The post Nikon to Release Full-Frame Z5 and APS-C Z30 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
For months now, we’ve been hearing rumors about several new Nikon cameras debuting in 2020.
But just last week, Nikon Rumors revealed several nuggets of information regarding these new mirrorless models.
First, one of these cameras will likely be called the Nikon Z5, and will be a full-frame mirrorless body a step below Nikon’s current Z6.
The other Z-series model is labeled the Nikon Z30, which will sit underneath Nikon’s Z50 as the second APS-C mirrorless model in Nikon’s lineup.
Nikon Rumors also predicts a Nikon professional mirrorless camera (often referred to as the Nikon Z8 or the Nikon Z9) coming in “late 2020 or in early 2021.”
Thus far, Nikon’s mirrorless lineup has remained fairly limited, especially when ranged against competitors such as Sony and even Canon. Aside from the Nikon Z50, which debuted in October 2019, we’ve seen no new mirrorless models from Nikon. So the predicted Nikon Z30 and Nikon Z5 should inject some much-needed options into the Nikon ecosystem, especially for entry-level snappers who require a more powerful alternative to compact cameras, smartphones, and APS-C DSLRs.
The truth is, Nikon has lagged behind both Sony and Canon in the mirrorless race. It wasn’t until last year that Nikon offered a single APS-C mirrorless body, the Z50, a camera that remains out of the reach of many consumers thanks to its near-$ 1000 USD price tag. The addition of a Nikon Z30 should help round out the bottom part of Nikon’s lineup, and hopefully indicates Nikon’s commitment to expanding into the affordable mirrorless market.
On the other end of Nikon’s lineup, we have the Z6 and Z7. But while these two cameras are well-regarded in the photography community, Nikon still lacks a full-frame model positioned against the Canon EOS RP, as well as (potentially) the upcoming Canon EOS R6, a gap which the new Z5 will likely seek to fill.
Interestingly, another recent rumor suggests that the Z5 may not include a built-in electronic viewfinder, but will instead offer it as an accessory. Personally, I find this questionable; if Nikon decides to test this design, I’d expect it to happen in one of the lower-end cameras, potentially even the Z30. But not in the Z5, Nikon’s only full-frame mirrorless body to debut since 2018.
Regardless, we should know soon enough! And if you’re a photographer looking for a cheaper Nikon mirrorless body, keep your eyes peeled. We should have more news before long!
Now over to you:
Which of these mirrorless models are you more excited about? And do you think Nikon would drop the built-in EVF on the Z5? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
The post Nikon to Release Full-Frame Z5 and APS-C Z30 appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.
The post Top Tips for Capturing Better Aerial Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
Up, up and away! For most people, taking a scenic flight is not an everyday occurrence. In fact, for most of us, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. If you plan on taking to the skies to capture some aerial shots, what gear should you take and how should you prepare for the experience so that you capture better aerial photos?
The northern Gold Coast photographed from a seaplane.
In the space of six weeks in 2017, I was lucky enough to take aerial photos from three different modes of transport: a hot air balloon, a seaplane, and a helicopter. Below is my guide to taking better aerial photos.
What gear should I take?
This is probably the first question you’ll ask yourself. The
answer largely depends on a few factors: what kind of flight you’re taking, how
much room you’ll have, and what kind of shots you want to take.
The gear you have available to you may also depend when and
where you’re taking the flight. For example, if you’re doing a scenic flight as
part of an overseas trip, you will probably have a smaller number of lenses to
choose from than if you were at home.
There are lots of photographic opportunities on a flight
A good starting point for aerial photography is taking one camera body with a zoom lens, for example, an 18-55mm or 24-70mm. My go-to zoom lens is the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, which has a full-frame equivalent focal range of 27-82mm.
Lenses like this are quite compact and suited to even the tightest of spaces. It also has optical image stabilization, which helps to keep images nice and sharp. I took almost all of the images in this article with that lens.
This focal length is also very handy if you wish to take photos of your companions, or images of the aircraft before, during, and after the flight.
Depending on the circumstances, a longer lens might be your preference – just make sure you have enough room to maneuver. In a hot air balloon? No problem. In a small plane? Maybe not.
Don’t forget to take photos of your companions on the flight!
If I was going on a flight where I knew I would have more room to maneuver, such as a doors-off helicopter ride, I would take a longer telephoto lens with the same maximum aperture (f2.8 or f4) throughout the range, such as the Fujifilm XF 50-140mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR lens.
If you want the best of both worlds, consider taking two bodies with two zoom lenses – I wouldn’t recommend trying to change lenses while airborne.
Have your gear ready
One thing you must do to take better aerial photos is prepare. Check and double-check your gear the night before your flight. Halfway through a once-in-a-lifetime balloon ride is not the time to discover you’ve run out of space on your memory card or you’ve had the ISO set to 6400.
Look for abstract images as well as scenic views.
Mistakes happen, we’ve all made them. However, you can minimize your risk by having a list of things to double-check before your flight. Here’s what I check:
Check image format: JPG+RAW.
Check film simulation: especially if you’re shooting JPG only.
Check your ISO settings. If you’re using Auto ISO, check to make sure the settings are suitable for your flight.
Format your SD cards ready for use beforehand. Take a couple of test shots to make sure everything is working okay.
If you have a second SD card slot, use it. Consider writing RAW images to one SD and JPGs to the other.
Choose a fast SD card. If you’re taking continuous shots on a slower card, there can sometimes be a delay before you can take more shots as the camera tries to catch up writing images to the slow SD card. You want to avoid this on a scenic flight.
Use a 64gb or 128gb memory card if possible. You don’t want to find out halfway through your flight that you’ve run out of space, and you need to delete shots or find another memory card.
Make sure your batteries are charged.
Have spare batteries and SD cards just in case.
Visualize your shots beforehand
Look at the images posted on your flight operator’s website and social media – this will give you a rough idea of the types of shots that are possible. Have these types of images in mind before you take your flight. You can also contact the flight operator if there’s a particular landmark you wish to photograph, or if you’d like advice on the best place to position yourself in the aircraft.
Overhead shot of a tractor from a hot air balloon.
There are many variables with flying, though, so perhaps on the day the flight, the shot you have in mind won’t be possible. Keep an open mind, and don’t be upset if you don’t nail it. I always look upon a flight as a fun thing to do, and if I get some good photos out of it, that’s a bonus.
Shooting mode
I’ve taken photos in the air in both shutter priority and aperture priority modes. In shutter priority mode, I’d start off by setting my shutter speed to a minimum of 1/500 second. This should keep your images sharp if you’re in a fast-moving aircraft on a bright, sunny day. Your ISO will depend on how bright the conditions are.
As always, check and review your images and change your settings as the conditions dictate.
Hot air balloons inflating.
In aperture priority mode, I’d start off by having my aperture at f/4 and my ISO to 400. I’d then take a test shot to see what shutter speed the camera is choosing. Again, these settings depend on the conditions, but you’ll want to aim for a fast shutter speed, above 1/500 second. If the shutter speed is as high as 1/4000 second, you could lower your ISO to 200 or change your aperture to f/5.6 or f/8. If your shutter speed is under 1/500 second, you’ll need to bump up your ISO and experiment.
The advice above is for fast-moving aircraft. If you’re
floating along in a hot air balloon, you don’t need to worry about shutter
speeds as much.
Look for other opportunities
A helicopter on a landing pad, hot air balloons being inflated or deflated, seaplanes on the water – taking better aerial photos is also about looking for shots you can take before and after the flight.
Look for photo opportunities before and after your flight too.
Case study 1: Hot air balloon
There’s nothing better than floating high above the landscape in a hot air balloon, and nothing worse than setting your alarm for 3.45 am to get up for it! Although you may not be feeling it so early in the morning, a hot air adventure is worth getting up early for. It’s one of the most magical things I’ve ever done.
A balloon ride is the easiest aerial adventure to undertake with a camera. For it to take place, you need good weather. You also have a guaranteed space at the edge of the basket with clear uninterrupted views – and no window glass. Best of all, the balloon moves at a relatively slow pace, so it’s not as much of a challenge as a plane or helicopter.
Hot air balloon floating above rural Queensland.
My balloon ride took place inland from the Gold Coast in Australia. I mostly shot with my Fujifilm XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS lens, but also took the wider 10-24mm lens for some shots of the balloons inflating.
Make sure you have a secure strap on every camera you take
with you – the last thing you want to do is drop your camera overboard.
Case study 2: Seaplane
A few days after my balloon ride, I was joined by my family for a seaplane ride. We flew from the northern Gold Coast to nearby South Stradbroke Island, where we spent two nights glamping. The flight left Southport, headed south over Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, then we turned inland and headed north towards our destination.
View from Southport looking towards Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast.
Space was quite restricted inside the aircraft. I didn’t have a perfect angle of view in every direction, but I still managed to get some shots I liked. As it was so bright, shutter speeds were very high.
A couple of issues I had to deal with when shooting were the reflections off the windows and ensuring the wings of the aircraft weren’t in my images. I also got a little airsick, which wasn’t fun.
Some photographers swear by circular polarizing filters to cut reflections from windows – this is certainly something I will try in the future. Just be aware that it does cut the amount of light that reaches your sensor, but on the seaplane flight, it wouldn’t have been an issue.
Case study 3: Helicopter
A few weeks later, I took a magical trip to the Faroe Islands.
The highlight was taking an Atlantic Airways helicopter from the main international airport to the remote island of Mykines, where there are spectacular colonies of puffins and other birds.
A village in the Faroe Islands, shortly after take-off.
In the terminal, you’re given a safety briefing before heading out to the tarmac by bus. I made sure I was the last person getting on the bus, so I was the first person out. I then managed to secure a window seat in the helicopter. I didn’t mind which side of the helicopter I was on, as there were great views on either side.
The flight lasts just 11 minutes, so opportunities for taking images are limited. On this flight, I had window reflections again, but this time I also had the added problem of heat coming off the helicopter into the cold European air marring my view occasionally.
I still managed to get some photos I was happy with. However, as I’ve said before, think of any photos as a bonus, rather than the reason you take the flight. As always, look for other photographic opportunities – I took some photos of the helicopter on the landing pad at Mykines.
The stunning coastline of the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic.
Conclusion
An aerial adventure is a lot of fun, but make sure you’re prepared before you take off. A zoom lens with a wide-to-mid focal range should be perfect, but make sure you use a large capacity, fast SD card. Also, make sure you prepare the night before your flight and ensure all your equipment and settings are ready to go.
The most important piece of advice is to have fun and enjoy your time in the air. Don’t spend the entire flight looking through your viewfinder.
I hope this helps you capture better aerial photos on your next flight. Remember to think of them as a bonus, rather than the main reason you took the flight.
Feel free to share any of your aerial photography stories or photos with us in the comments.
The post Top Tips for Capturing Better Aerial Photos appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Matt Murray.
The post How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
Keeping track of the photos you’ve taken is a vital element of the photography workflow. In this article, you’ll learn about different ways you can catalog and store your photos. This is important because, first of all, you’ll want to be able to easily find the photos that you took several years ago. You’ll also want to review your photos periodically to see where you can improve your work. This is easier with a well-managed photo library. Let’s take a look at the options available to you then.
Keeping your photo library up to date is vital.
Will you catalog and store your photos in the cloud?
The options available to store large amounts of file data have grown in recent years. It’s a good job because the amount of memory most photographers go through has also grown. The biggest rule here is that if you only have one copy of something, you might as well have none. The day your hard drive fails means you could lose everything, so diversify and keep multiple copies. Let’s look at some of the options you could take.
Internal hard drive
The first and most convenient place to store your photos is on your computers internal hard drive. Doing this means the files are easy to reach, and you don’t need to play around with wires to plug other devices in.
The drawback here, of course, is that most internal hard drives are limited in storage capacity, even more so if you’re using a laptop. At best, keeping photos on your internal hard drive should only be for your most recent photos. Even then, you need to back them up on a separate external hard drive.
External hard drives like these are one solution.
External hard drive
The next option is to use external hard drives.
The capacity of external hard drives continues to rise, and with the introduction of solid-state hard drives, their reliability has also improved. Large external hard drives that have terabytes of storage space are the best solutions for photographers wishing to back up their work. While you can have storage from flashcards and pen drives, it’s realistically far too small to database your library.
A word of warning though, most hard drives have a shelf life. That means for each external hard drive you have, you need a separate backup external hard drive.
Cloud services
The newest version of storage is cloud storage. It’s become increasingly popular, and with good reason. Companies that provide these services need to ensure your data is protected, as a result they need to keep several copies in the event one of their storage systems goes down. Your files being kept in a remote location is also safer, especially if you use cloud storage in conjunction with an external hard drive.
Dropbox – One of the first cloud storage services, they offer a good service.
Adobe – Anyone using Adobe products can sign up and store their photos on Adobe’s servers.
iCloud – Those using apple products will be familiar with the iCloud, it works as a hub to link up all your devices.
The downside to this type of service is that there is an ongoing subscription fee if you want storage sizes capable of backing up your photography. That compares with an external hard drive that has a one time fee. You’re also reliant on a fast, reliable internet connection, something you might not find if you’re traveling somewhere that’s more remote.
Cataloging your photos by type works well, this is a cityscape.
What’s the best solution?
Burning to a DVD was once a way you’d store photo library’s, but this has now become outdated as storage size has far outstripped this method. The best solution is to diversify. Keep backup copies of your photos on separate external hard drives, and use a cloud service for that extra protection.
Which is the best software to use for your library?
Now you know what hardware you’ll use to store your photos, the next step is to decide which program you’re going to use to store them. Once again, there are several options, and here are some of them.
Catalog in folders
One option is to simply set up folders, and then subfolders on your hard drive. You can use these to store individual sets of photos. The problem is this takes a lot of work, and could quickly become disorganized if you’re not on top of it all the time.
Photos is the current storage option for apple users.
Apple Photos
Apple Photos is now the default photo storage program that comes with apple devices, be that a phone or a computer. It’s taken over from the older iPhoto, and the concept with the program is to share between devices. That means all your files will be synced to the iCloud account you have. You’ll likely need to pay the subscription fee for this functionality to be of any use.
The program comes with some basic editing functions, with the ability to catalog your photos into albums. You can further organize your work by putting these albums into folders. You can download Apple photos to use with windows as well.
Adobe Bridge and Lightroom
Adobe is the choice of many photographers, especially Adobe Lightroom.
There are actually two separate programs to create a library from. The two programs create folders on your hard drive, as opposed to Apple Photos, that has a closed-off app.
You can select the folder you’re going to use, so putting these photos on an external hard drive will work well.
Bridge and Lightroom allow you to organize your photos by folder, but you can also put them into collections. Where Lightroom differs from Bridge is that it offers an advanced photo editing suite. For many photographers, this is all they need.
As is becoming increasingly standard, there is also the option to store your photos in Adobe’s cloud service through these programs.
Adobe is the most popular service for most photographers.
Other options
There are many other options you can use to organize and store your photos. If you’re using a Mac, using Photos or Lightroom is probably the best move. If you’re using a Windows machine, Lightroom is a great option. However you could buy a different program if you wish, this article gives a list of some of the possible alternative options.
How will you subdivide your collection into folders?
The last step in organizing your photos is putting them into categories that will make them easy to find. This comes down to some basic organization. Typically, you’ll want to start with a broad way of labeling photos, and then get more specific for the subfolders you put these photos into.
The year
Every year it’s time to reset and look again at your photos. It’s also a good time to begin a new folder for that year’s photos. In doing this, you’ll prevent any folder or library from becoming too large.
A location like a national park is a good name for a folder.
The location
This is a category you can obviously narrow down further from the broad area of just the location. The following are some suggestions on how you might do just that.
Country – Every time you make a trip to a new country, this should have its own folder. In fact, you might decide to make a whole new library with the year and country as the title for this library.
City/Town/Village – The next step down from the country is the place you visit within that country. Often an urban center of some description will be the next folder you use.
National park – Visiting an area of natural beauty will be high on the landscape photographer list. These are often national parks, so this would also form a folder.
District/Market/Lake/Mountain – To further narrow down where the photo was taken, look to the district or market you visited in an urban center. Likewise, if you’re in the countryside, look for things like lakes or mountains to signify the photo’s location.
This photo could be labelled portrait, light painting, or wire wool.
The day
Now you’re getting down to the nitty gritty of how to catalog and store your photos.
How you apply this to your organizational structure will depend. If you’re visiting a country for one week you might dispense with the city or national park, and just name each day France day 1, France day 2 and so on. However, if you’re in a country for longer, you might decide to use Paris day 1, Paris day 2, Lyon day 1, and so on.
The event
Photographing at festivals and events is a great way of getting unique photos, as they’re dynamic and you’ll be constantly on the lookout for moments of capture. Events like these will typically lead you to take many photos. If the event lasts several days, you’ll likely want to catalog by day.
The photography technique
Another approach to organizing your photos is to do it by type. In this case, you might be working on a photographic project, and you’ll want to keep all the photos of a particular type together. Below are a few examples you could try.
Color – Take a series of photos that are all the same color.
Technique – Use a technique like silhouettes, light painting or Lensball photography.
Portraits – If you’re a portrait photographer, you’ll likely want to sub-genre this topic. If you’re a travel photographer, it might form its own folder.
Street – Street photography is a great topic to try out and lends well to anyone living in an urban center.
Urban – Urban photography could include things like cityscapes, architecture, or rooftop photography.
Festivals provide many photographic moments.
Favorites
Lastly, one of the best folders of photos any photographer can have is the favorites.
Each day you’ll choose your favorites from that day. However, at the end of the year or the end of a trip, it’s worth refining your selection further. To do this, go back over your favorites from each day and pick the very best images. Then use those images to create a portfolio folder for your very best work.
What’s your preferred way to catalog and store your photos?
There is a definite process you need to follow when you catalog and store your photos. This article lays out where and how to store photos so that you don’t lose control of your database of images.
There are many ways to do this, so how do you catalog and store your photos? If you use a different approach, we’d love to hear your ideas in the comments section.
Likewise, if you use any of the approaches in this article, which have you found the best? It’s always good to be organized, so organize your photos today so you can add more of them to your collection tomorrow!
The post How to Catalog and Store Your Photos so You Can Find them Easier appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Bond.
Just a PSA – I noticed recently that my galleries werent loading properly when I viewed them… after briefly troubleshooting I discovered that a recent update to the firefox extension “AdBlock plus” was blocking them (without really giving any indication). So if you’re reading this with ABP turned on, you might want to disable it for the site… I don’t have any ads on it anyway
As anyone who’s been following this blog knows, I’ve been very excited about the whole inception of the new micro four thirds standard… I decided not to jump on the EP-1, waiting to see the developments from Panasonic etc… With the release of the GF1 and the announcement of the EP-2, I finally decided to get myself a GF1 for my birthday. Of course my B-day isn’t for another month, but given the impossibility of actually finding the stupid thing in stock, when I saw one available from amazon I jumped on it and received it last week.
Of course a week and a few shots are not nearly enough to get the real “feel” of a camera, but here are some initial thoughts:
I bought this camera as a replacement for my G9 (which I subsequently sold). my first thought was “this is just like my G9, only better”
Image quality is superb – particularly with the 20/1.7. Plenty of detail, and the raw files hold up to processing well (using LR3 beta). High ISO is perfectly adequate for me. I’d use it comfortably up to 800/1250, and 1600/2500 are definitely usable with some NR/processing. 3200 is a bit noisy, but still seems perfectly usable for smaller prints etc… with some NR.
I don’t miss an OVF at all. I don’t know why folks get hysterical about composing on a screen- to me it’s just another way of composing. SLR finder, Rangefinder, Waist-level finder, ground glass… whatever. as long as I can compose my image, it’s all good.
Much like the G9 it’s not truly “pocketable” it definitely needs a small bag or coat pocket. To me this is basically a camera for “good pictures that’s lighter/easier to carry than an SLR”
Responsiveness is excellent. Shutter lag is negligible, and focus is nice and snappy even in low light. It’s not quite as good as my D700 (!) but it’s more than adequate. I can’t see myself missing any shots due to lag (caveat: I don’t shoot kids or sports, so if you do YMMV!)
build quality is… decent… it’s not a leica, but it doesn’t feel like its going to fall apart either. Probably the cheapest-feeling part of the whole thing is the zoom action on the 14-45 kit lens, but even that isn’t terrible (hey it’s a kit lens!)
Manual focus with the m4/3 lenses is actually not bad at all. The “focus by wire” doesn’t bother me, and the focus rings (particularly on the 20/1.7) are surprisingly smooth and well damped, unlike many modern AF lenses. I’m curious to try some real MF lenses on it with an adaptor.
I’m still getting a feel for the menus/controls, but they seem perfectly adequate. I wasn’t sure about the whole “push-turn” control wheel but I actually really like it now. All the necessary info is shown on screen, and all the settings I need to use regularly are easily accessible without digging through 27 menus (<cough> canon mirror lockup<cough>
I’m curious how the lack of a mirror will affect hand-holdability. I know I can handhold a rangefinder at least a stop slower than an equivalent SLR, I wonder if the GF1 will have the same advantage…
So far the main “negative” I can find with the camera is that the grip on the front feels a little slippery (the rear has a nice rubber thumbpad, but the front “fingertip” area is too slick for me) Surprisingly this makes the grip less sure than my G9… it might be worth getting a little stick on pad for the front to alleviate this.
Overall, the “gestalt” of this camera is the same to me as the G9 – not a “pocket camera” per-se, but a “real camera” that I can carry around more easily than a full SLR. In this regard it succeeds superbly. For my purposes, the GF1 realizes the dream of “SLR image quality in a compact body” perfectly, particularly with the superb 20/1.7. I’m actually toying with using it fom a couple of “real” shoots coming up, to see if the ability to go ultralight/minimalist will give added freedom in location shooting.
As the year closes, it’s fun to go through the library and pick out my personal faves from the year… In no particular order, my favorite shots from ’09. Not necessarily my best or most commercially successful, just the ones that tickled my own fancy:
The post Tips for Doing a Backyard Photo Safari appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
Have you ever thought about taking a trip to the other side of the world to get beautiful shots of exotic locations? You certainly can, and traveling is one of the best things you can do to take your photo skills to the next level. If flying across the world isn’t an option, what about stepping out of your door? A backyard photo safari is just a few meters away instead of a thousand miles, and you can take some beautiful photos without expensive gear too.
Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 second, ISO 100
While you could just drop what you are doing and head outside right now, it helps to do a bit of planning first. If you keep a few tips and techniques in mind, it will save you some frustration and give you a few ways to approach your very own backyard photo safari that will help produce the best possible results.
Timing is everything
Familiar places can take on dramatically different appearances depending on the time of day. It’s not just about the quality of light but the type of things you are likely to find – especially in your backyard. In the morning, plants are covered in dew, and bugs and insects are seizing the day. You might also find familiar sights shrouded in fog. Revisit the same patch of earth in the evening, and the scene will be dramatically different.
Nikon D750, 50mm, f/8, 1/90 second, ISO 800. This frog wasn’t just in my backyard. It was on my back door! I shot this after the sun went down after a rainy day.
You already know your own backyard well, but have you ever gone out in the early hours of the morning, or as the sun was setting, or even late at night? It’s not the same place at all. You will quickly notice things that you just don’t see during the day. Familiar objects take on a whole new appearance when photographed in the early morning or late at night.
You can even take great shots after the sun goes down by using a long shutter speed.
Fuji X100F, 23mm, f/8, 15 seconds, ISO 1250. I took this from my back porch very early on fall morning. It was only a few feet away from where I shot the photo of the frog!
It’s not just time of day that matters, but the time of year as well. Revisiting familiar places, even your own backyard, throughout the year can reveal amazing photo opportunities that were hiding right before your very eyes.
Act fast though! When you see an interesting picture idea, take the shot. Waiting even one day can change everything and suddenly your beautiful photo is nothing more than dust in the wind.
Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 second, ISO 100. I saw a photo opportunity on a Saturday morning right as the sun came up, so I ran outside barefoot to get the shot. The very next day, the leaves had all blown away!
Spring, summer, winter, fall – everything changes throughout the year, and this has a profound effect on the photos you can take in your yard.
Rich greens in spring, deep colors in summer, browns and yellow in the fall, and shades of gray in the winter.
Even if you think you’ve seen it all, try revisiting familiar spots in your own yard at different times of the year. The result may surprise you and give you some interesting photo ideas.
Nikon D7100, 85mm, f/4, 1/30 second, ISO 800. Composite of several shots of a lunar eclipse I took from my back yard over the course of two hours.
Look at the light
No matter the time of day or season of the year, it’s essential to look for where the light is coming from.
Then think about how you can use the light to make a more interesting or compelling composition.
Most objects look great with standard front-lighting – that is, with the main source of light positioned behind you, the photographer. You might need to scoot around or shift your position to make this happen, but your photos will be better off for your efforts.
Nikon D200, 50mm, f/2.4, 1/80 second, ISO 100. This sunflower was right by my back porch, with the sun positioned behind my shoulder so the flower was evenly lit.
Backlighting is a fun technique to use also, especially on a backyard photo safari where you get fun and interesting colors. This involves placing the main source of light behind your subject, which can create really fun effects and make ordinary objects take on a whole new appearance.
It’s loads of fun if you have flowers. Even ordinary, run-of-the-mill flora that you probably have in your own yard.
Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/2, 1/3000 second, ISO 100. These crocuses show up for a few days every spring, and each year I enjoy taking their picture. I didn’t plant them, but I sure enjoy having them while they bloom for a few days. I used backlighting to make it seem like they were glowing.
It’s not all about sunlight either. There are other sources of light that you can keep in mind when looking for photo opportunities right where you live.
Streetlights can cast an eerie, moody glow over everyday streets and sidewalks. Passing cars can make really fun motion trails. You can even create amazing artwork right in your yard with nothing more than a tripod and a flashlight – all it takes is a little creativity!
Nikon D200, 50mm, f/16, 15 second, ISO 200. This is looking down the street from my driveway on a calm, foggy morning.
Adjust your angle of view
Most of the time, we see the world around us, especially our own domicile, from the same point of view. Our eye-level remains roughly the same throughout the day, altering between three to five feet off the ground, depending on whether we are standing or sitting. To really find some interesting photo opportunities, particularly in your backyard, try getting low to the ground. Really low. A whole new world awaits you if you have eyes to see it.
Nikon D750, 85mm, f/1.8, 1/200 second, ISO 125. I had to position my camera very low to the ground to get this shot, but it was worth the effort.
Lots of interesting things start to show up when you change the angle from which you see the world around you. Even familiar settings can be transformed with a simple change in perspective. While you could get some really good shots by getting up high and shooting with a ladder, I find that it’s a lot more fun to literally crawl around on my hands and knees when looking for photos in my backyard.
Nikon D200, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/3000 second, ISO 400. I put a few of my kids’ toys on the ground, laid down on my stomach, and photographed them in my own backyard. This picture isn’t going to win any awards, but I had fun taking it.
It might not be the most glamorous or flattering photographic pursuit, but photography can be a messy hobby. And if you’re more worried about how you look when taking pictures instead of the pictures you are taking, it might be time to reevaluate your priorities!
Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/1500 second, ISO 280. My kids were blowing bubbles in the front yard. I had to practically lay on the ground to get this shot but the result was worth it.
Look for wildlife
I live in a small town in middle America. The most exotic animal I’m likely to see on any given day is what we call a Texas Speed Bump. (Think of what happens when an armadillo crossing the road meets a pickup truck.) It might seem like any attempt to take wildlife photos on a backyard photo safari would be an exercise in futility. However, while you might not have lions, giraffes, or gazelles out your front door, you probably have more interesting animals than you realize. You just have to look for them.
Nikon D750, 50mm, f/8, 1/180 second, ISO 5600. Shot with a +4 close-up filter. This was right outside my garage door. Cue the Lion King song “The Circle of Life”
Bugs, insects, worms, and other multi-legged creatures might give you the willies, but they can be fascinating photography subjects. The same goes for bees, butterflies, or anything with wings.
If you look closely and have a bit of patience, you can find all sorts of wildlife right where you live.
Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/4, 1/125 second, ISO 400. Shot with +10 close-up filter. This wasp was hanging out on the lid of my trash can on a chilly autumn morning.
I’m no entomologist or zoologist, and when I’m out in my backyard looking for photo opportunities, I don’t even know what most of the animals are that I’m photographing. If it’s interesting to look at, and if the lighting is good, then I’ll take a picture. Sure I get a little grossed out from time to time, but I get some really cool images too.
Nikon D200, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/750 second, ISO 200. I don’t know what this thing is, but it was hanging out in a pine tree in my front yard and it made for a really interesting photo.
You don’t just have to think small when taking pictures of animals on a backyard photo safari. Rabbits, squirrels, snakes, and birds – you probably have lots of animals come through your property that would be fun to photograph. The trick is to keep your eyes open, and it helps to have the tiniest sense of adventure too.
You don’t have to just look for small things either. Always keep your camera ready in case something larger comes your way! It might not be especially exciting, but it’s fun to get shots of everyday wildlife like rabbits, squirrels, birds, or other critters that call your backyard home.
Nikon D500, 200mm, f/2.8, 1/400 second, ISO 1600. A little patience was all it took to capture this photo of a male cardinal on my backyard fence.
Every now and then, you might see something a bit more exotic too. When those moments strike, it can be supremely rewarding to attempt a shot. Even if you don’t get the photo, you will at least have a fun story to tell.
Nikon D200, 50mm, f/4, 1/160 second, ISO 200. My wife saw this snake slithering across our front yard, so I grabbed my camera and a broom. After I got a few photos I gently encouraged it to vacate the premises.
Get a set of close-up filters
One of the best things you can do if you’re looking for a way to get great shots of the world around you is to buy a set of close-up filters. When you think of going on a wildlife safari, you might imagine huge camera rigs and giant telephoto lenses. Close-up filters are the opposite: they let you get very close.
Close-up filters are extremely inexpensive and screw on to the front of your camera lens. They take a bit of patience to learn, so make sure to plan some time to get acquainted with how to get the best results in order to avoid frustration when the moment strikes. Once you get the hang of it, close-up filters make even the most ordinary backyard subjects appear majestic and even otherworldy. In other words, they’re perfect for a backyard photo safari.
Nikon D7100, 50mm, f/11, 1/200 second, ISO 400. Shot with a +4 close-up filter.
Flowers, mushrooms, berries, leaves, sticks, even blades of grass take on a whole new appearance when shot up close.
These stationary objects work really well for macro shots because they allow you to try different focal lengths and experiment with manual focus.
When you’re ready for something a bit more challenging, you can combine close-up filters with bugs and insects. This involves a lot more skill, practice, and patience (as well as mastering the back-button focus technique, which I recommend for best results) but you will never look at your own yard the same way again.
Nikon D500, 50mm, f/5.6, 1/250 second, ISO 360, shot with +4 close-up filter. It took nearly a hundred shots over two days to get this image of a bee in my back yard, but it was worth the effort.
If you can find a bug that is relatively slow-moving, you can combine all the techniques in this article to get some really amazing shots. For this final image, I went out in the evening, looked at the angle of the sun, adjusted my own point of view accordingly, and used a close-up filter. I’m not even sure what kind of bug or insect this is, but I really like the photo.
Nikon D750, 50mm, f/1.8, 1/100 second, ISO 900. Shot with a +4 close-up filter.
Conclusion
This list is really just scratching the surface of what’s possible when you go on a backyard photo safari. You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment, and you don’t need to hire a tour guide. These few simple tips will be enough to get you started, and then it’s up to you. How far will your creativity and sense of exploration take you when you’re right in your own yard? It could be a lot farther than you think.
Share your tips, tricks, and backyard safari photos in the comments below!
The post Tips for Doing a Backyard Photo Safari appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Simon Ringsmuth.
