How Nature Enthusiasts Can Improve Their Photography
When we’re out in the wilderness, on vacation or simply exploring somewhere new, we want to record our explorations through a lens and show everyone back home what we’ve witnessed – and they’ve missed. Whereas in the past there were photographers, nowadays it seems as if anyone and everyone wants to snap the best photos they can for social media. It may sound vapid, but in today’s digital and social age, we’ve got to keep our followers happy. How can you do that, though? Plus, if you’re a true lover of nature, and someone who believes photography is more than a hobby, how can you make yourself professionally known and stand out among the rest?
Invest in Professional Equipment
If you’re a professional, or someone who’s hoping to become one, you may already have your favorite camera, lenses and tripods. You probably have the best photo editing software downloaded to your desktop, of the best photo editing app downloaded on your smartphone – Instasize: The Best Free Photo Editing Software and you may even have a website to showcase your work. However, even the best may not have the right equipment for the job. For example, if you wish to shoot landscapes, then you may need to invest in lenses capable of shooting more depth of field such as an F/1.4 or F/11; if you’re hoping to catch wildlife in their natural habitats, then investing in proper digiscoping equipment from Phone Skope can help capture images from a great distance.
Take Your Time – Study the Subject (and Everything Else)
When photographing your subject, make sure to take your time. Of course, there will come a time when you will need to quickly snap, but generally speaking, you should slow down and continue photographing until you’re 100% pleased. When taking the photo, pay attention to the background and ensure everything works as a whole. The image is more than the subject, so make sure you see the whole picture – look at the corners, sides, top and bottom of your frame. Does the image harmonize with all its aspects, or is there something ‘off’? Again, if you’re into taking symmetrical photography, then make sure everything in your image is symmetrical. Zoom in, zoom out; horizontal, vertical – make sure you take many different photos until you’ve found ‘the one.’
Study and Analyze Your Old Images
Capturing the beauty of Mother Nature can be difficult, and trying to take a photo that does her justice can seem impossible at times. However, instead of throwing out your old and somewhat flawed images, study them. Notice everything that’s wrong, and write it down. If you start to notice a theme, such as not capturing enough light, then write it down. You are your harshest critic, however, so make sure you give yourself some praise, too. If you’re unsure as to what’s wrong with the image, ask people. Whether it’s your friends, family or fellow photographer, they’ll be able to tell you what’s missing and what’s right.
Get Online
Social media isn’t all bad; in fact, it can be amazing for photographers and artists who are starting out. Instead of uploading your images to a website that’ll be buried within Google, create an Instagram and Facebook page to showcase your images. This will allow people to like, share and follow you, and maybe, one day, you’ll be able to become an Instagram famous nature photographer, who gets sponsored to travel the world!
