Photoscout

Wildlife and Animal Photography

Taking impressive photographs of animals can be a real challenge, especially if you’re shooting in the wild. For one, you can teach a cat to climb a tree but you can’t tell a tiger, “Hey you, please go stand beside that rock, show your claws and say cheese.” This article offers some helpful tips to help you capture great photos of your furry, feathered, or scaly friends.

Snap quickly and often

Snap plenty of photos to go with the unpredictable movements of the animals. When you have the opportunity, get an exposure and focus lock on the animals and snap very quickly and often. Their movements are random - they may move without warning, shake their heads, groom themselves, run away, fight with other animals, etc. You increase your chances of getting great pictures by taking extra photographs.

Use a fast shutter speed

You can capture movements at incredible speeds - animals attacking each other or flying away - with a fast shutter speed. For example, when you’re taking shots of flying birds, the shutter speed should be as fast as possible with the available light. A shutter speed of only 1/30 of a second is likely to ruin what could have been an incredible image, reducing the photo into a garbage-worthy blur.

Disable flash and camera sounds

Don’t use flash whenever possible to prevent animals from getting startled. In addition for the potential for red-eye, the flash could agitate an animal. Camera sounds may also scare animals. Agitated animals may run away or even worse, attack you. You don’t want that to happen, do you? When shooting animals in the wild, do everything to be quiet, still, and non-threatening.

Use your zoom

Use your camera’s optical zoom in capturing details. This is a show of respect to the wildlife. If you want to take a close-up photo, rather than encroaching on the animal’s space and scaring it away, use your zoom in taking a shot from a safe distance.

Shoot at varying angles

Shooting at different angles can create amazing effects. Taking a picture of an animal at varying angles can modify the overall look of the shot. If you shoot downwards, the subject can appear diminutive. When you point your lens upward, the subject appears to have ends to have an imposing stature. Even insects could appear larger than their actual size. Taking a photo at an animal’s eye-level shows the animal’s perception of its environment.

Get the focus right

Getting the focus right can be a big challenge considering today’s auto focus cameras. Since there are often vegetation, grass, and branches veiling the animals, your camera can focus on these things instead of the subject.. So be very careful that your camera doesn’t focus on that branch of tree in front of the elephant.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

October 30th, 2008 / No Comments
Outdoor Photography in Challenging Environments

What does it really take to have breathtaking landscape photos? Those photos that make you want to pick up your hiking shoes and bag and head out for the wild. Those photos in the house that remind you that there are mountains and wilderness beyond the skyscrapers and giant billboards blocking the view.

Some people will say that the subjects are the main thing in outdoor photography. Others will argue for talent, style, and creative vision. On top of that, hundreds of thousands of photography forum gurus will insist that you don’t have a chance if you don’t have the latest Nikon or Canon DSLR. While they might be right, there are much more than these evident elements of photography.

You need mental fitness

Anyone can take great photos of the sunset from the side of the road, but it is much more exciting to take shots 15 miles or more away from the road. Only things get even more complicated. Exhaustion eats you up, hiking gears fail, and seemingly good-natured animals may turn into savage beasts that seem to disapprove the idea of you making one last step to take a splendid image of the sunset.

You need to be mentally tough in outdoor photography. You need to have the ability to concentrate even when your body is very tired. You also have to stay open minded and flexible when you come face-to-face with an extreme weather or have technical difficulties. You must deal with the social and cultural aspects of an expedition. Know the people and share your intentions.

It is also important that you enjoy challenging outdoor conditions instead of resisting them. It is alright to suffer from time to time. Another important tip is: Don’t overdo it. There are always next trips and it is not a bright idea to burn all your motivation this time.

You must be physically tough

Climbing a mountain or penetrating a forest is physically challenging for outdoor photographers. Physical exhaustion can destroy your concentration and if it does, your trip is gone to waste. Therefore, you have to maintain a regular workout and invest into light gear. Planning your route well also saves you time and energy.

You also have got to have the ability to sprint up and down a hill, get low, climb trees, or become silent as an eel. There are no miracle recipes here. You only have to practice, practice, and more practice.

Be at the right place, at the right time

Improvisation isn’t always the right approach to outdoor photography, especially when in a challenging environment. Think ahead and be prepared for your expedition. Consider the gears you have to bring, the size of the group, the route and terrain, camp location, weather, the local people as well as the animals. A careful planning allows you to maximize opportunities.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

October 14th, 2008 / No Comments
Rain Photography

Rain photography is categorized under nature photography. It usually requires the photographer to go outside, so it’s also considered outdoor photography. Once you get through dealing with potential resistance from family and friends to go outdoors, and despite the risk of getting colds, you’ll see how rain gives you new dimensions of photography opportunities. But many photographers, even professionals, find it miserably difficult to shoot photos in rain. With some care and lots of practice you can produce memorable and interesting rain photos.

Rain photography bonuses

Why are so many photographers so drawn into rain photography, despite the difficulties associated in shooting photos in rain? It’s because rain offers unique features that make a great photography. Here are just some of the bonuses rain provides: dark cloudy skies and hazy conditions can make very artistic and ethereal looking photos; raindrops on flowers and leaves; the rainbow after the rain; overcast skies enable for a great black and white portrait; rain makes a scintillating effect to nearly everything it touches.

What to shoot

There’s no limit to creativity. You can shoot anything stunning and captivating from the camera lens view. But there are certain things you need to consider before, during, and after rain for optimum photography.

Before rain. You can shoot skies fully covered with stormy clouds. Dark clouds usually create magnificent backgrounds for breathtaking images. For example, stormy clouds make a great background for a long road that appears to meet the sky at a faraway place. Lightning before rain provides an awesome effect to the photo. During a storm, you’ll see different colors in the sky, so planning is very crucial before shooting great photos of lighting.

Shoot in the rain. Rain bridges the gap between the sky and the earth, making it one. There are plenty of subjects to shoot when it’s raining: people running for shelter, children playing under the rain, a beautiful young lay stranded at a bus stop, animals searching for shelters, raindrops falling on the roof and other surfaces, and many more.

After rain. The wet world gives you an opportunity to shoot different designs, reflections, and textures created by the rain. You can shoot droplets of water on or hanging from flowers, leaves, railings, and other surfaces. It is recommended that you shoot these droplets in close-up. Reflections are great subjects to shoot. Still water on the ground usually give dazzling reflections of anything above it, producing different perspectives. Plant leaves washed by rain create varying textures to the background photo.

Measures and precautions

You need to have a water proof camera as raindrops that drip into your camera can spoil the photo and worse, damage the camera. You also need water proof pants, jackets, and gloves to protect yourself from the rain. If you don’t have a waterproof camera, then you should have the following water proof camera accessories: rain hoods, towel, shower caps, protective filters,and lens shades.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

August 5th, 2008 / No Comments
Dramatic Lighting

The thrill of outdoor photography is that you will never know when a dramatic scene would come up. But travel photography should not be left to chance. One should know the best times in a day when to expect dramatic lighting and take good shots.

The best times to anticipate for dramatic lighting are just before or after a storm. Often, downpours end with dozens of brilliant rays of sun peeking through the clouds. Another visually stunning location are cathedrals when the suns hits the window and the light is shining on the altar.

Dramatic images could also be spawned during sunrise and sunset. Wait for dawn to break and get near silhouettes of landscapes. This is also the same thing when taking shots after the sun has set. Other than the effects of sunrise and sunset, the low-angle light most of the time adds high drama.

Still, there are pitfalls of dramatic illumination. Pictures tend to have lots of contrast. This can be fixed by using the spot meter or by moving close to the subject and taking an exposure reading from the highlights.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

May 19th, 2008 / No Comments
Photos and Paranormal Sightings

You have seen it everywhere, from special episodes on weird tv or inspiration for the next Hollywood sci-fi flick. Either that or you know someone who claims to have either seen them firsthand or has actual physical evidence they took from their camera. Whatever the case maybe, there is so much paranormal going around you would think you are the last person on earth who has not experienced anything unusual in your lifetime… yet.

Still, photos and odd sightings are common entertainment fodder either on Halloween or in dry times on primetime. Since not everybody has a video camera on hand, unlike those unfortunate kids in the contrived “Blair Witch Project”, the next best thing is to have a photo camera on hand to capture that fleeting moment of mystery.

Why this topic for this blog? Besides the fact that it is about photography, there is always that doubt at the back of the head if the image is indeed legit or is just a creation of some imaginative mind. And to involve a technical aspect, why are most shots taken that involved weird phenomena are blurred and grainy?

There was this one show, the title escapes at the moment, where the hosts try to recreate a supposed sighting captured on film using common materials, some visual effects, and cunning optical illusions. This way, the program gets to demonstrate which pictures are most likely legit shots of the unusual and which are pranks made to fool people.

Technically though, there could be a lot of factors involved that made outputs scratchy. For one, think of the technology back then. Sure there was no Photoshop, but pictures were not A-grade either. Another thing to consider is the distance of the subject from the camera. The farther it is from the camera, the less distinct details could be seen. Then there is the subject of focus and camera shake or motion blurring. You are taking a picture of what you thought was Bigfoot from 50 feet away. You tense up as you fumble your way in clicking the shutter, excited at the idea that you have just captured an oddity.

Eager to see what you got, what comes out is a mere figment of how you intended the shot to be. You may not have provided an answer to a mystery of life, you might have added one more. But it sure is good conversation piece at the dinner table and a surreal tale for the grandkids later on.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

April 2nd, 2008 / No Comments
Stopping The Adventure

Adventure photography is a very special niche that you can get into if you’re one of the outgoing types of photographers. This is one of the types of photography that you can get into when you’re a backpacker or a hiker or when you’re part of a team. If you’re a participant in a hike then you immediately have front-row seats to the adventure.One tip for adventure photographers is to essentially tell a story through your photos. It’s is very important that you use a storyline whenever you’re in a trip. You will most probably want to capture the beginning, middle and end of a trip. You should be able to capture the dramatic events of the whole thing as it progresses. Shooting adventure photography entails a lot of balancing. You need to be a participant as well as get in some shots. One of the ways to do this is to ask beforehand what will happen in the event and where your route might be. Another balancing act that you need to maintain is to also capture the subjects in the natural setting as well as the emotions of the events.

You should be able to capture photographs which exhibit what exactly happened in the adventure that you were part. This particular type of photography will require you a more technical knowledge of the craft as you will probably adjust your settings on the fly as you participate. Apart from that, you will need to watch out for the various unfolding of events and ensure that you capture those moments as well. You need to be able to clearly illustrate your story through pictures and do it in a masterful and entertaining manner.

Adventure photography is very exciting especially if you are quite successful in capturing the various highlights of the encounter that you’ve had with Mother Nature. It will challenge you to an even greater degree as you try to keep up with the pace and get the very best shots that you can, given the time constraints.

At the very best, adventure photography will give you a taste of how it being in the action as well as stopping it feels. It will challenge you to be more mindful of your light sources and will definitely give you literally a run for your money. You will mostly definitely sweat it out whenever you try out adventure photography as you will be in a brisk gait most often if not in a hurried jog. Thinking fast while shooting faster? This is what adventure photography is like.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

January 31st, 2008 / No Comments
Lighting For Travel Photography

If you’re into travel photography like most of the photographers out there, then you probably want to get the same photos that they have under their belt. However, some people are disillusioned into thinking that as long as your camera is an expensive one, it will automatically adjust the settings for you. However, you should know that this is far from the truth.

Most of the beautiful light that you will find occurs early in the morning as well as late in the afternoon. This is the optimal time for shooting your photographs. Former picture editor of LIFE, John Leongard explains that “teachers don’t work in the summer and photographers don’t shoot in the middle of the day.” This is quite true in a perfect world but for some people, they need to make the most out of every day of shoot while they’re on location.

One of the ways that you can maximize your time while shooting is to know the lighting that is needed in a particular setting. If you would like to have scenic shots as well as exterior shots, you may shoot them early morning or in the late afternoon. You could essentially get in your indoors shots during mid-day when the lighting is brighter and harsher. If you need to photograph people during the middle of the day, try to look for a backlit or open shade and then use fill flash or a reflector in order to open shadows.

One of the things that you can do is to essentially “stretch” the nice lighting of the early morning by adding another hour of good light by using a warming filter. You can easily attach an 81C or 81 EF to your lenses so that it will give off a warming glow to your pictures. These filters are able to get the same kind of effect that you get when the sun is just about to rise and or in the late afternoon. The effect is very natural if it’s done in this setting. If you try to do this in the middle of the afternoon at mid-day and it will look very fake and deliberately set up.

Those are the tips that you will be needing when you’re doing travel photography and you’re going to do some photography in the field. Be sure to have lots of patience when you’re shooting outside. With a little bit of luck, you’ll be able to get in some classic shots that are sure to be your favorite.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

January 10th, 2008 / No Comments
Photographing Stationary Scenes

If you’ve ever taken a photograph in your life, you might have come across a photo that you’ve capture that may look a little something like the horizon being tilted in such a way that you might swear that if you didn’t know any better, you thought the entire scene would fall off the frame. Here are some tips on how to avoid a tilting horizon.One of the best things that you should remember is to use a tripod. This will come in very handy whenever you’re photographing seascapes and landscapes. It also keeps your camera steady so that you could also experiment with some night photography shots. Plus, with a tripod you can easily compose your pictures even more precisely.

There are some SLR cameras which have interchangeable viewfinder screens. These things are especially useful if you have the architectural style grid which have etched lines for both horizontal and vertical lines which essentially assist in lining up horizons and other compositional guides that you may find in your scene.

In the tripods that are commercially sold, you will find that there is a bubble reading at the point where you have the handle which extends the tripod. This comes in very handy as you try to compose your horizon. It also alerts you to any tilting that may be present during the composition of your shot. It would be best that you remember that the bubble reading is also not foolproof as you cannot just rely on it for a perfect horizontal composition.

There are times that you will find that your camera is level according to the bubble reading but when you look into the viewfinder, the horizon will look slanted. In these occasions, you would be better off to trust your eye instead. Assuming that your viewfinder isn’t defective or fogged up, the viewer’s eye will always be best when it comes to assessing horizons. The best thing to do is to angle or slant the camera slightly in order to correct the tilted horizon. Technically, you shouldn’t be able to slanted lines if the bubble reading is correct but there are a few times that you will find that this is untrue.

So you have the unenviable task of trusting and doubting your eyes as part of photographing horizons. May you always get leveled photographs of seascapes and landscapes. With a little practice, you’ll eventually find yourself getting better each time.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

December 13th, 2007 / No Comments
Advice For The Outdoors

Just about everyone who looks into a photograph which has an awesome landscape backdrop goes, “Wow”. It’s an instant reaction as they see the beauty and wonder of the outdoors. However, for those aspiring photographers, replicating that reaction when people see your photographs isn’t as hard. You just need to remember to use the proper, equipment, get the right settings and prepare to have some fun.
Protect your lenses
One of the tips that you could immediately follow is to always use a UV filter. This is not only for blocking the ultraviolet rays that the sun emits but is also a very nice way to protect your lenses from scratches or breakage. When you have a UV filter on, it protects the lenses from taking a scratch or two. You also won’t have any problems if you have any prescription glasses because it won’t mess up with your grade.
Good lenses
One of the best things that you can do is to invest in good quality lenses. There’s really no problem with using third-party lenses but it would be better if you stick with your manufacturer’s primary lenses. It’s not that the third-party lenses are necessarily inferior but these types of lenses don’t have the technology that the manufacturers have put in them. Always remember that in the world of photography, you get what you pay for.
Use filters sparingly
Whenever you’re using filters, try not to depend on them too much. A filter is just another optical device that is between the subject and the lens. If you introduce too many devices, you might just be more likely to introduce distortion into the final picture.
Use a tripod
Be sure to use a tripod for virtually ever landscape shot that you’ll be taking. It’s important to do that because you’ll need every type of steadiness that you can have granted that you’ll be taking photographs with a very small aperture opening for landscapes.
Infinite focus
Whenever you’re shooting skyscapes, be sure that you’re always on the infinity setting on your lens.
Lock up your mirror
If you’re using a shutter speed that is between 1/30th of a second and 1 second, it would be best to be able to lock up your mirror in a 35mm SLR before you even start exposing. In this particular range, you will be able to be free from the shock that the mirror has when it flips up during an exposure, ensuring a sharp and reliably focused picture.
Long lens equals less contrast
Whenever you are using a long telephoto lens to bring up objects closer, you will normally experience a loss of contrast because of the intervening distance. It would be better to come closer and essentially use a shorter lens to veer away from a desaturated-looking image.
There you have it: some essentials for you to remember when trying out photography in the outdoors. Try to remember to follow these steps and you’ll end up having great pictures. Also practice, practice, practice until you get the shot that you want.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

September 12th, 2007 / No Comments
Photographing Plants And Nature

The goal of a lot of the professionals whenever they are dealing with plant photography is to be able to capture their subjects in the original and natural state in which they are seen without even giving Mother Nature with any particular assistance whatsoever. This means that you won’t even move a branch or stray twig or even remove an offending item from the background.

There are other photographers out there who simply do whatever it takes to get and capture the best possible photograph of their chosen flora subject. For these types of photographers, it even means artificially changing all the natural conditions of the plant as well as its habitat in order to portray the plant in its best possible light.

Some of the people who fall in somewhere between the two opposing philosophies. Those other people just want their images to show the original features of the plant under the most aesthetically-pleasing habitat however they do not want to go so far as to have pictures which do not look very natural. One example regarding this particular taste in portraying flora in this manner is if there is a candy wrapper in the foreground, those types of photographers pick it up so that it doesn’t appear in the photograph. If a certain leaf interferes with the composition of the subject then we just simply move it away from view so that it won’t contribute to the bad composition of the photograph.

This type of obsessive-compulsive nature isn’t so much that bad if you come to think of it—especially if the element of the plant is definitely distracting the would-be viewers from seeing the focal point of the picture. The important thing is not to overdo such types of obsessions. Even though we would like our pictures of plants to be stunning and original, it should be not at the expense of arranging a scenery to the point that the photograph does not look natural at all. This should be one of the things that plant photographers should remember. People who are interested in plant photography should simply take pictures of the plants and the different settings they are in. For more varied shots, they could try taking pictures of the plants in different times of the day such as early morning or dawn, morning, noon, afternoon and dusk. That should take care of the variety of the shots in and of itself.

So always remember to strike a balance between having a neat picture and not changing the environment of the background of the flora, thus making it look like a very unnatural-looking photograph. Whatever nuances that are present, you should always try to take them out so that when you are ready to click your shutter, you’ll have the best subject in the best background without any additional distractions in the photograph. What’s best is you’ve left the surrounding habitat or environment as it is and you’ve been able to successfully strike a balance in this field of photography.

Posted in Outdoor Photography

August 16th, 2007 / No Comments