Jack Douglas said:
BTW I know I could benefit from having the Canon 100 macro - quite a lens!
Jack
Yes, the 100mm macro is very good. I'm attracted by the form and colour of flowers. Therefore, I tend to walk around them a lot or rotate the vase if I'm dealing with an arrangement, look at them from different angles and take lots of shots to see which ones produce a pleasing effect. Sometimes that means the whole flower but often it means a part of the flower, a line, a curve combined with attractive (to me anyway) coloration. You should use mirror lock-up, a remote shutter release and the self-timer function to prevent or minimize vibration and live view to frame your shots. I recommend you use manual focus, as well. To some extent what you get is a function of how much practice you get.