A popular saying is that beauty’s in the eye of the beholder, but there are still encompassing aspects that differentiate fine art from simply taking pictures in nature photography .
First and foremost , the photographer interested in producing art must accept the reality that hundreds of pictures will need to be taken for each one that is a piece of fine art . In many cases, there is precious little a photographer can do when the subject matter is organic and unpredictable beyond using lots of patience and quick reflexes . The very first aspect relating to fine art nature photography then is capturing the natural moment when it happens . It’s easy to take a photo of a lion that is sleeping or a storm that hits a reservoir, but it’s a photographer that is focuses and patient who can capture the moment in the air before pouncing , or the very first ripples as the rain falls on water.
Yet another aspect of creating fine art nature photography is to have all the important equipment for this task. One example, a good tripod is essential when shooting in nature not only to keep shots consistent, but also to minimize photographer movement as much as possible as to not disturb the immediate environment . The proper lens for the type of photography one is doing is essential, because a 300/4 lens will create different effects than a different type of lens, like a wide angle 20mm.
Lighting is another aspect that carves canyons between fine art nature photography and the Sunday shots at the zoo . It’s easy to find natural light , and in fact best , but only if it’s not midday sun that is harsh. One should also be familiar with not only the source of light , but also the ability to control it . Using umbrellas, reflective foils, and white boards might not be needed when taking nature photos depending on your time of shooting and the landscape you’re shooting. Again , here it is important to know what equipment is necessary and what is not to get the desired effects .
As we already mentioned , beauty is definitely in the eye on the one beholding the photo, the particular practices and techniques will show up in pictures that can be called “fine art.” If the goal is to produce fine art nature photography, you need to be ready and patient , must know the needed and unneeded equipment , and in the end, must master the range of lighting techniques used to get the effect desired . Everything else is about nature and left to chance.