PhotoNaturalist - nature photography tips and tutorials

nature photography tips and tutorials

Articles

How To Prepare For An African Safari Trip (Part I)

by 2 Comments

Photo by Jack Dausman
Photo by Jack Dausman
The lioness bared her fangs and we took the moment. Click. We had tracked three lions for about an hour in the Kenyan Samburu Game Reserve, waiting until the senior lioness had relaxed near the road. It had required another 20 minutes of patience before she had looked in our direction and grimaced.

Safari photography is a unique blend of sports and landscape vision. Animals don’t pose. And, the lighting can’t be set. You have to be prepared for the moment. Sadly, I’ve seen many instances where people have traveled thousands of miles to show up at a game reserve with only a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera; after which they are somewhat disillusioned with the end result. The opportunities for once-in-a-lifetime imagery demands forethought. Here are my favorite tips for capturing the magic of an ancient world and its animal citizens. [Read more…] about How To Prepare For An African Safari Trip (Part I)

New eBook – 53 Tips For Nature Photography

by Leave a Comment

53 Tips For Nature PhotographyIn the last six years, we’ve published over 240 posts here on PhotoNaturalist. With each new post, it gets harder to dig through the older posts and find the ones you might be interested in. It’s one of the most common comments I get from new readers.

So, I thought now was a good time to create a “best of PhotoNaturalist” eBook that contains all of our most popular posts (but only including posts written by me, because I do not have permission to resell other writers’ posts).

The eBook is 108 pages, and has 53 of my top posts. I determined the “top posts” by looking at traffic, and how much each post was shared on social media. I also tried to include a nice balance of subjects, so I separated the posts into four sections: general, landscape, wildlife, and close-up. [Read more…] about New eBook – 53 Tips For Nature Photography

The Most Useful Filters for Nature Photography

by Leave a Comment

When photographing nature, there are many times when a photographic filter on the end of the lens can help improve the image, or give the image a different effect. Such is the case when I captured Maroon Creek (Colorado) with a Neutral Density filter:

Maroon Creek landscape, Colorado
Maroon Creek / Photo by Jim Braswell

Kind of like “creativity in a can.” What filters are most useful for shooting nature? [Read more…] about The Most Useful Filters for Nature Photography

How To Photograph The Lunar Eclipse

by Leave a Comment

Lunar Eclipse (2011) / Photo by Steve Berardi
Lunar Eclipse (2011) / Photo by Steve Berardi
On October 8th (this Wednesday), there will be a total lunar eclipse. It’ll be visible from much of North and South America, Australia, and much of Asia (see map).

In a total eclipse, the moon turns red (due to the way the light from the Sun is scattered as it passes through our atmosphere), and it’s truly a beautiful sight!

Here are some tips for photographing the eclipse: [Read more…] about How To Photograph The Lunar Eclipse

4 Steps to Photographing the Milky Way

by Leave a Comment

The Milky Way arcs over Bryce Canyon in this 7 frame image stitched together in Photoshop / Photo by Jeff Stamer
The Milky Way arcs over Bryce Canyon in this 7 frame image stitched together in Photoshop / Photo by Jeff Stamer
Technological progress in camera sensor sensitivity during the past decade has dramatically enhanced low-light photography. The ability to photograph the Milky Way is perhaps the most awe-inspiring result of these advances.

This post will give you the basics you need to start making your own Milky Way images. If you really get hooked and want more details, check out my more detailed post. [Read more…] about 4 Steps to Photographing the Milky Way

How To Research a New Photo Location

by 2 Comments

Bighorn Sheep / Photo by Jim Braswell
Bighorn Sheep / Photo by Jim Braswell
Traveling to photograph at a new location is always a fun experience for me. I love reading, or hearing about a place that I “just have to photograph.” But, to get the most out of the experience, be prepared by thoroughly researching the location before packing and heading out.

Why Should I Spend Time Researching?

Well, there are several reasons to do your research. The main reason is that travel is expensive, and conducting upfront research can save you time and money. Besides transportation, you’ll have lodging expenses, food costs, and you may have to use vacation days to get away from the day job (if you are still bound by that thing!). So, doing your research will help you to minimize any “surprises,” as well as help you stay within an affordable budget. [Read more…] about How To Research a New Photo Location