Enhance Hiking With Outdoor Photography Tips and Tricks

If you haven’t tried outdoor photography before, then you must understand that it can be quite tricky, especially when you are trying hard to capture a perfect shot of someone and the environment around him. It often seems like hiking and photography go hand-in-hand, it’s probably because when we’re out in nature soaking in our surroundings, we want to share it with everyone. We want them to see what we see. So I believe hiking and photography goes together quite nicely. If you’re going to spend countless our drudging through the wilderness, the least you can do is spend some time to learn how to take better photos of what you see.

Learning about how to take great outdoor shots is one of the first things that aspiring photographers should focus on. There are two main elements that you should do right before any other thing; exposing your photos correctly, and then composing them in such a way that you viewers will see your subject and the surrounding area in the best light possible. To know more about how you can effectively and successfully do outdoor photography in a place as beautiful and photogenic as southern Utah and Zion National Park, just follow some of the tricks and tips provided below:

Keep your Focus on a Neutral Tone

When taking a shot of a huge background, it would be better to keep your focus on one spot and that should be in neutral color. Your camera has the capacity to decide on the best way to expose a photo depending on what light metering it can read. This means that all you have to do is to tap your DSLR screen on your focal point and then you let the camera do what technology has designed it to do; to effectively balance the exposure between shadows and lights. For example, if you are trying to capture great scenery that involves a gray road and a bridge in the middle, with the blue skies up and trees and the ground on the background. You should focus on the road and then let the camera balance the exposure between the shadows on the ground and the highlights in the sky. This way, you can exactly catch the attention of the viewer and let them easily figure out what you are trying to figure out in your photography.

Use the Grid Functions and Then Shoot using Rule of Thirds

Rule of thirds means shooting your subject (probably a human) slightly out of the middle of the screen. Although an amateur photographer would insist on keeping the subject right in the middle of the picture, a professional knows that smarter viewers are more receptive to images when the main subject is not placed right in the center of the photograph. To get the most effective shots, use the grid function and discover how you can easily create better outdoor photographs. Being more acquainted with the grid functions will allow you to explore more wonders of the outdoor photography. Use the grid functions when in a place like Zion National Park.

Make a Perspective that Provides your Viewers with Every Single Detail

When photographing a person within great scenery, it would be a great idea to capture as much of the surroundings as you can. The trick here is to stay away from your usual position when taking shots. For instance, you can try placing your digital camera or your phone on a stable place like a table or even on the stone patio. By doing that, you will be able to capture more of the background that will give the viewer a better idea of how the background looks in real life. When staying in Zion National Park this summer we spent considerable time learning and practicing our photography skills.

Look Further and Avoid the Obvious

Always try to find something new. Be creative and find unique situations to keep your focus on. Generally, you should look for the source of light. But if you want to get out of the ordinary, you should try looking for reflections, shadows, sun flares, and other imperfections to create your perfect image.

All in all, it would be best to be creative and experimental in your outdoors photography adventures. It never hurts to be unique and odd sometimes especially if the results are awesome.

 

Post by: Clay Hunter – Travel Writer, BryceCanyon.com