Photographing Nature

Few things are better than taking pictures of nature.  Even amateur photographers gravitate towards taking pictures of nature because it’s easier to get a good picture, with the right approach.  After all, nature is the most magnificent work of art, and you want to do it justice with your pictures.  There are a few ways to make your nature photography look great.

Take Pictures When It’s Overcast

Believe it or not, a good overcast day is an excellent time to take nature pictures.  The reason is that the lighting is like having diffused lighting, which makes things look soft and beautiful.

Take Images during Twilight

This works really well if you’re at the beach and can take an image pointing out to sea.  The light will play off the different textures and make the image come to life in a different way.  It’s a great time to take an image in nature.

Take a Photograph during the Golden Hour

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of taking a good photograph.  Nature provides a wide variety of natural lighting options, some of which we’ve discussed already.  The ‘golden hour’ provides an opportunity to take spectacular images.  This is the short period of time just after sunrise and just before sunset.  It provides a warm, diffused light, hence its name.

Avoid Manmade Items in the Shot

When you are taking nature photos, you want to try to frame the shot without any manmade items in the shot.  This will make the image look that much better as there will be nothing distracting in the picture.

Try Different Angles

Nature shots in different angles can play with lighting and the scene.  For instance, if you’re in a forest, why not take a shot from the ground looking up.  The light can play through the leaves and make a beautiful shot that makes the trees and their size the true centre of attention.

The Earlier the Better

When you want nature shots, go out early in the morning before most people are out and about, so not to disrupt your opportunity to get unobstructed views.  You can take advantage of the morning golden hour and not be limited by your shots.

Check Your White Balance

This is especially important when you take photos of snow and ice.  It’s hard for your camera to focus on an all white or all grey scene, but if you can set your ‘White Balance’ manually before taking the photos, they should turn out better.

The biggest thing you can do to take excellent nature photographs is to practice your skills.  Taking nature photos is different from other kinds of photographs that you have more control over.  Out in nature you have to deal with the lighting that’s there and that’s where your knowledge of the settings on your camera is really necessary.