Photography » Outdoor Photography

Great Nature Photography On A Cloudy Day

Jennifer — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:49:17 +0000

Misty weather in the Pyrenees by iammi-z

Nature photography relies on your sensitivity to the natural light above all else. You have surely heard that for good landscape photography, you generally want sunny conditions, early or late in the day when the light is low and soft. However, this does not apply to every situation, and busy lifestyles do not always allow us to choose the conditions in which we take our photos.

Have you ever planned and set aside a day to get out and practice your nature photography, only to wake up to grey, cloudy skies? You are not alone, this happens to us all; professional and beginner alike. And of course when you are traveling, you often only have one chance to take your photos before moving on, so you have to make the best of the situation as you find it.

Photographers, don’t despair. There are many situations that suit cloudy skies just fine; in fact, there are some situations when cloudy skies are the best option for a good nature photo. Here are just a few situations that you could explore when cloudy weather threatens to derail your photography outing.

#1. Rainforest Photography. When the sun shines brightly through the rainforest canopy, it creates patches of light and shade that make perfect exposure next to impossible. You simply can’t manage the contrast in these conditions. Cloudy weather is actually the best way to take good rainforest photos. Some would say the cloudier the better, because if your rainforest is high enough to be in the clouds, you can capture some very atmospheric misty effects in the forest.

I live in South East Queensland, so I am close to both the beach and some fabulous rainforest. My rule is: If it’s sunny, go to the beach. If the weather is grey and cloudy, grab your camera and head for the rainforest.

#2. Wildlife Photography (Pets and People Too). Bright sunlight can be a problem when shooting wildlife. In the middle part of the day, the sun can create heavy shadows which make exposure difficult, and rob your photo of essential colour and detail that gives the subject its character. Worst of all, sunlight can create shadows on the face of your subject. As you know, the critical part of any good wildlife photo is the eyes. If the eyes in your photo are lost in shadow, the personal connection with the subject is lost.

Animals do not like looking into the sun any more than you do, so even early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when the light is softer, photography can be difficult. More often than not, you will probably find your subject turning away from the light.

If you take your photo on a cloudy day, you can capture your wildlife subject in soft, even light that allows perfect exposure without ugly shadows. There will also be less glare reflecting off shiny surfaces (a snake’s skin, a bird’s feathers etc.) so your picture can actually appear more colourful.

#3. Sunset Photography. Clouds create a much more interesting sunset photo than clear skies. All you need is for the sun to break through the clouds as they cross the horizon. A good nature photographer learns to read the sky and try to predict what is coming. Often on a grey, cloudy day you will notice that the only patch of clear sky is far away near the horizon. If that is the case, you can go looking for a good location and set up for your sunset photo.

With a bit of luck, there will be several breaks in the clouds before the sun goes down. If so, you could be on the spot to photograph spectacular sunbeams, a truly wonderful effect that every nature photography hopes to capture.

Like all things in nature photography, all the planning in the world means nothing without a bit of luck. You may get your photo all set up, only to see the gap in the clouds close and your chance of a good photo disappear. Persistence wins in the end, so keep trying and from time to time you will end up with some breathtaking sunset photos.

I hope that next time you wake up to cloudy skies, you will not let that stop you from getting out there to take some great nature photos. As your experience grows, you will find it easier to read the light and know what sort of photography suits the conditions. Until then, practice, practice, practice!

After 20 years as a professional nature photographer, Andrew Goodall has turned to teaching his skills to others. His work concentrates on both the technical and the artistic skills of nature photography. Find Andrew’s images and ebooks at http://www.naturesimage.com.au

Five simple tips for great summer photos

Jennifer — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:06:24 +0000

(ARA) – Do you ever wonder how professional photographers capture such amazing images? It doesn’t take a fancy camera or expensive photo-editing software to get incredible photos you’ll be proud to share with friends and family.

Tracey Clark, a professional photographer and founder of the popular online photography community ShutterSisters.com, offers five simple tips to help you get great photos.

* Shoot unexpected portraits to capture authentic beauty and personality.
Part of the art of capturing great photos of your friends and family is learning to watch and wait for moments to reveal themselves. In addition to traditional posed portraits, take photos when your subject is not performing for the camera. Ideal photo opportunities present themselves when your subject is engaged in an activity like reading, singing, dancing, or interacting with other people.

* Capture unique perspectives to create artistic images.
Shoot above and beyond traditional eye-level snapshots. Kneel and shoot up, or step on a stool to shoot down. Get up close to your subject. Tilt the horizon line of your image slightly for a unique angle. We’re so used to pointing and shooting, but it is just as simple to create artful images by composing your shots a little differently.

* Frame the shot to give your images visual interest.
Consider your surroundings and how you can use visual elements like doorways, trees or even negative space to frame your image. This simple technique can truly enhance your everyday photos by adding context.

* Edit photos to bring out the natural beauty in your photos.
Often, the image captured by a camera loses the details and colors of what you saw in real-life. Or perhaps you captured a photo of special moment and the lighting was not ideal. Photo editing can rescue your images and take your photos from good to great. One new and very affordable photo editing solution is Aurora. It is intuitive and powerful photo editing software developed by Light Crafts. Aurora has an intelligent visual photo editor that suggests improvements to your images, making it easy for anyone to feel like a photo-editing expert.

* Experiment and play.
Use your intuition and curiosity when capturing and editing photos. Pushing the boundaries of photography and photo-editing techniques can be a lot of fun and a great way to learn.

For more photography tips and editing ideas, visit www.lightcrafts.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Outdoor Photography: Art without Boundaries

Author — Mon, 19 May 2008 23:56:02 +0000

Photography is an art. While most individuals own at least a digital camera, taking quality, stunning pictures is the perfect combination of science and passion. With the influx of cameras on cell phones, personal MP3 players and portable video games, people have the ability to take photographs when ever the urge occurs; however, desire is not enough without proper technique and execution. Like most art mediums, photographs must know how to transform a simple passion into a transcendental piece of genius. Cameras, even advanced digital cameras, can be equipped with an endless number of lenses, attachments, flash settings and filters. Amateur photographers will often never venture outside of the comfort of the default settings, but professional photographers, true artists, will never cease experimenting.

Outdoor photography is a completely different challenge than typical photography. Inside closed doors, the environment is rather predictable; a flash will need to be used, but usually the light is consistent and the distance rarely greatly than a few feet. Outdoors, however, conditions are constantly changing; sunlight filters through moving trees, mountains loom in the distance, animals or people move forward and backward, in and out, weaving through the landscape. Outdoor photography can be a daunting undertaking for an amateur; blurred pictures, cut-off images, dark buildings and blinding glare can destroy any photographer’s hope for success. But with a few simple tips, outdoor photography can be easy, fun and a lot more rewarding than any other style.

Taming the Wilds

The number one factor that sets outdoor photography apart is light. While this can be an obstacle to overcome, it can also be a useful tool and the key to unique, breathtaking images. Backlighting can bring inanimate objects to life, creating contrast that causes colors to truly glow. Bad weather can also be an unexpected bonus; clouds and storms, fog and win can set both the mood and the atmosphere, and the very composition of a scene. The sky can act as a natural diffuser; heavy clouds can blanket the horizon, causing sunlight to filter evenly throughout the environment, making for an easy, even photograph. Shadows are also gifts during any outdoor photography endeavor. Like backlighting, shadows create contrast, which helps bring colors to life and truly separate the lines and details of subjects.

There are other effects unique to outdoor photography that can make for stunning art. Landscapes are naturally layered, and depending on focus, creative composition is possible in every environment, and the popular panorama shot is always better when used in nature. The risks with outdoor photography, such as jittery camera hands, motion control and condensation on the camera lens, can all be quickly and simply prevented with a few tools such as wipes, tripods and faster film and shutters. With outdoor photography, practice makes perfect, and once photographers test and understand their limits, and the limits of their equipment, the art they create will rise above what they ever thought possible.