PhotoNaturalist - nature photography tips and tutorials

nature photography tips and tutorials

camera

New eBook – Nature Photography: Understanding the Camera

by 4 Comments

Nature Photography - Understanding the Camera (eBook)Today, I’m very excited to announce the release of my new eBook, Nature Photography: Understanding the Camera. This eBook will teach you how to use your camera to photograph the wonderful moments you observe in nature. It covers all types of nature photography, including landscapes, wildlife, and close-ups.

I’ve been working on this eBook for years, and the reason it took me so long to write this book is that it was hard deciding what to include, what to leave out, and thinking of the best ways to explain some of the more complex aspects of the camera.

The concepts in this book apply to any kind of manual digital camera (any camera that allows you to change the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO), but many of the concepts apply to all types of cameras. The goal of the book is to give you complete creative control of your camera, without getting too technical. [Read more…] about New eBook – Nature Photography: Understanding the Camera

The Best Camera Strap For Nature Photographers

by 9 Comments

Camera Strap For Nature PhotographersIn photography, all the gear talk usually revolves around cameras and lenses. The lonely camera strap never gets much attention.

But, the camera strap is pretty important in nature photography, because it needs to allow you quick access to your camera and needs to be comfortable (and strong enough) to support larger lenses that are common in nature photography.

I’ve tried all kinds of camera straps in the last ten years, and was never really satisfied with any of them until last year when I finally found the wonderful straps made by Peak Design.

There are a lot of things I love about their camera straps, but the one thing that really stands out to me is how freely they move. They’re made out of that same material as the seatbelts in your car, so the strap slides across your clothes super easily. This is great for nature photographers because we always need quick access to our camera in case we’re walking around and see a butterfly land on a flower (it won’t be there for long!). [Read more…] about The Best Camera Strap For Nature Photographers

The Warmup

by 8 Comments

The WarmupWhat photo would you say is the one you’re least prepared to take? For me, it’s the very first photo on any given day. Have you ever gone out for a day of nature photography, regardless of your subject preference, and find that when you go to shoot that very first photo something is “off?” I’m not referring to an equipment checklist, I’m talking about a preparedness checklist.

Although an equipment checklist is a good idea and you should always make sure you are bringing everything you think you will possibly need on any given day. But here’s what happens to me. And, if it happens to you then read on. When I’m done photographing for the day I usually just download my images and put my batteries on a charger. I might check a few things and rearrange my pack to the order I had but that’s pretty much it. I rarely go and look at anything else as far as where I left my camera settings at.

So, to help with the potential mistake of not being 100% ready the next day, what I’ve begun to do as part of my routine is to go through the motions of taking that first photo as soon as I step out of my vehicle. That’s when you’ll notice you had your ISO set for the last time you were out and it may not be what you want to use right now. Maybe it was near dark and you pushed your ISO to 800 but today is bright and sunny. You might prefer something in the low 100’s. You may have forgotten to re-format your card. Or, perhaps you left your lens on manual focus because you were photographing wildflowers the day before, but today you’re shooting something where you’d want autofocus. Each of us I’m sure will have different circumstances and issues. [Read more…] about The Warmup

Remember To Update Your Camera’s Clock

by 9 Comments

Yesterday (March 8) was the start of Daylight Saving Time (DST) here in the US, so I thought it’d be a good time to remind everyone to update your camera’s clock.

It’s helpful to keep the clock very accurate (down to the second!), so you can better review your photos later. Sometimes the best way to learn is to constantly review old photos and revisit your thought process of creating those images. So, knowing the exact time the image was shot can help you check other things (like where was the sun at that time?).

Having an accurate clock also helps you stitch two scenes together if you’re using multiple cameras to photograph the same scene. [Read more…] about Remember To Update Your Camera’s Clock

Tips For Shooting In Wet or Damp Conditions

by Leave a Comment

Photo by Jim Braswell
Photo by Jim Braswell
Photographing in wet or damp conditions is a mixed blessing. The opportunities are often enormous; in a constantly damp area, the flora can be beautiful. A good example is the Inside Passage of Alaska, where lush, old-growth forests are common. Or a photo journey to a place like Costa Rica (I’ve never been there, but it’s on my “bucket list”).

But, working in these conditions requires some additional care so that our photography equipment will not be affected by the constant moisture.

So what are we to do? [Read more…] about Tips For Shooting In Wet or Damp Conditions

What Is Tripod Load Capacity?

by 1 Comment


When you’re shopping for a tripod, one of the more confusing numbers you’ll run into is the tripod’s “load capacity.” It sounds pretty simple: shouldn’t that just be the maximum weight the tripod can handle?

Well, it’s a little more complicated than that, and unfortunately there’s no universal standard for determining the load capacity. So, one manufacturer might say their tripod can handle 20 lbs, while another manufacturer’s standards would rate that exact same tripod at 30 lbs. [Read more…] about What Is Tripod Load Capacity?