Nature photography is a highly addictive hobby, mostly because there’s always something new to find and capture. The diversity found within nature is truly incredible, and many photographers spend their entire lives taking pictures of the various plants, animals, and invertebrates that they come across during their travels.
Being able to effectively capture nature’s most precious moments is a skill that’s developed over many years, and certain electronic devices will be needed. Here are some other helpful tips that beginner photographers can use to begin taking better pictures of the natural world around them.
Don’t Be Put Off By The Expense
It’s all fine and well to have a passion for taking pictures, but most people think that they need to buy a pricey DSLR camera before they begin taking great pictures of wildlife. This isn’t true, however; and while it’s certainly a fact that having a DSLR camera and the right lenses can make all the difference, much of the same quality can be captured with a modern smartphone.
Today’s smartphone cameras are incredibly advanced, and some devices in particular make excellent replacements for cameras, including Google’s range of Pixel devices, as well as the iPhone. To really take photography to a new level, however, it may be worth saving up for a while to purchase a DSLR.
Make Full Use Of Lenses
For the lucky photographer that does have access to a DSLR, they should endeavour to become as familiar as possible with the various lenses in order to maximise the quality of the pictures that they take. For example, a wide-scale lens set to an infinity setting or something similar would be the better choice when capturing images of a landscape. Many pros also advise amateurs to always make use of the horizon when snapping pictures – the horizon acts as an excellent frame to keep the pictures looking straight.
Patience Is Key
This is one that most nature photographers know that they need to try and adhere to, but it can be difficult. Some of the greatest pictures of nature ever taken were by those photographers that spent countless hours sitting in the same spot to get just the “right” photo.
Not everyone has the money or the time to do the same, especially when there’s a new show on or a fresh round of online tennis betting to enjoy, but it does mean that patience is often one of the best skills to work on when trying to achieve higher quality pictures.
Lighting Is Important
Another skill that a photographer will want to work on is learning how to work with the lighting that is available. This is a whole set of skills on its own, but it can help to know which lighting works the best with certain subjects, and where the source of light should be set. For example, a dark, overcast day might make a great setting for a person wanting to capture lots of detail in softer light.
