Nature photography is a wide branch of photography which includes a wide array of photographs captured outdoors. The subjects of nature photographs include landscape, animals in wilderness, plants, flowers, insects, sceneries and natural textures. In this blog we will discuss 5 tips to capture brilliant nature photographs.
1. Study the light
Light plays a critical role in nature photography. It is very important to study and understand the combination of light and darkness, colours and textures. If you are a nature photographer, you have to develop the skill of understanding the light. Though it goes without saying that light is dependent on weather conditions, learning to see the light does the magic. For example, a brilliant picture of a sunrise or a sunset can be captured on a cloudy day. Moreover it is often advised by professional nature photographers to shoot nature photographs in the first half of the day or in late afternoon.
2. Get as close as possible to the subject
It is very important to get as close as possible to the subject. You will get an interesting view of a flower or an insect in proximity. As you cannot get closer enough to shoot a wild animal or a bird up in the sky, you will require good telephoto equipment. If you are a professional nature photographer, you will require 400 mm, 500 mm or 600 mm telephoto lens. But, if your hobby is nature photography, all you need is a 200 mm telephoto lens. However, to shoot sceneries or a landscape you do not have to get closer. In this case, you will need a wide angle lens.
3. Use a tripod whenever you can
Next time, you go for nature photography, do not forget to carry a tripod. A tripod will help you to hold the telephoto lens still. Moreover, a tripod minimizes unwanted movement of the camera thereby improving the picture quality and keeping unwanted blurring at bay.
4. Take your camera off the ‘auto’ setting
A nature photographer must not use the ‘auto’ setting of the digital camera. If you do this, you will be able to have control over the lighting. You can actually capture good nature photographs using the ‘sunny’ or cloudy’ settings found on most of the digital cameras. A beginner in nature photography should learn to use the light meter found on the camera and try to make the necessary adjustments to click a good nature photograph.
5. Get the right moment
To be an expert nature photographer, you need practice. Nature photography is not about only taking photographs of nature. A nature photographer must have a understanding of natural convergences or when two natural objects come together in one point of time. This particular moment is called the ‘decisive moment’ or right moment. To get the right moment, you need patience and dedication. You can learn about the right moment by watching the changes in nature and the patterns of the changes. In a nutshell, you have to study nature to be a good nature photographer.
5 Tips to Capture Brilliant Nature Photographs
