Clive Nichols

Flower & Plant Photography

£125.00
£125.00
Tax included.
Level:



Clive Nichols, one of the world's finest garden photographers, teaches you the practical and artistic skills of flower and plant photography — drawn from 25 years of experience and illustrated with over 150 of his own stunning images.

You'll learn how to use light, compose images using diverse shapes and colours, apply macro techniques for precise focus, reduce background distractions, and capture beautiful results both indoors and in the garden. Practical assignments accompany each lesson so you're shooting from the very start.

Suitable for all levels. Includes 4 on-demand video lessons, lifetime access, downloadable notes, practical photography assignments, and a small interactive online classroom.

Join our Flower and Plant Photography course taught by Clive Nichols, one of the world’s finest garden photographers.

Over four lessons, Clive teaches you the practical and artistic aspects of plant and flower photography, drawn from his 25 years’ experience.

You'll learn alongside Clive with practical assignments where you'll photograph flowers, based on each lesson including how to use a macro lens on your camera, how to play with shutter speed, and how to capture photographs of flower petals, and plants.

Choose Expert option for personal feedback from Clive on your assignments.

This course is suitable for all levels of photographer from beginners to professional photographers looking to learn how to take the best photos of flowers and plants (indoors and outside in your garden) from an expert.

Clive uses over 150 beautiful and striking examples of his plant and flower photographs to illustrate approaches and techniques you can use in your own work.

You'll learn:

  • how to use light in flower photography
  • composing images using diverse shapes and colours in plants and flowers
  • techniques to for brilliant plant and flower photographs in indoor and outdoor settings
  • creative techniques for photographing flowers and plants
  • reducing background distractions
  • using macro photography techniques for focus in your flower photos

You'll need:

  • Camera which allows user to control shutter speed, aperture and ideally has an exposure compensation button
  • Macro and Zoom Lens (If you don't have a Macro lens then here's some alternative options: Alternatives to the macro lens)
  • Tripod
  • Lens Hood for avoiding flare when shooting into the sun
  • A white and a gold reflector
  • Sheets of different coloured card
  • A piece of black velvet for backgrounds

The course includes:

  • 4 on-demand video lessons - presented by Clive Nichols
  • lifetime access to the video, notes and interactive class
  • flexible classes - join and learn when and where you like
  • downloadable lesson notes
  • practical (optional) photography assignments
  • access on your mobile, PC, Mac or laptop
  • small interactive online classroom chat online to students from around the world

Time to complete this photography course:

Every student is different but in general we think the whole course will take around 12 hours 20 minutes to complete including:

  • Video lesson: 1 hour 20 minutes in total
  • Course notes: 30 minutes per lesson
  • Assignment: at least 2 hours per lesson
  • Interactive classroom time: 15 minutes per lesson
  • Tutor feedback review (Expert level): 15 minutes per assignment

Ready to get started?

Just add the course to your basket above - choose the 'Expert' option for personal feedback from Clive on your photos.

Any questions? Contact us by clicking on the orange speech symbol - we'd love to hear from you.

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Learn on demand, at your own pace
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Lessons

What You’ll Learn

Explore the lessons and topics covered across the course.

Lighting is vitally important to all photography and in this lesson Clive explains how to use natural light to get the best out of your subjects. He starts by looking at the advantages of soft, diffused light, then moves on to bright sunlight, back lighting and side lighting. He also gives essential advice on controlling exposure for getting the best possible results in your work.
Flowers and plants offer a fascinating range of shapes and colours to photograph and in this lesson Clive talks about how to use them to make stunning images. He looks at single and repeated shapes, pattern and line, the use of positive and negative space and creating abstract images.
In this lesson, Clive explores the pleasures of working indoors, including the use of different coloured backgrounds. He explains how to create simple but effective still life images and how props such as vases and bottles can be used to enhance them. He goes on to look at working outdoors and the advantages of shooting at different times of the day and in a range of weather conditions.
Now that lighting, composition and different working conditions have been explored, Clive now examines different creative techniques to use in your flower and plant work. He discusses the importance of viewpoint, ways of using plant combinations and the striking effect of using complementary colours. He also looks at controlling depth of field, creatively using subject and camera movement and concludes with some useful post-processing techniques.
Learning options

Choose How You Want to Learn

Recommended
Expert
£125.00

A guided learning experience with expert support, feedback and recognised outcomes.

  • Expert Assignment Feedback
  • Private Tutor Messaging
  • Certificate & CPD Hours
  • On-demand Lessons Videos & Notes
  • Collaborative Classroom Chat
  • Message Classmates Directly
  • Small Classroom Size
  • Lifetime Access
Peer
£45.00

Learn alongside others with a collaborative, flexible learning experience.

  • On-demand Lessons Videos & Notes
  • Collaborative Classroom Chat
  • Message Classmates Directly
  • Small Classroom Size
  • Lifetime Access
COURSE TUTOR

Clive Nichols

Portrait of Clive Nichols

Clive Nichols has established a reputation as one of the world's finest flower and garden photographers. His passion for the subject comes across in every image that he makes. Clive has photographed many of the world's best gardens, including HRH The Prince of Wales's own private garden in Scotland, Lord Rothschild's private garden in Corfu and Lord Heseltine's private garden in Oxfordshire. In addition his work has appeared in hundreds of books as well as in countless magazines, calendars and brochures. Over the past 25 years he has amassed a stunning collection of over 60,000 images which are available for reproduction. Clive regularly gives master classes in flower and garden photography for The Royal Horticultural Society and for the past 5 years he has been one of the two main judges for the prestigious 'International Garden Photographer of the Year' awards.

Clive also photographs interiors, travel, architecture and lifestyle, undertaking many prestigious commissions including a calendar of the world's best modern buildings for a Russian Senator, a book about the finest Villa on Lake Como for Conde Nast and a new brochure on the historic BMA House in Tavistock Square, London, for the British Medical Association.

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SUCCESS

What Our Learners Achieve

See the impact our courses are delivering for learners.
80%+

Completion rates

Our courses consistently achieve 80% learner completion rates versus a 20% industry average
4.5/5

Learner Satisfaction

High learner ratings for quality, support, and exam preparation
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CPD Learning Hours

Earn recognised CPD hours through expert-led courses designed to support your ongoing professional development.
Benefits

Why Choose Us

The advantages of Learning with Experts and a supportive community.

Learn on Demand

Start whenever it suits you, and immerse yourself in motivational lesson tutorials with expert guidance.

Practice what you learn

Enhance your learning and personal growth with lesson assignments. Each course includes an optional assignment at the end of every lesson.

Talk directly to experts

Drop a friendly message or respond to your assignment feedback. Our world-class experts are just a click away, ready to help you!

Track Progress & Achievements

Stay informed about your own progress and those of your peers, and take joy in celebrating achievements along the way.

Be part of a community

Chat and share ideas with passionate communities of learners from around the world.

Reviews

What Learners Say

Genuine feedback and experiences from learners.
5.00

“It is extremely beneficial to have feedback on your own understanding of the topics and to have input on the detail required in an answer. Learning with Experts has been a really good experience.”

Bronwyn
5.00

“Outstanding content - I have gone back into the course videos many times and had many hours worth of incredible insight even before doing the assignments, which have forced me to really think about the experts' guidance.”

David
5.00

“The course has given me lots of tips and ideas. It was helpful being able to speak to others in the class about assignments and the feedback from the expert was very inspiring and has given me the confidence to try new things in my own garden.”

Helen
5.00

“I would not hesitate to recommend Learning with Experts for the RHS Level 2 Certificate. They provided thorough, comprehensive study materials alongside each individual video lesson presented by highly regarded experts in the field of horticulture, who are also engaging communicators."

Amanda
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Common Questions

Answers to the most common questions about learning with us.

Our online classroom is designed to help you learn from experts in a collaborative, social environment alongside a small group of learners.

Each lesson combines expert-led videos with optional assignments, giving you the opportunity to apply what you’ve learned and share your work with others. You can take part in ongoing discussions, ask questions, exchange feedback, and learn from a community of like-minded people from around the world.

By learning together in a small, supportive group, you benefit not only from expert guidance but also from shared ideas, perspectives, and experiences—helping you stay engaged and retain what you learn.

You can start your course at any time within 12 months of purchase. Once you begin, you’ll have lifetime access, so you can revisit lesson videos and notes whenever you like.

Courses are designed to fit around your schedule, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Each lesson video is typically 30–40 minutes, and we recommend around an hour for each assignment.

Both Peer and Expert options give you full access to the course content, including lesson videos, downloadable notes, assignments, and a collaborative online classroom with up to 20 learners. You’ll also have lifetime access to revisit the material at any time.

The Expert option includes everything in Peer, plus personalised assignment feedback, direct messaging with your expert tutor, and a certificate of completion.

With the Expert option, you can interact directly with your tutor throughout the course. You’ll typically have one week per lesson to ask questions and receive feedback on your assignments, with as much interaction as you need during that time.

Your tutor access begins when you enter the classroom and follows the course schedule (for example, a four-lesson course usually runs over four weeks). If you need more time or support, our team is here to help.