I have always loved taking photographs, but in the last five years or so, it has become much more of a passion of mine. By no means am I any kind of professional, nor do I know enough to provide professional-grade advice on equipment, settings, and so on, but I do want to share here the simple parts of photography that give me the most joy, and encourage accessibility to anyone who wishes to explore photography (or already does so.) Take or leave this non-advice "advice" as you see fit, because in the end, this is your creative process.
One - Take a LOT of Photographs
I rarely ever leave my house without my camera. Granted, I don't have the world's best equipment and thus, it's not a lot of weight to carry and doesn't take up much space. Still, get into the practice of taking your camera with you to as many places as you can. Often the best shots happen unexpectedly and you greatly increase your chances of being ready for photographic opportunities by having your camera with you.
To some degree, it doesn't really matter what kind of equipment you have. Obviously, a better camera and lenses will increase the quality of your photographs and the capacity to capture images that would otherwise be hard to photograph (e.g. in low light, over-exposed shots, or distant objects.) That said, even a phone's camera can be a great source of joy and does a decent job capturing close up objects or landscape scenes.
Some shots (particularly wildlife ones) only last a second or two at best, and are much harder to practice with. That said, sometimes nature offers you a surprisingly close encounter by accident, and it even pauses for you to experiment with (so long as you're photographing ethically.) A reminder, do not bait, feed, or disrupt wildlife (this includes playing bird calls to get an animal to look at you.) Sometimes you happen upon something (or something happens upon you) completely unexpectedly, but grab a few shots if appropriate and safe, move with the animals boundaries and/or get out of the way if possible, and give it space.
For any still shot or object, practice taking multiple photos from different angles, in different lighting, trying different camera settings, and so on. Try shifting between horizontal or vertical shots (for example, if you're posting your captures on social media, certain platforms are better suited to vertical shots.) Depending on the subject, I can easily take up to 100-300 photographs a day, sometimes more (especially if I'm using a "burst" setting to capture quick movements.) Most of these shots (sometimes all) don't turn out or capture inconsequential differences, but sometimes it makes all the difference (or depending on your camera settings, you might be able to layer all the shots together to make a composite image.) It takes a lot of practice to sort through all these photos and hone your eye for what sticks out the most, but by practicing, you learn, grow, and discover what you like as a photographer.
Two - Explore Your Camera's Settings
Even very basic cameras these days (cell phones or point-and-shoots) have a fair number of settings to explore. A basic point-and-shoot won't have the same scope or capability as a DSLR or mirror-less camera, but there's still a lot you can do by exploring your settings and getting creative. Photography is an art, and if you enjoy taking pictures, congratulations! You're a photographer. A photographer after all is the person, not the equipment.
I have long survived on hand-me-down cameras in my family and they have me served pretty well. Last year, I received an updated version of a Lumix point-and-shoot (DMC-ZS60) for my birthday and that has been what I have used for photographs such as these...
There are certainly a lot of shots it cannot capture (the quality of zoomed in pictures goes down a great deal and I'm not overly proficient with it in low light or overexposed settings), but it does a pretty good job for basic things and I am still learning about a variety of its features and how best to utilize them. Even with a cell phone camera, you can learn a lot by exploring the settings: it just takes practice (and a lot of reading or tutorials.)
I often feel embarrassed of my little pocket-sized camera, especially if I'm where there are other photographers who are more skilled than I am and have the equipment to capture the shots I dream of. However, this is my own insecurity to work through and I learn a great deal from others, but I still struggle with this sense of inadequacy. It doesn't help that photography often feels like boys club and I don't belong. This is why I prefer shooting on my own or with friends/family who understand this feeling and are just seeking the same kind of joy in experiencing nature as I am. I also really strive to follow female photographers, and there are many great ones who do not get enough credit. Seek out what inspires you and steer away from comparison.
I certainly hope to upgrade my equipment one day (when I have the means to do so - cameras and equipment are EXPENSIVE), but for now my little pocket-camera does me well (and it's light enough to carry into the thicker woods. It's also easy to pull out quickly, versus setting up a tripod.)
Three - Notice the Details
Different ecosystems certainly have different photographic opportunities (Vancouver Island has a rich variety of wildlife, which is largely what I enjoy photographing), but if you practice slowing down and tuning in (as well as learning about the patterns of life around you), you will find that there is a lot that goes unseen, unless we take the time to notice the details.
I have only really focused on photographing birds in the last year or so (because it's a form of wildlife that is very abundant, even in urban environments), and I did not realize how much I had never noticed around me (including surprising species.) It doesn't have to be birds, even noticing plants or fungi, etc. can reveal a startling amount of detail. The abundance becomes clear when you know what to look and listen for. Just moving a little bit slower, looking up, or down, or around - a whole world opens up that was already there, just waiting to be discovered. Many of my favourite photographs I have taken were by complete accident (and a propensity to wander into the bush or other random places that has thankfully served me well and I have survived thus far.) Just through practice, I can now hear a hummingbird's angry tweedle from far away and can spot a barred owl blending into a tree trunk with much more ease. I still likely miss 75% of what's around me, but the amount of life present in unexpected places is startling.
Migratory months are great times to look for wildlife and other species that come alive in the warmer climates. But even over the holidays, when I returned to my family's home in northern B.C. (in minus 30-40 degree weather), I was still able to find a surprising amount of life in seemingly unlivable temperatures (dozens of bald eagles, black-capped chickadees, ruffed grouse, downy, hairy, and pileated woodpeckers, rabbit and other rodent tracks, moose tracks, coyote tracks, an abundance of crows and ravens, etc.) Life has to travel over greater distances in those areas in order to find enough food to survive, but it's still there.
Even in the midst of a big city, I have found a Cooper's hawk and numerous other birds living next to (or on the roof of) St. Paul's hospital. I've seen river otters running across the well-manicured lawns of mansions in Oak Bay (which I take a certain joy in I must say...) Life is out there. Beautiful details in the everyday are out there. Sometimes it's easier to find than others, but just keep trying to look closer when you can.
Four - Don't Be Afraid to Edit and Get Creative
There can often be a difference of opinion around whether to edit or not edit your photographs. Ultimately it's up to you, what you choose to do and what you value in your photographic process, but there is no right or wrong here.
One of the biggest suggestions I have in this area is to crop your photos. If you don't have the best quality photo and extreme cropping would degrade the quality of the image further, you can always try to center the image or balance out cropping with the loss of detail. I will include an example of cropping below...
By centering the photograph and trimming the bottom, it balances the image in a more aesthetic way (at least in my perspective, but again, editing is all subjective.) I have also adjusted the detail and structure of the photograph, as well as increasing the colour and warmth by a few degrees to highlight the subtleties of this female wood duck's more muted (but still beautiful) colours. Because I am a miserly soul, I do not use an editing software that isn't free. For this image, I used my computer's inborn photo-editing software (I have Windows 10) and then Instagram's editing features. Lightroom is another editing tool I have seen photographers use, but it does cost money.
For my photos, I typically rely on cropping, adjusting the detail (and sometimes the structure), occasionally tweaking high-and-lowlights, and adjusting the colour, warmth, or brightness on occasion. I prefer certain filters if I do use them, but it depends on the subject of the image and personal preference. Again, there is no right or wrong here, it's just about exploring taking, and shaping, images.
Five - Always Come Back to What Gives You Joy
Sometimes I find myself losing the joy I have in photography, especially if it has been difficult to capture photographs in the way I want. Part of this is due to other things going in life, part is due to comparison, and part is losing focus on what actually matters to me - being in nature and appreciating its intricate details and learning opportunities. It's important to remember that the perfect photograph doesn't exist. In times like this, I try to readjust my sights on the closer details, and sometimes I have to put the camera down to just enjoy the moment (knowing I can never truly capture it, but I can easily miss out on it if I'm not careful.) I have learned so much about different species in this past year through following other photographers work, which can be such a source of inspiration, but if I'm already feeling vulnerable, I can easily get lost in comparison and longing for better equipment. I don't like that about myself, but I do recognize it and I'm still trying to work through it.
The thing is, I love photography, but I love nature more. Nature is my safe space and if I find myself losing touch with that as the primary focus, I know its time to readjust my view of things. It's not the image it's the subject. It's not the product, it's the process. These reminders (and sometimes a bit of space from keenly watching and learning from other photographers) helps me come back to the reasons why I do this. The beauty, wonder, and learning is always there and I don't need to "capture it" to experience it.
I hope you have enjoyed a few words of non-advice "advice" from a nature lover and amateur photographer (in that order.)
- S.
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