My Top Ten Tips
The following is the text to an email reply I recently sent to a fellow photographer, asking for advice:
I could probably write quite a bit on how to take good, eye-catching photographs, just on the technical aspects alone. But the truth is that for every one photograph that I consider to be worthy of posting and printing, there are 10 to 20 that are deleted. So I guess that’s my most important tip. To get out and shoot as much as you can. That’s where I’ve learned the best time of day and season, the right lens and filter and developing my own vision of how I’d like to capture a scene.
For a quick tip list, here are my top 10:
1) Always shoot with a tripod with a good, quality ball head. This will force you to slow down and set-up your shot as well as shoot at slower shutter speeds, allowing you more control over your lens aperture and depth of field.
2) Get up VERY early to shoot nature and landscapes. Almost all of my best nature and landscape images were taken either just before, at, and just after sunrise or around sunset. The light in the middle of the day is the worst. Too many “hot” spots and shadows.
3) Do most of your shooting in the spring and fall, followed by winter and then lastly, summer.
4) Shoot nature and landscapes on cloudy days. Even a little bit of rain helps saturate colors, especially during spring and fall.
5) Know the area you want to photograph before bringing out your camera gear. Watch and observe how light throughout the day and seasons changes the subject.
6) Use a polarizing filter for macro images, such as flowers, as well as for woodland scenes and waterfalls. Many people think a polarizer is only useful for turning the sky to dark blue, however, these filters work best on taking the glare and shine off wet rocks, foliage and flower petals, enhancing the natural color of your subject.
7) Look behind you and look down around your feet. When photographing the first thing that catches your eye, take some time to look all around and see what else there could be that would make an attractive image. Sometimes these end-up being the best shots of the day.
Don’t fall into the trap of becoming more concerned with having the latest and best gear, whether it be the highest megapixel digital camera or the coolest looking lens. What’s FAR more important is developing your artistic vision. I often challenge myself by going out with just one camera body and two lenses.
9) Learn from the masters. Read everything by well-respected and accomplished nature photographers such as John Shaw, David Middleton, Art Wolf, Jim Brandenburg and others. Shaw and Middleton are my favorites, primarily because they are excellent teachers as well as photographers.
10) Don’t throw away the film and sell your film camera. Even though the entire world seems to be going digital, you would be surprised at how many professional nature photographers still use film as their primary medium. Especially good ol‘ Fuji Velvia. Most of my best-selling nature and landscape images are still those that I took with Velvia, both 35mm and medium format. In fact, my favorite way of shooting outdoors is still my Mamiya RZ67 medium format with a Sekonic light meter.
And if I could add just one more tip it would be to never, never give up. If nature and landscape photography is what truly “trips your trigger,” and is your true passion, then stick to it despite negative criticism and people who want to discourage you. I’ve found that people who do that are almost always 1) jealous of your talent, and 2) envious of your courage.
There it is in a nutshell. I probably went on a bit too much. I have a tendency to do that. But now I think this would make a good post on my blog, so . . .
Keep at it and keep shooting.
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