Recent Nature Articles

Photographer Captures Food Chain in 'One in a Trillion Shot'

Doc Jon was walking along the boardwalk April 13 in Madeira Beach, Florida with his Sigma 150-500mm lens attached to his Canon 6D, when a passerby asked him a simple question: "What can you shoot with that thing?" To give an example, the owner of a medical consulting firm who has branded himself Doc Jon spotted an osprey 400 feet over his head, lifted his lens to the sky, and captured what he calls a "one-in-a-trillion shot."

Beauty of Dark Skies Revealed in Time-Lapse Film

Ron Risman may be recognized as the photographer who incredibly captured the same singular moment as a nearby shutterbug, but his specialty is typically far more time consuming. Risman, a time-lapse photography educator, recently released his latest video, a "Love Letter to the Night Sky," a collection of stunning time-lapse scenes from around the country.

What to Do When Your Photography Plans Don't Work Out

Being a landscape photographer means that the most meticulous or sometimes frivolous thing we do is pre-plan. Sometimes, these plans are our way to take the chance of making a mistake or they're so we walk away with what our mind has already created but our camera hasn’t captured. What happens when our planning doesn't work?

How to Discover Unique Landscape Photography Spots Before Takeoff

Getting ready for your next landscape photography expedition? If you want to bring back winning shots, you need a variety of great places to shoot. Points of interest are easy to find, but the easy-to-find places are prime targets for hordes of tourists.

Raising the Bar With Long Exposure Landscape Photography

Long exposure photography has a special place in my heart and arguably has been where I spend most of my time when creating landscapes as it allows a greater amount of control over a sometimes chaotic scene. Adam Karnacz from First Man Photography expresses similar sentiments and explains some great tips for photographers interested in expanding their creative options by adding long exposure photography to their landscape arsenal.

Improve Your Composition With This One Simple Change

When it comes to taking a great photo, many photographers argue that it starts and ends with great composition. I’m not sure I’m so black and white in my outlook, but good composition is hugely important without a doubt. And one of the most overlooked parts of great composition is adding foreground interest. Today I will discuss how foreground interest in your photos can really improve your end results, and what you can do to nail the foreground every time.

Photographers Have to Sleep Sometime

Who knows how many new videos and articles are put on the line each day talking about the gear you should own as a photographer? And, more importantly, when was the last time that you read an article about gear that promised to get you closer to the action, help make you more energetic, and it can charge all of your batteries too?

Tips and Tricks for Cold Weather Photography

Winter is coming. Scratch that — winter is here. Are you prepared to brave the cold to keep shooting? Check out these cold weather photography tips.

Living and Traveling in a Vehicle as a Full-Time Landscape Photographer

Have you ever wondered how people start full time in photography and even take it one step further by working and living as a full-time landscape photographer? Dave Morrow is one of those people and he spends his days in the middle of nowhere to capture the best images.

Dude, Where Did You Take That Shot?

My social media feeds are full of awesome photographs at epic locations taken by talented photographers. So, why don’t any of them want to tell the Internet where they got the shot?

Photography at 40,000 Feet

Cruising in an airplane high above Earth you sometimes get to see places that are nearly impossible to reach, or even view, from the ground. Taking photos of those sights is not only fun but it can serve as a memory that you were sort of there in the first place. If you like geography, geology, or history in general it can also be an excellent reference so that you can investigate the area further once you’re back on terra firma.

Yosemite Requiring Permits for February's Horsetail 'Firefall' Event

One of the most spectacular natural phenomenons to photograph, this year’s Horsetail Fall “firefall” event at Yosemite National Park is host of a new pilot program that will require one of a limited number of permits in order to access closed roads leading to the best vantage points.

A Black and White Thunderstorm Time-Lapse That's as Ominous as It Is Magnificent

Before watching this black and white thunderstorm video from Mike Olbinski, I had never considered if time-lapse could ever be considered “fine art.” It’s a term that varies depending on who you ask, but if fine art landscapes or fine art portraiture can be a thing, why couldn’t time-lapse video be included as well?

Tips to Get Started With Milky Way Astrophotography

Photography of any kind at night can be a slow process getting started. Photographing the Milky Way, however, may require a little bit of extra technical knowledge ahead of time before really letting your creative side take over. In this video from PhotoRec TV, Toby Gelston breaks it all down before jumping into it.

A Comprehensive Guide to Creating Incredible Seascape Photographs

If you're a photographer living in a coastal city, hobbyist or otherwise, it's almost a given you've taken your camera seaside to snap what you were hoping to be some stunners. This has been the case for me, and I was sorely disappointed when my photos were nothing like what I had imagined they would be. If only there were an extensive, nit-picking guide to creating the photos you see in your head. Anton Gorlin has created just that: an impressively in-depth guide to seascape photography that really gets down to the nitty-gritty.

Zion Responds to Photography Workshops: Tripods Will Be Allowed on Some Trails for 2018

Two weeks ago I wrote an article concerning Zion National Park's even stricter guidelines for their commercial use authorization permits for photography workshops operating within the park and this spurred a great deal of debate in the photographic community as well as among other professional photographers operating out of the park. Many photographers were upset at the changes to not allow tripods on trails while others were confused as Zion had explicitly stated photography on a tripod was allowed in these areas. Zion National Park has finally officially responded to the concerns in the new CUA.

Incredible Footage of Soap Bubbles Freezing in Winter Weather and How to Do It Yourself

Photographers all over the world have found something absolutely incredible happens when you blow soap bubbles in the freezing winter temperatures. As these delicate bubbles freeze almost instantly, inside each one a unique universe of patterns and shapes comes to life right in front of your eyes. If you're lucky enough to be enduring the worldwide cold front we're having, give this a shot to make the brutal winter more fun and beautiful.

Adventures and Photography in the German Countryside

If you have just under an hour to kill then Benjamin Jaworskyj has your back with an epic travel and landscape photography video that's worth the watch. Take a visual tour to the beaches, mountains, and castles that lie tucked away in the German countryside with some landscape photography tips to boot. Feeling more like an adventure vlog than just another YouTube video, from the production values to the accompanying music, this video makes for a relaxing watch.

Get Out There and Shoot

With Christmas solidly in the rearview mirror and that shiny new camera that Santa brought screaming for some action, it is all on you to shake off that excess holiday cheer and head outside to see how you and your gear performs.

Finding the Perfect Shot in the Desert

Landscape photographers get up early and stay out late. It's all about the light with sunrise and sunset being the ideal times of day to capture images. Thomas Heaton's latest video takes us to the Namib Desert as we watch him search for the perfect shot of the dunes at dawn and dusk.

'Planet Earth II' Now Streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

One of the most epic documentary series ever created, BBC Earth’s “Planet Earth II,” is now available to stream on Netflix in the United States. Debuting in November 2016, this six-episode cinematic wonder reflects on our diverse planet and its most fascinating and unusual inhabitants.

Fine Art Landscape Photography (Part 3): The Introvert Mind Featuring Simon Baxter

We’ve had our first snowfall of the year here in the Netherlands. It’s one of those instances when most people stay indoors, while just about every landscape photographer is aching to feel the snow on their face. One of them is acclaimed British Landscape Photographer Simon Baxter, who I've asked to help me analyze the introvert mind.

Blurred Lines Between Science and Art in Photography

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between a technically accurate photograph and one that has been modified, enhanced, composited (you pick the word) in order to give it a broader audience appeal. Nature is both stunning and surprising in its raw magnificence which begs the question: why should we mess with it at all in photographs?

'Photographing The World 3' Behind the Scenes Episodes 5 and 6

Our behind-the-scenes series on the creation our photography tutorial "Photographing The World 3" continues today with Episodes 5 and 6. In these episodes, we continue to struggle to film a usable lesson in Pietrapertosa, Italy.

How to Shoot and Process Meteor Shower Photographs: Part 1

With the 2017 Geminid meteor shower peaking this evening, I put together a list of 10 things to think about before you head out into the cold, dark night to enjoy the show. Whether you’re an old pro or a complete rookie at photographing meteor showers, it never hurts to review just to make sure you are at the top of your game.

Kyoto's Five Best Photo Locations

For first time travelers to Kyoto, it can be a bit confusing to choose where to shoot. Unlike my previous posts on Madrid and Barcelona which are about three-hour photo walks, this article will be similar to my Tokyo article which involves five different locations. Here is a link to a great website to give you a better overview of each location and other locations worth a look. For those of you who have been to Kyoto, I would expect you to share your photos or suggest other locations.

Where Will You Be for the Geminid Meteor Shower?

This week will have one of the most amazing astronomical events of the year (besides that continent-crossing solar eclipse this past August). The Geminid meteor shower is streaking across the sky this week on Wednesday night and Thursday morning. If you didn't know or maybe just forgot, it's time to make plans to get to a dark sky area for a once a year celestial show that many astronomers call the best meteor shower of the year.

National Monument Restructuring Puts Landscape Photography Treasures at Risk

Photographers across social media channels chimed in late this week as leaked documents were made public by the Washington Post on Thursday detailing the proposed size reductions and restructuring of both the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as well as the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.

Beating the Winter Doldrums: Creating Beautiful Winter Images Without Any Snow

Creating landscape images in wintertime is always a unique challenge filled with its own obstacles and rewards. Chasing after that one composition that you've been dying to capture, trying to get out and capture that crisp winter scene before any of the snow becomes filled with the footprints of other photographers and adventures, and simply having the opportunity to see familiar views in a completely different season is something that many photographers look forward to.

Photographer Behind the Iconic Windows XP Desktop Image Is Back With Three New Free Smartphone Wallpapers

Over twenty years ago Chuck O'Rear took a photo that soon became part billions of peoples everyday lives. He captured Bliss on his way to see his girlfriend, he pulled over when he spotted the perfect scene in Sonoma County California. On the side of the road with his medium format camera, he took what would soon become the most viewed image of all time as a staple of Microsoft. After twenty-one years of unimaginable fame, O'Rear is back with a tribute to the epic American nature and a reminder for us all to cherish our earth's beauties.

Fstoppers Review of the Shimoda Explore 60 Adventure Photography Backpack

I’d like to introduce you to the Shimoda Adventure Camera bags, specifically, the Explore 60. It’s a backpack that’s built for outdoor adventure photographers and filmmakers, and has options for 60L and 40L versions. Never heard of it? Well, I’m sure you have used or seen some of the gear that Shimoda’s lead designer has previously worked on. I’ll tell you about this and more in my full review.

Panoramas From Capture to Post

Thomas Heaton created a new set of videos last week about one of my favorite topics and shooting styles: landscape panoramas. I love photographing night skies and landscapes this way and the technique overall is very simple yet can give fantastic results. The best time to start learning how to shoot panoramas is during the day and Heaton takes us through his photography of a great autumn scene and explains what, why, and how he is capturing the images before he goes into his post processing.

Wildlife Photographers: Scrub Your GPS Data 

In a recent series about people, technology, and nature, Vice highlighted the growing problem of poachers who are using photographer’s GPS data to locate, harass, and kill rare animal species. In the US, one of the more prevalently poached species is the rattlesnake, a species that is almost exclusively North American.

nature-photography-damage-instagram

A near-ubiquitous access to digital photography and a connection to the rest of the world has given this generation of humans unprecedented ability to share a heavily curated lifestyle with the world and vicariously live the lives of others. Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms offer a way to share only what you want with the world. Nobody needs to see anything outside the frame you present. The image and the story you tell are all that matters in a world where people cannot see outside your post. But just what is happening outside that post? What impact does it have on the world at large?

Powerful Images from the Wildlife Photographers of the Year

This week the Natural History Museum in London will hold the ceremony to announce the winners of the Wildlife Photographers of the Year. The winning images are powerful reminders of life beyond cell phones, Facebook, and other daily routines we have become accustomed to. Notably, some of the most impressive categories are from those not even old enough to drive.

When Traveling for Photography, Planning is Key

A few months back, I was getting the feeling that I needed to start traveling to see more of the beautiful world we live in. At the time it was just a thought until my buddy Tom Harmon called me up and asked if I'd want to go out to Oregon with him. Of course I had to take him up on the offer and I was excited to leave New Jersey for once. I knew that if we were going to be in Oregon for just three days, we'd better plan a hell of a trip to fit in all the spots we wanted to go see. Finally, it was the night before the trip and we had finalized the locations we were going to go. With everything planned out, we were ready to get out to Oregon for some droning.

It's That Time of Year Again: Get Outdoors and Visit the Nearest Woodlands

Fall is here folks and that means that if you're able to get outside, you should definitely not miss the chance to do so. We have lots of articles and videos going around about fall colors with tips and tricks about making the most of your outdoor excursions this time of year. Here's another really great video definitely worth your time with some great information about rivers, fall colors, and some macro photography.

This Helpful Video Shares 10 Macro Photography Tips for Beginners

If you're an aspiring nature or macro photographer, this video from Micael Widell will be full of informative tips to help you get the most out of your efforts to improve your image captures. Gear, shooting techniques, lighting considerations, and dealing with lens magnification are just some of the topics covered.

Three Tips for Photographing Fall Colors

Autumn is upon us and the great migration is in full swing with hordes of photographers descending upon small towns all across the northeastern United States to capture the changing colors of the leaves. Leaf peeping (and photographing) is hard work. It requires patience, solitude, and the ability to put up with the constant aroma of pumpkin spice latte in the air. For those of you heading out to photograph fall colors this year, here a few tips that I hope will help you get the most out of your experience.

Photographing Auroras in Minnesota

This past week, Minnesota-based Photographer Rich Hoeg had the opportunity to photograph the aurora over Stewart Lake in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Hoeg describes himself as an enthusiast photographer with a love of photographing birds.

Make the Most of Autumn Colors This Fall

That's right, it's just about every photographer's favorite time of year. The last thing that anyone wants is to have the season come and go without having had the chance to capture as much of it as we can. Whether you shoot landscapes, or portraits, or even if you don't take pictures at all but still want to have the chance to make the most of the autumn colors then here are some tips that might help.

2017 Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year

On September 14, 2017 the Royal Observatory Greenwich announced the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards. The Guardian writes of the awards, "Awe-inspiring views of the Universe were celebrated at the Insight Astronomy Photographer of the Year 2017 awards ceremony, held at the Royal Greenwich Observatory." The competition inspired entries from all over the globe and this is the first year entries included images of the furthest planet in our solar system and asteroids streaking through the images. Of the over 3,800 entries competing in the 9 categories an overall winner has been chosen and the images simply speak for themselves.

A Closer Look at a Super-Macro Project: Peacock Feather

Can Tuncer, a macro photographer from Turkey, recently completed a special project called “Peacock Feather,” in which he captured the fine details of a peacock feather that is impossible to see with a naked eye.