutch polders is drowned often and the long spring season has cool nights, which creates the perfect conditions for tulip production.
The tulip fields are easy to explore by car or cycle. For a full day of fun I would recommend to rent an (E-)Bike and follow the tulip routes in several regions.
Of course it’s also possible to explore the fields on foot, however as not all fields are located near each other, this is less convenient.
Where to find the best tulip fields?
Therefore I would advise you to visit larger fields or several fields located next to each other, like the Tulip Store Showgarden and the farm of van der Slot Tulips in Voorhout.
These 2 make a great combination and are both free to visit. Read more about this in my previous blog.
You can also visit the special and highly photogenic tulip fields of:
These locations do charge an entrance fee, but are larger, have several nice settings and usually also some refreshments, cakes and different seating options. Perfect for a few hours of fun!
If you want to take pictures in the regular farmer fields by the road, always keep the following in mind:
It's NEVER ok to walk into a field without permission or jump the gate
If you see the farmer, check with him first to see if he's ok with you walking in between the flower rows, so he can decide for himself
Keep in mind that without permission you can damage the farmer's harvest and income, as you can bring across diseases to the flowers
Not all farmers are worried about that though and I know several who are ok with you walking through their fields, as long as stay in between the rows, and walk carefully without bruising or picking the flowers!
And of course you can also take great pics standing/or lying in front of the tulip field:)
More tips for respectful tulip field exploring and several top flower locations in the Netherlands in my previous blog.
But now on to the photography tips!
First and foremost it’s important to use the right equipment. Of course the better the camera and lense, the better the pictures can turn out. But in my opinion a unique perspective, the right angle, nice styling and a creative eye for photography is very important as well!
In this blog I will share 20 of my top photography tips, which can also be implemented with a smartphone with a good quality lense.
20 creative tulip field photography tips & tricks
You can take great pictures with your phone, especially when you know how to use it! Therefore do read on and try these tips & tricks with your own phone.
Remember: practice makes perfect, so don’t be afraid to try new things and change your perspective!
Dress to impress to make yourself pop in front of the flowers, or blend in by color coordinating
Wear matching or contrasting bright colors, or keep it white for even more contrast
Also a nice dress, flowy outfit, like a long skirt, and a nice hat always do the trick as well!
Move around and use your outfit to get movement in your pics, like this:
Bring props, like a picnic blanket, basket, cute umbrella, extra bouquet of tulips, or use your (E)bike
Take shots from a low angle in between the flower rows
Look for sunflares in between the flowers when you turn your lense upwards. Yes, you can get a bit dirty for both of these tips, as they're easier done lying down..but nobody said it was going to be easy😊
Or take pics from a higher angle instead to show off the wideness of the fields. You can also use a wide angle lense or the wide angle function on your phone
Use a macrolense (you can also buy clip on lenses for your phone), or your phone's portrait function, to create a DOF (depth of field) effect
For optimal DOF it’s important to keep the flowers very close to the lense in the forefront, to create depth
Photograph over the fields to get that pretty blurry effect in the foreground
Or focus on the flowers instead (tap on these flowers in your phone's frame) to keep them sharp for a different perspective
If it rained, use the puddles to create reflections. This is easier while turning your phone upside down and keeping it very low, to get more in frame, like Vlinderlin often does
Use the slomo function on your phone for creative videos and move it upwards from in between the flowers to get that cinematic effect
Get up early for that soft light and if you're lucky, foggy settings, like Jean Paul Bardelot
Or instead, wait for golden hour, which is 1 hour before sunset, currently around 8/9 pm, to get the best light and colorful skies
Find postcard tulip field settings with a windmill or even a train in the background. In my previous blog you can see exactly where they are in the Netherlands
Go to the designated photography hotspots with props placed already in the tulip fields, like a cow, swing, chair, bike, tractor, a Fiat 500 or even a piano!
Get creative with editing and add magical skies easily with an app, about which you can read more in this editing blog
And of course if you have one, bring your drone to get the most spectacular perspective (provided that it's a fly zone), for shots like this:
There are plenty of beautiful flower spots and photogenic tulip fields throughout the Netherlands.
However if you’re looking for other unique spots and Instagrammable sites, then do check this blog as well: 11 Instagrammable spots in the Netherlands.
And for other lesser-known, photogenic and must visit cities in my homeland, check:
Did you know all of these photography tips already, or do have any top tulip field tips to add?
Always happy to hear from you and feel free to share your tips and pics with me via social media. Just go to the links at the bottom of this page to connect.
Can’t wait to see what you will create with these tips!
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