Nature photography tips and tutorials

Ethics of Wildlife Photography

June 17, 2013 by Steve Berardi 8 Comments

Photo by Steve Berardi

One of the very first articles we published here on PhotoNaturalist was about the ethics of baiting owls to get a good photograph. It’s a great article written by my father, Vic Berardi (if you’re new to PN, I highly recommend reading it, as it represents one of our core beliefs here at PN). In the post, my father makes the point that any photo that was captured as a result of baiting an animal isn’t really a “natural” photograph—it’s an illusion of the wilderness.

Sadly, baiting owls is still a problem. And, it looks like we have a new form of baiting to worry about: smartphone apps. Yes, there really does seem to be an “app for everything” these days.

Apparently, there are a few apps that mimic birdsongs which attract birds—allowing you to get a closer shot of them. Of course, using recorded birdsongs to attract birds is nothing new—but, with the growing popularity of smartphones and the ease of using apps, these birdsong apps are causing problems in a few nature reserves. [Read more...]

The Most Common Problem In Nature Photography

June 10, 2013 by Steve Berardi Leave a Comment

Pitcher Sage (underexposed) / Photo by Steve Berardi

One of the most common problems in nature photography is getting a good exposure. There seems to be a common tendency to underexpose nature photos.

There could be a lot of reasons why this happens. Maybe your camera’s metering mode doesn’t work well for a particular scene.

Or, the more likely issue is that your camera’s LCD screen appears much brighter when you’re outdoors in the sunlight. So, when you take a photo and preview it on your camera, the photo looks a lot brighter than it actually is.

Have you ever gone out and shot a bunch of photos that looked totally fine on your camera’s LCD screen, but then when you got home and opened the photos on your computer they looked super underexposed? [Read more...]

Learn The Secrets Behind Incredible Photos

June 2, 2013 by Steve Berardi 2 Comments

Have you ever seen an incredible photo and wondered: how on earth did the photographer create that image?

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the photographer will share what settings they used on their camera (such as aperture, shutter speed, and ISO).

But, as I’m sure you know, this kind of information only begins to tell the story of how the image was made. What you really want to know is stuff like: how the composition was chosen, what the lighting conditions were like, what kind of special equipment was needed, or what inspired the photographer to create the image.

Unfortunately, photographers rarely share this kind of detailed information.

Well, today I’m super excited to announce a new solution to this problem: [Read more...]

How to Keep Your Camera Ready For Action

May 28, 2013 by Steve Berardi 24 Comments

Photo by Steve Berardi

It’s probably happened to you before: you’re hiking down this trail, and all of a sudden you notice a bird or any kind of wildlife that doesn’t seem to mind your presence. You’re presented with a perfect photo opportunity, but then you remember, “Oh wait, my camera is tucked all the way into my backpack! And, worse: I think my wide-angle lens is on there!”

By the time you get out your camera, put on a longer lens and find the right exposure, that bird or dragonfly is probably in another zip code.

That’s why it’s a good idea to always keep your camera ready for action as you’re hiking down a trail. Always keep it by your side and ready to photograph a distant subject that may only be there for a second or two. Here are a few tips for making your camera ready to go: [Read more...]

Introduction to IR Photography

May 20, 2013 by Steve Berardi 13 Comments

Photo by Steve Berardi

Infrared (IR) photography doesn’t get much attention, but it can be extremely useful for photographing landscapes in black and white. It’s known for capturing strong contrast between vegetation and the surrounding landscape.

So, here’s a brief introduction to IR photography and its effects: [Read more...]

What The Coyote Can Teach You About Nature Photography

May 6, 2013 by Steve Berardi 9 Comments

Photo by Vic Berardi

The coyote is one of the most common mammals of North America. And, unlike many other mammals, its range has expanded as a result of human civilization and encroachment. It seems to flourish even in urban environments.

The coyote has adapted so well that they’re considered pests in some areas. As a result, many aggressive hunting campaigns have been launched against them. But, in spite of this, they continue to thrive.

So, what can the coyote teach you about nature photography? [Read more...]