Nature Photography How To

If you need some inspiration to get your creative juices flowing, look no further than these top entries in the 2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year contest. The deadline for entries was last Friday, and the Editors at National Geographic have shared their favorites.

The frost is on the pumpkin, folks, and that means it’s time to get ready for fall. Here are five things to have in mind as we slip from Daylight Saving Time into the long nights and short days of winter.

Astrophotography is really popular these days, and this Lightroom tutorial from Rob & Jonas’ Filmmaking Tips will get you up to speed on how to capture amazing images of the night sky.

In real-world shoots, both camera and subject are often moving. Six generations of photographers have fought this problem in their quest for images as sharp as a zoot suit. And nowhere is this fact of photographic life more obvious than when you’re trying to freeze the movement of wildlife. Whether you’re bagging African megafauna or trying to capture backyard beetles, stopping the motion is part of the assignment. So how do you do it?

When it comes to bird photography, no species is more majestic and more sought after than the bald eagle. Its status as America’s national bird wasn’t always a sure bet (Benjamin Franklin wanted the turkey). Bald eagles also nearly went extinct during the 20th century from their eggshells thinning due to the proliferation of DDT. But today as a result of aggressive protections under the Endangered Species Act, as well as the banning of DDT, these beautiful birds have made a dramatic recovery.

One of the first bits of advice offered to less-experienced photographers is to “get closer to your subject.” More advanced shooters know that moving in tight tends to avoid background clutter and emphasize the primary subject. Macro (or close-up) photography takes this tenet to the extreme and makes possible some very unique imagery as long as one owns the required equipment and employs proper techniques.

While everyone’s definition of “extreme” is a little different, the one thing that can be said of extreme outdoor photography is it involves leaving the car far behind and dealing with whatever difficulties present themselves without running for cover. To help get you ready for your next extreme shoot, here are my seven most important tools for working in the wild under tough conditions.