Nature Photographer Magazine



	© Ryan R. Fox, Field Contributor

Article and Images by
Ryan R. Fox
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Deer, flowers, landscapes, streams, leaves, snakes, and the list goes on and on and on. Nature photography offers a plethora of subjects for us to photograph while on a walk in the woods. The various subjects require the use of an assortment of different lenses and equipment, from wide angle, to macro, to telephoto or zoom. As an amateur nature photographer, it is very easy to be overcome by the display of visual stimulants as you stroll through the forest. Pausing to photograph a scenic vista, you might spot a deer, coyote, bear, or other forest animal fleeing as you prepare your equipment for the landscape shot. Or walking slowly, alert to the potential movement or outline of a nearby mammal in the dense forest, you may not notice the intricate pattern underfoot or the delicate mushroom on a nearby bank. Herein lies the problem with nature photography; too many subjects!

You have to focus, and I am not just talking about your lens. Before going out into nature, armed with a variety of specialized lenses and a gear bag full of equipment, you need to decide the purpose of your jaunt into the wilderness. Will you be taking macro shots? Making wildlife images? Or going after a spectacular landscape at sunset? You need to make this determination ahead of time for several reasons.



	© Ryan R. Fox, Field Contributor

First, you need to determine where you are going during your nature hike. Sure, you might have a particular park in mind, but what specific location within the park will you visit? Obviously, if you are going after a specific landscape that you have in mind, you will know exactly where you want to go. But if you are going after an award-winning photograph of an egret, deer, or turkey, you need to know where these animals tend to live in the wild. At my favorite park near my house, I have only ever seen turkeys in one particular location at the south end of the park, nowhere else. By being aware of their habitat, I can easily go to the right location to capture the right photos. The same goes for certain types of plant life, water shots, particular trees, and so forth. By knowing what type of shots you wish to create, you can better determine where your hike should lead you.

Second, I feel you need to be in the right frame of mind. If you traipse into the forest without a particular focus, your resulting shots probably will not be that successful. Sure, you might get lucky and capture that great shot of the sun peeking out from behind a mountain, or the Mountain Laurel blooming in the dewy morning sun, but your chances are diminished when you leave it to fate. By being in the right frame of mind, you will know what to look for. If you are seeking to create macro images of mushrooms, the forest floor, leaf patterns, or mosses, you will probably need to walk with your head down, eyes scanning the ground for unusual patterns and exaggerated color variations. By searching for such subjects, you will be unable to properly focus on the wildlife that might be in your midst. But, if you are scouting wildlife, you will probably need patience. You will need to understand their habits, know their habitat, and possibly have a blind or other method of getting close to your subject.



	© Ryan R. Fox, Field Contributor

Taking wildlife photographs requires a great deal of patience. When walking through the woods, you may spot a deer, bear, or other suitable subject. But chances are that it will not be in the proper light, with the proper background, and looking at the camera. You need to plan your wildlife shots. Know where the sun is going to be shining and wait in a location with an appropriate background if your subject should happen to appear. This cannot happen if you are meandering through the woods hoping for good luck. Likewise, if you are going to the woods looking for wildlife photography, you probably will not be watching the ground close enough to look for your macro subjects. While some may disagree, I find it most helpful to be on a mission in the woods; a mission with a particular photographic focus.

Third, be aware of what time of day is best for your particular type of photography. Sure, morning and evening light are soft, and midday sun is harsh. But, when photographing in the dense forest, this is not always the case. The forest canopy diffuses a lot of the direct sunlight, allowing great photography at any time of the day. But, it is important to know when the sun will be shining on that beautiful waterfall, or when the bright red maple leaves will be illuminated. Pay attention to these details when you are in the forest on other photography outtakes. If you know that a particular trail has a lot of interesting macro subjects, visit when the sunlight will best enhance your photography. Lighting is a very key factor in your successful photography of nature.



	© Ryan R. Fox, Field Contributor

Finally, by knowing what type of pictures you will be taking, you can lighten your gear bag. Again, some may disagree, but I find it easier to take only my camera and macro lens (and of course tripod) when going out to shoot macro subjects, or my super telephoto zoom when I am going out to shoot wildlife. Although tempted to keep everything in the bag and be ready for all situations, I have very limited success in standing up from the ground after a macro shot and capturing a good shot of a fleeing coyote. That takes preparation and patience. I have seen many exciting animals while out on macro shoots, and after the initial disappointment of not having the requisite gear to take a picture, realized that the animal was not in the sun and was running away from the camera. I could not have captured an award-winning photograph anyway. Likewise, I might be out capturing images of wildlife and spot a great landscape, but chances are that I was not there at the right time of day, so having the extra equipment would have just been an unnecessary burden. By reducing the amount of equipment in my bag, I am not tempted by subjects that I did not intend to shoot. I consider such subjects a bonus and part of my enjoyment of nature, but am able to still maintain my focus on the subject at hand. Hopefully the subjects will be found when I return with that focus in mind.

Being an outdoor photographer is fun. There are so many subjects that range from large to small, mammals to plants, landscapes to macros. And there is no reason why you cannot take pictures of all of these types of subjects… just not all at the same time. While you may get occasional great macro, landscape, and wildlife shots all in one hike, it is probably simple luck. Trying to photograph all of these subjects and train your eyes to see all of the subjects at the same time will, as the trite expression goes, make you a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. By focusing on one area at a time, you can sharpen your skill set with respect to that facet of photography and capture some great images. Returning again in a different mind-set, you can sharpen another skill set. Soon, you will be on your way to a collection of great images all because you had focus.

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