Outdoor Photography Nature Subjects

The word nature, and consequently the subjects of, cover a very broad spectrum and as the saying for a game goes by definition it is: "animal, vegetable, or mineral" basically. It includes subjects like: plants and animals(collectively wildlife), and outdoors in general which includes geological formations, the ocean and other bodies of water, the sun, moon, stars, sky, and pretty much anything natural on good ole planet earth and beyond.

Topics within this section of the site will not only include wildlife, landscapes, and the seasonal significance of a subject. Specifically, other than the where, when, what, and how to photograph, my nature subject discussions may include topics like animal behavior, habitats, the environment, the weather, and even outdoor hazards to name a few. In other words, anything related to nature and the outdoor photography experience.

A substantial portion of the articles are geared towards knowing your subject. There is great significance in knowing your subject to acquire good photographs. For instance, as with a landscape, knowing the orientation of your subject with respect to the angle of the sun at a particular time of day can be an important piece of information. Sure, you can do the hit and miss routine with the sun and I admit I have frequently.

I’m getting on in my years so believe me I don’t want to come back to, say a waterfall at another time of day because the light isn’t right, especially if that trek to the falls was at a 30 degree slope over bone busting rocky terrain for two miles…no thank you. Hopefully, you will gain from my personal experience.

Another example of knowing your subject and how it pays off is when dealing with animals. Knowing their behavior can be a key in getting the shot. I don’t just mean being prepared so you know the right time to click the shutter either. I’m talking about surviving the shoot as well.

Many animals give off warning signs when you encroach too close to them, their youngsters, or their food. Ever been dive bombed and pecked on the head by some pesky runt of the avian species for coming to close to her nest and babies? No? Really, you ought to get out more!

If it is the elusive pink polka dotted three-eyed bunny rabbit, well then you miss the shot of a lifetime if you aren’t too careful. If it is the, “This is my home, Goldilocks!!” big bad brawny grizzly bear you could wind up on his dinner menu. OK, breakfast menu if you are out early!

I personally favor mammals over the other creatures in the animal kingdom when it comes to photography. Consequently, most of my articles on animals will cover mammals.

Hopefully, these nature articles will help you get your photo groove on. Good Luck!

authored by Lon Britton