If you want to do good nature photographyYou have come to the right place my friend.
Have you ever thought about how spectacular our planet Earth is? Have you noticed the enormous diversity that it offers at the level of geography, flora, fauna, etc.? I don’t know if you have ever considered the possibilities that it offers us for photography, but if you haven’t, I recommend that you stop for a moment and think about how overwhelming its beauty can be and the infinite opportunities that it offers you and your camera.
To celebrate how lucky we are to be able to enjoy it, today I come with the most extensive guide you can find on the Internet about nature photography. A gift for you and all my readers.
I am aware of how ambitious my proposal is. But I also realize that this is one of the photographic disciplines most pursued by all blog readers, along with portrait photography.
Whether you are an amateur, advanced or professional photographer, in this guide you will surely find tricks, ideas, tips or inspiration to enjoy two of the most wonderful things in life: photography and nature.
One moment! Get yourself a pad and a pen, or add this article to your favorites so you don’t lose sight of it, and now, settle down to have a good time and soak up the most authentic nature photography, because all this is what you will find yourself in this guide on nature photography:
INSIDE THIS ARTICLE… 📖
What is nature photography? Definition
Nature photography is a photographic genre that consists of visually representing natural elements such as landscapes, fauna, flora, but also inanimate elements such as a rock or a mountain. The main purpose of nature photography is to capture the aesthetic part of the environment and it is currently one of the most practiced disciplines within photography, due to the fact that it encompasses many subtypes.
What types of images can you take within nature photography?
As I was saying, within nature photography you can find many subgenres. Let’s see a list of types of images that you can capture within the nature photography genre:
camera for nature photography
(Warning: surprise at the end of this section)
To enjoy nature photography to the fullest, you need a camera that responds not only when it comes to setting it to manual mode, but also suits the type of photos you are going to take the most.
For example, if you know that you will be photographing, especially, near water, in very rainy environments or in places where dust and mud is as common as breathing, the body should be sealed to resist splashes of water and dust. .
If what you can do is the desire to photograph frozen landscapes or other places with extreme temperatures such as the Sahara desert or the Northern Lights in the North Pole, it is important that you make sure that it works well under these conditions.
Are you a fan of birds and do you plan to chase them all over the planet? Or the wildest and fastest fauna? In that case, it is best to look for a camera that has a fast focus and is capable of capturing a good number of photos per second in burst mode.
On the contrary, if yours is a more leisurely nature photography, you are moved by landscapes or you are passionate about plants, none of the above should particularly concern you. Your energy should be more focused on finding a suitable target.
You should pay attention to how it responds to high ISO values ​​in the case in which your obsession is night photography. Just as you will have to look for a specific case to take underwater photography.
Any camera with manual controls will work for all kinds of nature photography (except for diving into the ocean), however, if you have to buy one and you are very clear about what you mainly want it for, then that is when you can afford to specify with the choice.
If you are thinking of buying a camera and you don’t even know where to start, I have prepared a list of the best SLR cameras to get you started in photography.
Hey! That I do not forget that it exists a type of user who cares more about diversity than quality. If you are one of those people who will enjoy photographing a mushroom as well as the craters of the moon regardless of whether the photo is perfect and you also do not want to be changing lenses, there is an ideal camera for you, and it is not a SLR, These are the so-called bridge cameras.
Okay, it’s true, they don’t allow you to change lenses, but with the one they bring you can photograph a landscape to a lion at 300m, passing through that impressive spider that has made you stop in the middle of the road. Some examples of bridge cameras for nature photographers more off-road:
The final surprise is that… I have created a free tool that will help you find the best camera for you! If with what you have read in this section you still have doubts, my personalized camera recommender is your solution.
What objective to buy for nature photography?
It is common for people to become obsessed with the camera when in reality the most important thing is the lens that you attach to it. This is indeed an essential point and where you should pay more attention when assembling your equipment for nature photography.
What will allow you a more creative and complete photography is the optics you use and the more specific your purpose is, the better you will succeed. Because, effectively, it is not the same that you seek to photograph birds in flight than your goal is the mycological world. Therefore, friend, take your time to think about what type of nature photography you are going to do the most or where you want to start.
These are the aspects that you should pay attention to when choosing a goal. And here are some recommendations for nature lenses depending on the type of images you want to take:
Accessories for nature photography
I insist again on the need to specify, because you do not need the same accessories to photograph an eagle as a landscape with a cloudy sky.
Pay attention, because I’m going to leave you a list of the most used accessories in nature photography and I will tell you when or for what type of photography it is most useful.
tripods for nature photography
The tripod is essential in night photography, in long exposure photography (such as for the silky effect of water), macro photography and highly recommended when photographing landscapes or using telephoto lenses (the latter with nuances). When buying a tripod for nature photography We recommend you take into account some aspects:
- make it stable.
- make it light.
- Let the legs extend independently.
- that the feet can adapt to different surfaces.
- choose the head depending on the type of nature photography that you are going to practice the most.
Monopod for nature photography
what of nuance It comes because photographing an eclipse with a telephoto lens is not the same as photographing a bird in flight.
And it is that to be able to move with agility, a monopod is much more effective than a tripod and can give you the just stability you need.
timer
When it comes to stabilizing your camera for night or long exposure photography, just a good tripod is not enough. Remote shooting is necessary to avoid camera shake. And if you want to do time-lapse, immortalize a shower of stars or perform circumpolar, you will have no choice but to have a intervalometer.
Filters for nature photography
There are many types of filters: polarizer to avoid reflections, neutral density for long daytime exposure, neutral density degraded filter to equalize the difference in exposure between the sky and the earth, etc. These are just some examples. But mainly you will need a filter if you are going to photograph landscapes, skies and daytime long exposure.
My advice!: If you have scratched your pocket to buy a lens of excellent optical quality, do not put any filter in front of it. Everything you put in front of your lens will detract from the quality of the image, so I recommend looking for a quality filter if you are looking for maximum image sharpness and quality.
Diffusers and reflectors in nature photography
Diffusers and reflectors to modify light are especially useful when taking pictures of plants and flowers. Also in macro photography.
Nature Photography Backpack
You won’t need a specific backpack to do macro photography in a studio set up at home or to capture the beauty of the flowers of the Botanical Garden of your city.
Now that, if you intend to climb mountains in search of the most spectacular views, travel paths in the middle of the night to capture the Milky Way, photograph the Northern Lights or go on a photographic safari through the ponds of Africa, without a doubt, you need a suitable backpack. .
In my humble opinion, an ideal backpack for nature photography should be padded on the back, with wide and comfortable straps, waterproof, with a space or accessory to place the tripod and with dividers to keep all the equipment organized. This is one of my favorite camera bags.if it doesn’t work for you, here I tell you how to choose the ideal backpack for your camera.
Hides for nature photography
An essential accessory to photograph animals in their habitat without frightening them is the hide. The hide is a hiding place with which to go completely unnoticed and be able to observe the different species without being discovered. There are some professionals that you can rent or also hides to buy and use wherever and whenever you want.
Other accessories for nature photography
Taking photos of nature, on many occasions, involves photographing in bad weather, here are some recommended accessories to protect your equipment in adverse conditions.
Important! In order not to frustrate your departure after half an hour, also take into account the shoes and clothing you wear. Don’t go Frank of the Jungle in clogs, for example. Neglecting a detail like this can turn your session into something completely disastrous.
If you want to delve deeper into the subject, here is an article dedicated to accessories for the nature photographer. And specifying a little more:
Tips for nature photography
Regardless of the type of nature photos you take, here are some general tips:
- Be respectful. Nature belongs to everyone, it is our home, take care of it, for yourself and for everyone. Respect the environment and the animals.
- Study the species you want to photograph. Knowing the species will help you anticipate, know their schedules, their behavior, etc., which gives you the opportunity to anticipate and achieve better…