outdoor photography

Black-bellied Plover On the day after Christmas, I went to Merritt Island, and by the first parking area, there were hundreds of shorebirds.  Most of them were Dunlin, but scattered through the crowd were several Black-Bellied Plovers (along with Dowitchers, Avocets and Turnstones).  This particular morning yielded some of my best photos of the Black-bellied Plovers.  Initially, the cloud-cover was making for some bland photos, but the light improved momentarily, and with the calm water I was able to get some nice reflections. Interestingly, you can really tell the difference between the quality of light when the sun is out from behind the clouds (notice the last two for photos when the sun is behind cloud cover).  When the light isn't quite right, check the sky; you may find that your light will improve for you if you wait. Black-bellied Plover Black-bellied Plover Black-bellied Plover with a couple friends Black-bellied Plover Black-bellied ...

Ring-Billed Gull I frequently find that that the most significant factor affecting the quality of my images is the direction of light.  In the case of outdoor photography, this translates into the position of the sun relative to the position of you and your subject.  These Ring-billed Gull photographs were taken at about 8:30am with the sun behind me and to my right.  The sun's low position added a different quality to the color of the light, but it also effectively lit the underside of the bird without creating harsh shadows.  As the sun gets higher in the sky this quality of light begins to fade. Ring-Billed Gull This does not at all mean that you can't get good pictures later in the day, but you need to be concerned with how you can put yourself in a good position to use the sun to your advantage.  The image below was taken at about 11:50am, just before noon, but the sun was almost directly in front of me.  When I saw the Florida Scrub Jay I sh...

Eastern Wood Pewee (front-lit) As outdoor photographers, we have a significant challenge--we are at the mercy of the sun and weather.  Sunny days give us fast shutter speeds , but usually this comes with harsh shadows.  Cloudy days give us even lighting, but then we have grey skies and slower shutter speeds.  Sometimes the light is uneven, where the scene you're photographing may have both sun and shade.  We can compensate for this challenge somewhat with a flash, but even with the best flash, the lighting conditions around you can significantly affect your images. Eastern Wood Pewee (shaded) The photos included here are of an Eastern Wood Pewee (a small flycatcher) and the first three images are of the exact same bird taken on the same day.  The differences between the photographs have to do with the relative positions of my camera, the bird and the sun.  The first image above was taken with sunlight coming from behind me, and direct sunlight f...

Flower at Lew Gardens Now that we've looked at necessary equipment and strategies for composition , let's consider lighting.  Lighting can be a significant challenge in all forms of outdoor photography, but thankfully in closeup photographs of flowers, it's one challenge where you can exert a great deal of control.   Cloudy days are your best friend; they often create the ideal lighting situation for flowers.  If you happen to have a slight drizzle, even better.  I love flower photos with water drops.  I usually bring plastic bags with me and cover my camera with them when shooting in a slight drizzle.   Early morning hours are also great for photography, before the sun shines directly on the flowers.  Nothing beats flower photography on an early, still quiet morning, with nothing to hear but the birds chirping and the shutter tripping. Using a Diffuser to Photograph  Once the sun rises and shines on your flowers, everything change...