Are you a budding photographer with a passion for pictures? Maybe you love to spend your spare timing snapping epic shots.
With the right tips, who knows, you could end up like this guy who made $1 million from his photography hobby.
Shooting in nature is a great way to create exciting and beautiful shots. Use these ideas to up your nature portrait photography game!
1. Shoot at Golden Hour
We’ve all heard of golden hour. That 1-2 hours before sunrise or sunset when the light is just perfect. For nature photography, this is undeniably the best time to take your shot.
Work with the light; it will make your image softer and avoid harsh contrasts between your subject and the light.
The natural world always looks more interesting when the sun is just coming up or going down. It offers us a natural artwork as the colors dramatically change.
2. Choose Interesting Locations
Before you plan a shoot, you need to scout some epic locations. Look for somewhere aesthetically attractive, where you can plan a variety of shots.
Whether you are shooting a person or doing some nature landscape photography, a stunning backdrop is essential.
Use the bokeh concept to capture a person with a textured natural background behind them. This will make for unique and creative photographs.
3. Shoot in Raw
If you want more options when editing your photos, you should shoot in raw. Shooting in another setting can mess with the composition of your image, and you’ll end up with an over-exposed photograph.
When taking natural light photography, try always to do it in a raw format rather than JPEG.
Do some research on the best camera for shooting nature photography in raw, so you have the best tools at your disposal.
4. Use Nature Portrait Photography to Tell a Story
All good photographs tell a story. Get to know your subject before you start shooting. If you have a connection with them, you’ll be able to create depth in the photos.
Plan a series of images so you can tell the story with ease. Get inspiration from other nature photographers such as Peterjamesphotogallery.com.
If you are working with a subject, make them feel at ease. This will help them relax in front of the camera, and you can get the best from them.
5. Use Natural Light
You can use the natural light to your advantage when shooting outside or when creating abstract nature photography.
When you work with a model, turn their face towards the light to make the image softer.
Work with the shadows and use a reflector to make the light work for you. The reflector can help remove the shadow from your subject’s face and help create a softer image.
If you are shooting landscapes, you can also use natural lighting and shadows to your advantage.
Start Snapping
The best way to improve your nature portrait photography skills is with trial and error.
You can use the principles above to get you started, but practice makes perfect. Over time you will develop your own style, you’ll see progression in your work.
Most of all, enjoy yourself!
Check out our other articles for more lifestyle tips.
