Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Monday, April 29, 2019
As many of you know, for me, “It’s All About The Light.” Regardless of the subject, light is the critical factor that determines the success of a photo. In wildlife photography, the main source is the sun. We all strive to capture dramatic action, interaction, a moment of expression or emotion while the subject is bathed in the golden glow of sunrise or sunset light. When it happens, we look toward the sky and share a big, “Thanks.”
This being said, I’m also a huge proponent of exhausting all possibilities. It adds diversity to your portfolio in addition to separating your images from everyone else’s who continues to photograph the same way all the time.
This brings me to the topic of this week’s tip. I’ll continue to make photos with early and late front-lit sun, but in the back of my head, there will always be a voice telling me, “If you can get to the other side of the animal, do it!”
Shoot Into The Sun
Shooting into the sun creates an obvious backlit situation. Seek subjects that take on a glow when the sun is directly behind them. Animals with long fuzzy hair or coat work well. Known as rim light, the glow outlines the subject with a ring of illumination that clearly defines its shape. Base your exposure on how much of a silhouette you want to create. The more you dial in minus compensation from the overall meter reading, the darker the end result.
I normally meter my exposures using aperture priority, but when I pursue these types of images, I switch to manual to lock in my desired exposure. I open the aperture or slow down the shutter if I want to brighten the image. Conversely, I stop down or increase the shutter speed to subtract light. While it’s impossible to maintain detail in both the animal and the rim light, be cognizant of how overexposed the glow is impacted.
A cool effect is to create a composition where just an edge of the sun peeks out from behind the animal. Stop the lens down to ƒ/22 and you should obtain a sunstar effect. Be aware of how much sun you include to prevent eye damage while previewing the composition through the viewfinder.
Evaluate The Exposure
A common method to incorporate into your backlit wildlife photography is to offset your subject against a rising or setting sun. This often goes hand in hand with skies that contain a lot of color. It’s imperative you base the exposure on the red channel in that warm tones are the hardest to recover. If you blow them out, the sky takes on a “mushy” look that’s void of detail.
As in the case of the images of the wildebeests, preening green heron and giraffe, all in silhouette, I ignored my luminosity channel and adjusted the exposure compensation until the spike on the right side of the red channel histogram didn’t exist. In the above examples, I compared my luminosity channel to the red histogram. The luminosity channel provided a “safe” reading. When I checked the reds, there was a huge spike. Again—base the exposure on the RED histogram. If you don’t see it when you play back your image, search the menu to see how to bring it up on demand. If you let the exposure be governed solely by the luminosity channel, the reds will be blown out. Blown out reds are NOT recoverable and the image will suffer.
Bracketing
There are times when the contrast range exceeds an exposure adjustment. Here’s where HDR comes to the rescue. It expands the tonal range in the image. A series of different exposures is made, software takes the optimal parts of each and blends the files in post-processing. Set your camera to high-speed motor drive, dial in a bracketed set of three images and, depending on the contrast range of the scene, set it to bracket either in one or two stop increments. The obvious drawback in doing this with wildlife is the subject needs to be still, so if the goal is to depict action, this method isn’t possible. If you do set up an HDR series, always remember to cancel out the bracketing series before moving on to your next situation.
Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography tours and safari to Tanzania.
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Sunday, April 28, 2019
Saturday, April 27, 2019
Friday, April 26, 2019
Thursday, April 25, 2019
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Wednesday, April 24, 2019
The post Boulder Beach appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Monday, April 22, 2019
For almost 50 years, the Earth Day Network has been an advocate of the environmental movement worldwide, with an annual celebration of Earth Day each year on April 22.
At Outdoor Photographer, we strive to bring awareness to nature and wildlife conservation efforts around the globe by featuring the stories of and photographs by photographers who are working to make a difference. From promoting the preservation of wild lands to raising awareness of threatened wildlife and their habitats, these photographers are leading the charge.
In celebration of Earth Day 2019, we offer a selection of articles from our archives to inspire and educate.
The post Celebrating Earth Day appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Quite often, photographers overlook the picture within the picture. We get so caught up in the entirety of the scene in front of us, we ignore other possibilities, some of which may provide a better image than the grand scene. What initially draws us to a location is the awe-inspiring aspect of the whole. Sometimes, it’s overwhelming and all we see is the vast composition before our eyes.
Gazing upon a mountain of peak golden, red and orange aspens makes us say, “Wow,” so the inkling is to strap on a wide angle to take in the expanse. The same can be true for city skylines, seascapes, groves of fog-encrusted redwoods, the acacia-dotted plains of the Serengeti, etc. While all the above can provide gorgeous images, learn to look past the obvious and allow yourself to be lured into parcels of the whole. Move closer to or zoom in to isolate subsections. Move even closer to record abstract renderings. Great abstracts have been made by photographing parts of mundane objects. This makes it possible to get great images close to home. Fancy equipment and elaborate lenses aren’t obligatory for this type of photography. A camera body with a medium zoom can yield nice results.
The purpose of this week’s tip is to encourage you to always look beyond the obvious. When you walk to the mailbox, take the dog for a stroll, sit on a park bench, appreciate an overlook at a national park or wherever your eyes bring you, study ordinary objects and begin to look at them in segments. Observe how the light plays upon each section. Note that the parts that are lit attract the eye more than parts in shade. Use this to your advantage. A bright subject offset against a dark background allows the subject to become more prominent.
Learn to zero in on the areas with the most intrigue. Get down low and look up at your subject. Get up to a high vantage point and look down on each region of the whole. Find the part that’s most compelling and make something new and abstract out of it. Use a reflector to bounce some golden light onto a strategic portion. This will attract the viewer’s eye to that portion. Use a close-up filter to probe a small subject more deeply. Don’t feel compelled to limit your images to macro subjects. As stated above, instead of photographing the entire mountainside, zoom into areas of trees that take on a “Z” shape, an S Curve, an area with complementary colors, an area of opposite colors and more. If your travels take you to an old barn, get in close to find reflections in glass windows, go inside and see what outside scene the window frames. Stop down a wide-angle lens and make a photo of the interior encircling the mountain in the distance. The possibilities are endless.
Begin to look past the obvious and hopefully come back with some award-winning photos. All of this week’s photos were made during my annual trip to the Oregon Coast each May. Of course, I photographed the grand scenics at sunrise and sunset, but I also worked on isolating details. Try it—you’ll like it!
Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography tours and safari to Tanzania.
The post Isolate Details appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Sunday, April 21, 2019
Friday, April 19, 2019
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Tuesday, April 16, 2019
From time to time we dedicate an episode of the reCOMPOSE podcast to answering your questions. This episode is a questions episode with a twist—we polled our pros at Muench Workshops and asked them to give us the top questions asked by our workshop clients. So on this episode, Juan and Andy answer the top 8 questions asked by workshop clients.
The post reCOMPOSE Podcast 053: Andy & Juan Answer Your Questions appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Monday, April 15, 2019
It’s sunrise or sunset and I’m out with my camera: CHECK. Hands down, these are the two best times of the day to make photos.
I made a pre-shoot camera check and all my settings are dialed in: CHECK. For wildlife, I have specific settings and for scenics I have others, but I’m ready to switch if necessary.
I have a polarizer handy if it will enhance the photo: CHECK. Have a system where everything is easily accessible including batteries and extra cards.
My camera is mounted to my tripod and the handles are locked down: CHECK. I encourage the use of a tripod to better ensure sharp images, and when it’s over your shoulder, make sure everything is secure.
So all the above is in place, the animal or scenic I want to photograph is there, it appears in all its glory, but the make-or-break part of the formula confronts us. It’s time to construct the composition. A cacophony of dissonance appears before our eyes and it’s time to construct an orderly arrangement of all the elements.
Serenity Out of Confusion: Watch For Mergers
Mergers occur when one subject overlaps another in a way that is awkward. When photographing wildlife, be aware of how one animal hides another. The heads of all should be seen and should make a connection with the viewer. If they do overlap, be patient and wait for separation. While it doesn’t always turn out that way, it’s a great feeling when it does. For a landscape, walk around the scene and create a composition where important elements lead the eye through the composition from foreground to background. If there’s an element that doesn’t “fit,” continue your pursuit. Again, will it always work? Absolutely not, but never give up looking for the arrangement of elements where everything falls into place.
Serenity Out of Confusion: How About That Background
A background that is busy, contains lots of distractions, prevents the subject from popping out, has very bright or dark blobs, etc., prevents a photo from being a winner. Even if everything else is perfect, no matter how many times you press the shutter, if the background is chaotic, the image will fall short. In the two images of the bateleur eagle, the bird is barely visible in the first. I waited for the eagle to fly to a different perch and it paid off. Next to the acacia in which the eagle exists in photo 1 was a dead tree. It flew from one to the next and posed for about five minutes. The time I invested waiting for a cleaner shot paid dividends.
Serenity Out of Confusion: Create A Frame
Use a frame to draw the viewer’s eye to a given subject and location within the photo. The frame should have a connection to the subject it surrounds. In a landscape, use a natural element in the environment to create a foreground halo around another subject included in the viewfinder. Frames can lead the eye into the photo, they can encircle or enclose a different subject, they can provide depth or even provide context. Choose the frame wisely as it should enhance the photo and not leave the viewer asking why it appears. Be sure to stop down the lens to maximize depth of field so the foreground frame, middle secondary subject and background all appear in focus. This is important in landscape photography. When working with other subjects, creative out-of-focus frames can work well.
Serenity Out of Confusion: Subject Placement
When it comes to composition, the rule of thirds is the first concept that should be mastered. While it can be successfully broken, masterpieces are created when it’s applied. Imagine a tic-tac-toe board placed in your viewfinder. The point at which the lines intersect creates the rule of thirds. Primary subjects should be placed where the lines cross. This holds true for both wildlife and scenics. It also holds true for large primary subjects. If you were to divide the viewfinder into thirds and hold the camera vertically, important subjects should be found in the top and/or bottom section. If held horizontally, the same holds true for the left and/or right sections.
So go out and carefully construct cerebral compositions and avoid chaos and confusion. The wall upon which your newly created magnum opus will hang will thank you.
Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography tours and safari to Tanzania.
The post Carefully Construct Cerebral Compositions appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Sunday, April 14, 2019
Saturday, April 13, 2019
Friday, April 12, 2019
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Sony has released a firmware update for its a7 III and a7R III cameras. Software Version 3.0 introduces improvements to Real-time Eye AF and adds a new Real-time Animal Eye AF capability. It also adds an interval shooting option.
Real-time Eye AF allows the camera to track focus on a human subject’s eye, while Real-time Animal Eye AF provides this functionality with animal subjects. Currently, Real-time Animal Eye AF supports domestic animals—dogs and cats—but Sony is committed to continued development of the system to eventually work with a broad range of animal subjects, including wildlife.
As for interval shooting, the firmware update enables the a7 II and a7R III to set an interval from 1 to 60 seconds and capture up to 9,999 shots.
For additional details, see the press release below. To get the firmware update, visit:
Sony a7 III
Mac: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m3/downloads/00015993
Windows: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7m3/downloads/00015992
Sony a7R III
Mac: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7rm3/downloads/00015999
Windows: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/e-mount-body-ilce-7-series/ilce-7rm3/downloads/00015998
###
New Firmware Update for Sony a7 III and Sony a7R III Boosts Eye AF Capabilities and Adds Interval Shooting for Time Lapse
Sony’s acclaimed a7 III and a7R III mirrorless cameras have received an exciting firmware update—Software Version 3.0— that enhances Real-time Eye AF performance and adds Real-time Animal Eye AF and interval shooting for time lapse.
Real-time Eye AF
Software Version 3.0 brings Real-time Eye-AF to the a7R III and a7 III, an AI-driven, enhanced eye detection system that’s based on the results of machine learning. Through machine learning, Sony has created a system that can detect—and focus on—the human eye even if the subject is looking down, partially blocked in the frame, turning or backlit. This feature is available in AF-C mode with a simple half-press of the shutter button.
Real-time Animal Eye AF
As with human eye recognition, Software Version 3.0 brings AI-driven animal eye detection to Sony cameras for the first time. Advanced subject recognition allows the a7 III and a7R III to detect and track animal eyes, and is the first step in a robust animal-tracking AF system.
The development of Animal Eye AF performance will continue, increasing the range of animals recognized by the system as well the system’s ability to track their movement.
Interval Shooting
This new software adds a built-in interval timer that can be set for anywhere between 1 and 60 seconds, with a total number of shots from 1 to 9999. AE tracking sensitivity is available to be adjusted to “High”, “Mid” or “Low” in order to reduce changes in exposure.
The post Sony Firmware 3.0 Update For a7 III And a7R III Now Available appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Today’s Photo Of The Day is “Incoming Storm Over the Dunes” by Lori Hibbett. Location: Death Valley, California.
“There were dark skies at sunrise at these Death Valley sand dunes,” says Hibbett. “Shortly after this sho,t we traveled through a lovely snow storm!”
Photo of the Day is chosen from various OP galleries, including Assignments, Galleries and the OP Contests. Assignments have weekly winners that are featured on the OP website homepage, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. To get your photos in the running, all you have to do is submit them.
The post Photo Of The Day By Lori Hibbett appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Monday, April 8, 2019
I take my photography very seriously, but every once in a while, I reconcile that sometimes I’ve just gotta have some fun. And there was one time it guided me down a new path. I stumbled across an entirely new subject focus and it led to a few sales. All in all, a great thing! Not only did I diversify my portfolio, but I also smiled a lot while I made the photos, I had fun in the process and made a few bucks from stock. So the next time a fleeting photographic thought rockets through your mind, run with it. I let it happen and came up with critter close-ups. Check out my story to see if it tickles your fancy.
I’m a firm believer in one of my business tag lines, “Exhaust All Possibilities.” I always try something new, different, experimental or deliberate. The end result is that I diversify my portfolio, I make sure I came back with as good a shot as possible and I don’t overlook any potential photo opportunity. My goal is to always bag the money shot first, the one which motivated me to head into the field. Once I feel confident I have something decent, I begin to think outside the box: What can I do differently? Can I find a new angle? What if I try backlight? What if I use a longer exposure? Basically, I search the depths of my mind to look beyond the obvious.
Over the years, I made many trips to Yellowstone in both the fall and spring. Bison are the most numerous mammal in the park and I accumulated many images in different light, with different backgrounds, etc. They walk the roads, so it offers the opportunity to get close shots. I always reached for my wide angle and used it to make their photos as they coursed their way down the asphalt. One time, I kept my 600mm to my eye and looked for an abstract image as bison after bison strolled past my vehicle. Yes, I was having fun and doing something different! Upon getting home, I came across one of the photos that accompany this week’s tip—the close up of the eye, horn and ice crystals. It instantly triggered an entirely new world of which I had never explored and opened a new door to my photography. If it can work for a bison, what about other creatures? Critter close-ups were born.
If this style of photography piques your interest, it’s essential you have a long lens. For the sake of safety for both you and the subject, keep as much distance as possible. The use of a teleconverter is also recommended to increase lens millimeters. I’m not a fan of using a converter with a zoom as it slows down the lens and critical sharpness isn’t the best. If you don’t intend to make big enlargements or do a lot of cropping, you may be able to get by. When working in close, you’ll need to stop down to acquire necessary depth of field, and a zoom with a 1.4 converter will produce sharper results when stopped down, so if it’s your only option, go for it.
Study each animal you encounter and look for shapes that have a dynamic quality. Don’t look at the entire animal as the subject. Study its parts and look for shapes in sections. Break it into fourths and study the back fourth, the middle left, middle right and front fourth. Do the same from top to bottom, especially with animals that are large.
Not only should you zero in on shape, but also look for patterns and textures, especially if the subject features lines or distinct markings. A number of mammals and amphibians have this quality, and the patterns are regarded as fingerprints. Just like a human’s fingerprint, no two animals share the same markings, so with each one you encounter, the potential photo will be different. Textures work the same way. How coarse is the skin or shell? Think about the patterns on a turtle. Does the skin, shell or hair display uniformity of a weave or does it have a repeated fabric-like quality? If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, move in close with a long lens and create your abstracts.
The beauty of this type of picture-making is it exceeds the borders of great photography and opens the door to other fantastic things. Once you accumulate a number of these images, you can create a great game with your kids or grandkids—call it, “Can You Name That Animal?” Think about how much fun you could have sharing the smiles and laughter trying to decipher what animal is in the image. If you belong to a camera club, it’s a great idea for a fun meeting. Each member can bring in their critter close-ups and make it a fun night. Who took the image? What is the subject? How was it made? What gear was used? It’s educational and may even lead to a field trip—a new world could open. Give it a try and see what doors open for you.
Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography tours and safari to Tanzania.
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Sunday, April 7, 2019
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Friday, April 5, 2019
As photographers we are always looking for new ways to capture our vision, and oftentimes we turn to action cameras to help us capture a different perspective. In this episode of the reCOMPOSE podcast, Juan and Andy discuss the different options out there as well as talk about what they use them for and which one they carry with them in the backpacks.
The post reCOMPOSE Podcast 052: Action Cameras appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Thursday, April 4, 2019
The name Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area may be a mouthful, but the location more than lives up to the outstanding title. YHONA is located in Newport, Oregon, and juts a mile out into the Pacific Ocean. A stroll to the westernmost point will bring you to Oregon’s tallest lighthouse, a naturally formed black cobblestone beach, tide pools teaming with life and a sea stack that’s home to one of the state’s largest common murre nesting colonies.
Location
The headland is a spectacular place to witness the natural drama that happens when ocean meets land, and it’s a jackpot for nature photographers. In a single location, one can capture the spirit of the Pacific Northwest coastline. Bald eagles are known to prey on the nesting murres, creating opportunities for thrilling action shots. Meanwhile, migrating gray whales will often swim right up next to the rocky cliffs to feed. Oystercatchers, great blue herons and harlequin ducks are just a few of the charismatic birds commonly viewed in the tide pools, feeding near the harbor seals who raise their pups here starting in early May.
A walk down the wooden staircase to the water can yield macro shots of colorful nudibranchs, sea stars, urchins and many other species, as well as gorgeous landscapes of waves crashing against cliffs or pouring over the unique black palm-sized cobblestones at your feet.
Weather
Oregon is famous for its shifting weather, and this location is no exception. Predicting if your morning shoot will be filled with thick fog or golden light can be difficult, and there can be sunshine and pouring rain within the same hour. Afternoons usually bring strong winds, but it’s worth enduring them for the light that comes as the sun sets behind the headland.
Watching the tide chart as carefully as the weather will give you the best results if you want to explore the tide pools. But even with a low tide, it’s crucial to keep one eye on the ocean and watch for sneaker waves.
Photo Experience At Yaquina Head
While the location is gorgeous for landscape photography, I visit for the wildlife. I’m always excited to see what’s around when I arrive early in the morning. Usually there are harbor seals hauled out on the rocks, ready to greet the sun. Such was the case the morning I took this photograph.
With an incoming tide, the seals are more likely to be splashed. So, they tend to be alert and brace themselves for particularly big waves. Waiting for these moments provides more interesting images that show a seal’s form rather than just sleeping silver sausages.
While there’s the practical reality that this seal was ready for a saltwater splash, it’s much too fun to anthropomorphize and see a joyful pinniped waving at the rising sun.
Best Times
Low tide is usually the best time to visit, so there’s opportunity to explore the tide pools and to watch the diversity of bird species feeding. Seals are usually present during low tide as well.
Long summer days provide the best chances for low tides during daylight hours. But winter has its plus side, with impressive swells and colorful sunrises and sunsets for dramatic landscape photographs—that is, as long as you’re willing to handle the cold rains that come down almost daily during winter months.
A trip timed during spring and fall migration for birds and whales, or during early summer when seabirds are raising chicks and seals are raising pups, will yield the best opportunities for great wildlife behavior images.
Contact: Bureau of Land Management, blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/yaquina.
See more of Jaymi Heimbuch’s photography at jaymiheimbuch.com.
The post Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Wednesday, April 3, 2019
The name Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area may be a mouthful, but the location more than lives up to the outstanding title. YHONA is located in Newport, Oregon, and juts a mile out into the Pacific Ocean. A stroll to the westernmost point will bring you to Oregon’s tallest lighthouse, a naturally formed black cobblestone beach, tide pools teaming with life and a sea stack that’s home to one of the state’s largest common murre nesting colonies.
Location
The headland is a spectacular place to witness the natural drama that happens when ocean meets land, and it’s a jackpot for nature photographers. In a single location, one can capture the spirit of the Pacific Northwest coastline. Bald eagles are known to prey on the nesting murres, creating opportunities for thrilling action shots. Meanwhile, migrating gray whales will often swim right up next to the rocky cliffs to feed. Oystercatchers, great blue herons and harlequin ducks are just a few of the charismatic birds commonly viewed in the tide pools, feeding near the harbor seals who raise their pups here starting in early May.
A walk down the wooden staircase to the water can yield macro shots of colorful nudibranchs, sea stars, urchins and many other species, as well as gorgeous landscapes of waves crashing against cliffs or pouring over the unique black palm-sized cobblestones at your feet.
Weather
Oregon is famous for its shifting weather, and this location is no exception. Predicting if your morning shoot will be filled with thick fog or golden light can be difficult, and there can be sunshine and pouring rain within the same hour. Afternoons usually bring strong winds, but it’s worth enduring them for the light that comes as the sun sets behind the headland.
Watching the tide chart as carefully as the weather will give you the best results if you want to explore the tide pools. But even with a low tide, it’s crucial to keep one eye on the ocean and watch for sneaker waves.
Photo Experience At Yaquina Head
While the location is gorgeous for landscape photography, I visit for the wildlife. I’m always excited to see what’s around when I arrive early in the morning. Usually there are harbor seals hauled out on the rocks, ready to greet the sun. Such was the case the morning I took this photograph.
With an incoming tide, the seals are more likely to be splashed. So, they tend to be alert and brace themselves for particularly big waves. Waiting for these moments provides more interesting images that show a seal’s form rather than just sleeping silver sausages.
While there’s the practical reality that this seal was ready for a saltwater splash, it’s much too fun to anthropomorphize and see a joyful pinniped waving at the rising sun.
Best Times
Low tide is usually the best time to visit, so there’s opportunity to explore the tide pools and to watch the diversity of bird species feeding. Seals are usually present during low tide as well.
Long summer days provide the best chances for low tides during daylight hours. But winter has its plus side, with impressive swells and colorful sunrises and sunsets for dramatic landscape photographs—that is, as long as you’re willing to handle the cold rains that come down almost daily during winter months.
A trip timed during spring and fall migration for birds and whales, or during early summer when seabirds are raising chicks and seals are raising pups, will yield the best opportunities for great wildlife behavior images.
Contact: Bureau of Land Management, blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/yaquina.
See more of Jaymi Heimbuch’s photography at jaymiheimbuch.com.
The post Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Monday, April 1, 2019
Fantastic subject matter may exist just outside your back door, so this spring, turn your backyard into a macro shooting environment. With macro subjects, sunrise wake-up calls aren’t necessary, nor do you have to schedule dinner around sunset light. Warmer weather is approaching, and the flowers and bugs await the sound of clicking shutters. Use all or some of my 10 quick tips and you’ll be on your way to capturing backyard macros.
Head To The Nursery
Subject matter will be dictated by where you live since every environment houses its own species. Based on your location, specific plants and insects will be found as their relationship is symbiotic. Throughout the spring and summer, certain plants and flowers will flourish. Plant your garden with ones that attract butterflies, moths, caterpillars and other insects that inhabit your area. Plant flowers you want to photograph, and monitor them daily so you capture each bloom at its peak.
Research
Go online to see if a local college provides extension services. Contact the folks in the plant and insect departments to find out what’s native to the area. Ask the experts at the nursery what blooms at given times and what grows best to attract bugs. Visit a local botanical garden and talk with the old-timers for some inside info.
Monitor the Light
Monitor the path of light the sun provides throughout the day. Different times bring in different insects. If you use natural light, different angles will provide different looks to your photos.
Monitor the Bugs
Periodically examine the plants to see what comes in. Many bugs are creatures of habit and will return to the same location at the same time provided the plants are in bloom.
Put in a Water Feature and Feeders
If you want to attract native birds, set up a water feature and put out seed. Purchase the type of seed that lures them in. All birds need water, so set up a bird bath if you want a slam dunk way to attract them.
Move In
A true macro lens provides the best method to get close. Longer focal lengths work better as they provide a greater working distance between you and the subjects. This works great so you don’t scare them. Alternatives to get close are extension tubes, teleconverters and close-up filters. Dual element achromatic ones are the best.
Use Flash
Midday light is harsh. With macro subjects, flash can be used to overpower the sun. It can also be a source of fill. On overcast days when the shutter may be too slow to capture a sharp image, the flash can be used as a main light. The short duration of the flash helps counter camera movement.
Use a Diffuser
Direct overhead sun is harsh and cool in color. Use a diffuser to soften it. It works great with flowers. It can also be used to soften the light when you photograph insects, but be cognizant of the shutter speed. Make sure it’s fast enough to capture a sharp photo.
Use a Reflector
Reflectors are used to bounce light into shadow areas. If light is added to the shadows, it softens the contrast. White reflectors provide a soft light. Silver ones provide pinpoint specular light and gold ones add warmth.
Tripod vs. Handheld
Use a tripod for subjects that don’t move fast. If you need to create depth of field for flower photos, it steadies the camera when slow shutter speeds are required. For fast-moving bugs, it’s better to handhold the camera. If you use flash, go handheld. The fast duration of the strobe offsets camera movement.
Visit www.russburdenphotography.com for information about his nature photography tours and safari to Tanzania.
The post Macro Just Outside Your Back Door appeared first on Outdoor Photographer.
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