Nature Photography How To

Nature photography may encompass grand landscapes or large wild animals, but it can also incorporate the smallest of objects. There is an entire delicate world of light, beauty, color and form in macro photography. Wonders that can be documented while on vacation on a tropical island, in a national park or even in your backyard. I have spent mornings lying in a bed of wildflowers, moving no more than a few feet, recording everything from the dew on a spider web to the shape of a purple iris. I am often surprised and rarely disappointed.

So what's holding you back from giving macro photography a try? In many cases it's the lack of a costly, specialized lens offering a 1:1 reproduction ratio. If this sounds familiar you're in for a surprise because today's 10-minute lesson from the Hamed Photography YouTube channel demonstrates how to capture stunning images of tiny subjects with affordable accessories and a few easy-to-master shooting techniques.

Whether you’re photographing exotic beetles in the rainforests of Ecuador like entomologist Phil Torres, or shooting more common insects in your backyard, the video below will help you capture dramatic images that look like they were shot in the studio.

There's no doubt that some outdoor scenes cry out for a monochrome rendition with all of the striking contrast or moody effects that are possible with b&w imagery. Other times, however, the vivid color you see through the viewfinder makes this decision a no brainer.

So you're out for a stroll, and photography is the furthest thing from your mind. But all of a sudden you notice something small that would make a great macro shot and wonder if this small slice of beauty can be captured effectively with the iPhone in your pocket.

Many of history’s greatest photographers gained their fame making b&w landscape images. With today’s modern cameras, and the digital darkroom, most of the goals remain the same but techniques often differ.

One of the challenges with all forms of outdoor photography is that scenes often have a wide-range of tones—often beyond the density range of your camera. The best way to deal with situations like these is editing selective portions of the image.