How to Shoot Nature Photography

There are times when the question of how to shoot nature photography comes up before an individual travels to a nature range or perhaps an exotic vacation where animals roam the land. Or a beginning photographer may want to shoot nature in their backyard or at the zoo. Nature is all around us and photographing it can be a challenge.

There are two types of nature photographs: simple scenery and animals interacting with their surroundings or their natural habitat. Both are equally difficult to capture with a camera unless you know what to look for and how to position the sun - natural lighting, and the subject. How to shoot nature photography with clouds, moving animals and through vehicles is not as difficult as it may seem.

Cloudy days

Shooting nature photographs on a cloudy day can be used to your advantage especially when shooting photos of waterfalls or rain. The clouds help to bring out the beauty in colorful foliage but do make things such as rocks and sometimes standing water seem flat and lifeless. Make sure the clouds have some character or depth and definition to them.  

Bouncing Light

Sometimes the best light isn't the light that is directly above the cute little furry animal or scaly salamander on the leaf, but the light that is 'bouncing' off the orange rocks to the side of what is being photographed. Look through the camera from a few different angles before deciding what light is best. You may have to follow the critter a ways or give up on that particular animal and find another little creature, but it will be worth it when you discover the best light and streaming color for the creature's colors and his perch.

Black and White Photographs

Some animals or nature scenes do not require color; it could be that it is too distracting. Sometimes gray-green frogs are not all that attractive in color and would be better as a black and white photograph. These types of decisions may not have to be made the moment the photograph is taken but it is something to consider.

Moving Vehicle Photographs

When taking photographs from a moving vehicle of a moving animal, it is extremely difficult to get a good shot of the animal. One way to hold the camera still, without spending a lot of money for a fancy holder that clips onto the window, is use a sack filled with soft sand, rice or beans. This will hold the camera still and allow the photo to be taken without movement on the part of the camera, provided there is a 'movement' or 'speed' setting on the camera that would help take a good photo.

Where to Find Good Nature Photographs

The zoo is always a great place to find wonderful, wild animals in their natural habitat without booking a flight to a far off land. You will need to experiment with where you stand if the animals are behind glass, but the majority of them is behind moat-type barrier and can be photographed without issues.

Your backyard has millions of colorful bugs, birds, snakes and other critters you may not realize live there and if you take a lawn chair or blanket out one afternoon or evening, you will find many wonderful photographs just waiting to be snapped.