Nature photography provides both the photographer and viewer a privy look into the beautiful, wild, natural world. There are countless remarkable locations and subjects that make for outstanding photography. However, nature and wildlife subjects in their true environment are more unruly than an artificial subject that you capture within a controllable studio. Here are some tips that will help you achieve magnificent landscape, wildlife and plantlife photographs.
Landscapes
In landscape photography, you should focus on the maximization of your depth of field. Ensure that the entire scene is in focus with a small aperture setting — the smaller your aperture the greater your depth of field. Set your aperture at f/2 or f/1.4, and have your ISO image sensor. You can alternatively lengthen the shutter speed for increased exposure, rather than adjust the ISO. A longer shutter speed requires a steady camera that won’t move during exposure. Avoid blurry photos with a tripod and a cable or wireless shutter release mechanism for optimal camera stillness. When you set up the composition of your shot, keep foregrounds in mind. Layer your photo with multiple points of interest that lie within various depths of field. The best time for landscape photography is within the “golden hours,” which lie around dawn and dusk. The natural, golden light at these ideal times will enhance your photos’ texture, color and dimensions.
Wildlife
Wildlife photography requires quick reflexes and ample patience. Wildlife photography opportunities will generally last between 5 and 20 seconds, so it is important that you know your gear and have complete control over your camera settings. Experiment with your camera and figure out the minimum shutter speed to obtain a sharp image with your camera and lens combo, the margins that the in-lens or in-camera stabilization provides, and how to toggle between focus points and focus modes. Before you embark into the field, practice how you can adjust the focus and exposure settings on your camera, without removal of your eye from the viewfinder. Know your subject as well as you know your camera. Study the wildlife you plan to use as your subject, so you can anticipate their behavior and movement. You can achieve this through research or you can invest time with them , where you simply sit and watch them. Many wildlife photographers are overly concerned with the focal length of their lens and their photos may oftentimes capture the wildlife without any context. If you shoot at a wider angle, you can incorporate the animal’s background and environment for a more intricate photo with an intriguing, visual narrative.
Plantlife
Improve your flower photography with the integration of more specialized gear. Macro photo lenses are an ideal tool if you wish for close-up photos that can capture the miniscule and fascinating floral details. When you focus with a macro lens, you must be sure it is properly set as your depth of field becomes more limited when you are close to your subject. Bypass the expense of a macro lens with an extension tube, which is an alternative for extreme close-ups. A tube will fit between the camera body and the lens, which will move the lens away from the sensor and reduce the minimum focusing distance. To practice your macro floral photography, flower bouquets that can conveniently be delivered to your home. A telephoto lens is a wonderful lens for the isolation of a particular flower from its surroundings. The long lens will set a wide aperture that will focus on the subject and make the foreground and background more out of focus. This sort of lens is wonderful for plant species photography, so the viewer’s attention is drawn upon the plant that is the highlighted subject.
