Explained - Nature Photography

When you look around, you will find that the harmonious elements of textures, wind, colours, clouds, sounds, forms, etc. are brilliantly overwhelming. As you discover, the patterns nature offers, the daily motions and moments are all filled with a breathtaking experience. To capture them in your pictures is sort of, communicating with nature.

Allow me to cough out some of the secrets to nature photography...

1.Gear

There is a bewildering quantity of photographic equipment for nature around us. Although, equipments are vital in making great pictures, one doesn't need to spend sleepless nights over what to choose from. One can just be an observer and admire nature through the viewfinder. Plenty of questions pop up, "Should I shoot from up close?" or "Should i go on a vacation to shoot nature?" and many similar woes. Lets see what i can cover here.

- Cameras : You don't have control over natural light changes or weather changes. Hence, choose any camera which gives you manual control over settings such as shutter-speeds, Aperture values, ISO values and exposure compensations. A DSLR or an advanced compact camera with zoom should prove sufficient.

- Lenses:

Kit Lenses - The 18-55mm or the 18-105mm should be a good bet for a normal click.

Wide Angle Lenses - You can use a wide angle lens like the 10-20mm or the 10-24mm to capture the maximum in a scene. Regardless whether you capture the hills or a sheet of leaves, this lens will provide you with a better field of vision. You can take advantage of this lens when shooting subjects like rocks, undergrowth, etc.

Telephoto Lenses - If you want to zoom into unearthed hidden details and the minimum focusing distance is relatively small, then a telephoto lens will allow you to get really close to any subject. Full Framed cameras require lenses like 70-300mm or the 70-200mm, however, the APS-C sized sensor will require 55-200mm lenses.

Fixed Lenses - For low light conditions a fixed focal lens like the 50mm is ideal as they have excellent centre-to-edge definition which is great if you want a lot of detail in your photographs.

Other accessories to carry - Spare Batteries, Plug adapters, Tripods, Mono-pods, Rain protecting accessories, Filters should be carried as additional accessories as and when required. Try not to subject your gears to adverse conditions and treating them well will only give you hundreds of photos to be proud of.

2.The Technique

Nature comprises of everything un-urban - trees, rivers, oceans, forests, fruits, flowers, mountains, animals, birds, etc. The beauty of all these things is that they are unpredictable, dynamic and can surprise you with unexpected vistas, sudden rainbows, glorious sunrises and fiery sunsets. Capturing these forms will provide you with the ability to connect with nature at base level. You will observe great photo opportunities everywhere- regardless of whether you look at your immediate surroundings closely or whether you look far away. So, pick up your camera and step out to the world of endless life.

- Identifying the main subject :

Lets take the example of you shooting the pond, ask yourself what is the main subject of your shot. Is it the ripples of pond water, or the leaves afloat, or is it the trunk of a tree fallen into the pond or maybe the fish close to the water surface. Once you've identified the main subject, shoot it from a variety of vantage points to reveal the emotions of the subject.

- Telling an unique story:

Your images should have something relevant to say that hasn't been portrayed before. Take the flow and motion of water (of course its been capture many times before too) use a shutter speed of 1/100th sec or more and f/8 as the aperture, your frame will freeze in time and give out a sharp picture of water spray against sparkling sunlit water body. Alternatively, a slower shutter speed will give a dreamy water effect.

- Go Close and wide:

Experimentation is the key. Go wide and take the entire scene or go close to reveal more of the action. Walk around your subject, crouch low or climb up to a height for a new look. Also, concentrate deeply on small details and observe every scene minutely. Looking at a particular element should not let you ignore the surroundings.

- Perceiving natural patterns:

Forests comprise of various types of trees, grasses, shrubs, etc. and also possess a range of patterns that combine and make a beautiful whole. Being extremely observant is the most important step to identify any pattern. When you look at a lone tree, you will observe a beautiful silhouette and going in closer will reveal its textures, twists and twirls of the branches and the patterns they make. Let me give you a few examples of patterns,

• Strong, Riveting Lines - Slender trees, sand waves, etc.
• Sine Curves - Curved beaches, arcs made by birds in a flying formation, etc.
• Spirals - Spider webs, blooming roses, etc.
• Triangles and Polygons - Mountains, rocks, etc.

- Combining Various patterns:

We often see natural designs relating completely to other nature patterns. One can experiment with the basic forms of nature and effectively combine them in unique innumerable patterns. Following are some examples:-

• Lines with Curves - Lines and curves in blades of grass, straight line of a stem curves and leads to a folded leaf.

• Curves and Circles - Dewdrops on leaves, ripples made by raindrops on water surface

• Triangles, lines and curves - The curves found in clouds contrasting strongly to the jagged mountain tops, which, in return contrasts to the lines of a river flowing beneath.

- Light:

Light creates photos and without light there ain't any. It is like a paint-brush to a photographer. In nature photography, the various aspects of light are key to making vibrant and breathtaking pictures. Here are a few key points to remember,

1. Intensity of Light - The intensity of light affects exposure, i.e, if the light is bright then the required shutter-speed is faster and aperture narrower. In low light conditions, aperture is large and shutter-speed slower, which creates a shallow d-o-f and blurry motions respectively. Light can be measured as more intense on Sunny days and more soft on overcast days. So adjust your composition and frame the scene accordingly.

2. Quality of light - Light can be hard or soft. Hard Light is directional and comes from a point or source, creating distinct shadows and well-defined edges. eg. Sun light, spot lights. Whereas, soft light on the other hand is a large, diffused source or reflected by multiple sources, creates much softer shadows. eg. Overcast sky during daylight.

3. Direction of Light - To define appearance of an object, the direction from which the light falls is important. Configure and work around your subject, where you can relate to the composition of the shot with different angles at which light falls.

Eventually, there is a great range of subjects and colours, landscapes and geographical conditions where you can choose from to create 'magic'.

Here are a couple of fun-site where beginners/amateurs can try their hand at.

www.camerasim.com

http://www.digital-photography-school.com

In the end, i hope this article was precise and in a nutshell, revealing a few pointers which can open doors to a fresher perseverance. Below, are a few examples of my clicks to explain a wee bit further.