Tips for Taking Stunning Nature Photographs

February 6th, 2009 by Dan Bodenstein

It is easy to take stunning nature photos even with your point and shoot digital camera. Many people think that they need to purchase an expensive camera with multiple lenses and accessories to take great photos. But, the truth is that even the most expensive camera you can buy, will not guarantee that you will take great nature photos. A good amateur photographer can take great photos with any kind of camera. And a photographer that doesn’t follow some basic photo taking tips will not take great photos no matter what their camera cost. Here are some tips to help you take great nature photos without spending any additional money on your photo equipment.

Beware of scenic overlooks crowded with other amateur photographers. If you see a lot of people taking the same photos from a scenic overlook, stay clear of them for a few reasons. First of all, your photos will look just like everyone else’s photos. Next, it is challenging to photograph the beauty of the entire scene from an overlook because your perspective is limited to what you can see from the view. If you can’t resist taking photos from the overlook, adding a foreground object like a tree branch will add depth to your photo.

The right lighting is an important factor in taking great nature photographs. Avoid taking photos in the middle of the day because the bright light will wash out your scenic shots. The early morning hours and the hours right before the sunsets will give you the most vivid colors of nature. And, the sun at this time of the day tends to produce long shadows which will add depth to your photos and give them a three dimensional look. Change the camera and position to create compositions from different perspectives. Changing the angle of your camera will add a unique view to your photos.

Keep your photos simple. If you want to take a photo of your new puppy in the backyard, take a picture of the puppy. Don’t include the tree, the house and the lawn chairs in the background unless it enhances the picture. Take the time to look around before you take a picture. Look for the objects that aren’t so obvious because they often make the best photos. One of the great things about a digital camera is that you can practice and experiment to your heart’s content and you can delete and start over again as many times as you like. And, soon you will be doing a lot less deleting and a lot more printing.