What to consider when capturing breathtaking moments in nature?
Photo by David Bartus from Pexels
Landscape photography, commonly known as nature photography, isn’t as simple as it may seem. There are a lot of things that you need to consider when capturing breathtaking moments in nature.
Have you ever seen landscape shots from prominent photographers like Steve McCurry? What makes them special? Do you know the reason they’re rated with five stars?
In this article today, I’m going to share with you a few photography hacks that can help improve your landscape shots instantly. Don’t you want to improve your photography skills? If yes, you’re in for a treat.
Invest in high-quality equipment
First and foremost, your equipment matters a lot. Yes, you can take pictures with your mobile camera, but it’s not going to cut it if you want to become a professional photographer. Professional photography requires high-quality, professional equipment.
Get yourself the best 4K video camera, a tripod, and a set of binoculars. A 4K video camera will provide you with a better variety of options as compared to a conventional camcorder. You can make videos for a travel vlog and boomerangs for your social media handles.
I’m sure you must be wondering about the binoculars. Most photographers miss out on the details in the foreground, something that contributes to the negative marking. Hence, it’s a wise choice to invest in a set of cheap binoculars, too.
Don’t forget the foreground
As I mentioned above, capturing the foreground is crucial in landscape photography. It is one thing that adds depth to your photos. Landscape photography is quite interesting, but not everyone likes it. People often get bored with stagnant things.
What you can do is capture the foreground smartly. It is the best trick to catch the viewer’s attention. For example, include the distant trees in the image when capturing the sky. Similarly, you can capture the sky when taking a picture of the sea. It is an effortless photography hack to make your photos more interesting.
Play with the natural light
Natural light is the best tool when it comes to landscape photography. If you know how to use the natural light to your favor, you’re going to shine as a photoshop. Yes, you’ve heard that right.
A lot of photographers make the mistake of taking natural light for granted. You can see inappropriate shadows in their pictures, sometimes the angles are incorrect, and more. It’s a game of practice. All you need to do is start playing with the natural light.
Try different angles and practice throughout the day. A picture taken at the sunrise is going to be significantly different from a picture taken at the sunset. The more you play with the light, the better you’ll know about it. It’s as simple as that.
Add filters
A lot of people avoid using filters due to the common misconception that filters ruin the image quality. The reality is actually quite opposite. Have you seen those pictures of the green hills where the sky looks washed in the background? It’s a loophole at the photographer’s end.
Applying a filter or two can save you from such photography errors. All you need to do is analyze the image thoroughly, and check if it needs more color. Washed and faded backgrounds can break your photo no matter how beautiful the location is.
Filters can add the lost colors to your photos. I can assure you that one or two filters will not ruin your image quality. Excess of everything is bad, so make sure not to use them excessively and you’ll be good to go.
Keep the equipment close
They say the best things in life are usually spontaneous. They come when you least expect them. It goes the same for capturing nature. Thus, I always suggest being prepared ahead of time. You can do that by keeping your photography equipment close.
Are you traveling from one city to another? Take your camera with you. You never know when you get the opportunity to capture a breathtaking landscape shot. It is especially beneficial for wildlife photographers.
Animals don’t follow a set routine. They have odd sleep-wake cycles. Their eating routines are pretty messed up, too. They hunt whenever they get an opportunity, so there’s nothing you can do at a fixed time or according to a fixed schedule. Therefore, staying prepared beforehand is the way to go with.
Be patient
One personality trait that can make you successful in the line of photography is patience. Landscape photography is nothing like a wedding photoshoot or birthday portraits. Sadly, you cannot control nature.
There are times where the natural light doesn’t cooperate, the image goes blurry due to the wind, air pressure fluctuates, greenery fades due to the changing seasons, and more. The question is, how are you going to handle such situations?
Well, they are beyond human control. However, you can win at the end of the day by being patient. You may have to take 100 shots for that one perfect click. I know such a situation can be frustrating, but it’s going to be worth it once you’re done taking the final picture. It only requires patience and consistency.
The final word
Winding it up, I want you to know that every photographer is different from another. It goes without saying that copying someone is not going to help. Just be yourself and start practicing. The more you’ll practice, the better you’ll become at it.
You must have your own way with the colors. What you can do is add your personal touch to every image. It is something that will eventually make you stand in the crowd. Isn’t it what you want?
Rest assured, the photography hacks mentioned above are going to help you a lot. Remember them at all times, and you’ll see a significant improvement in your landscape photography skills. I wish you all the best, my friends!