Hit the Trail, and Pack your Camera!
The view was breathtakingly beautiful, picture perfect. Purple mountains punctuated with massive glaciers against a brilliant blue sky, with a sea of orange wildflowers in the foreground. What a picture this will make, you think. Click.
You were already imagining this picture hanging on your living room wall. But then the prints came back from the lab. You see dull, ordinary landscape shots, destined to end up in a drawer. What happened?
It's a common disappointment among hikers. The stunning vista you saw on your hike never quite comes out looking like the postcard like you'd imagined.
The quality of the camera you use is a major factor, but even if you don't invest in a pricey, upscale camera, there are easy tips that can make your pictures frame-worthy.
Dave Schiefelbein's outdoor photography is guided by his long-term fascination and attraction to wild places. His stunning photos have graced the pages of Sunset and Washington Trails magazines and Audubon calendars, among others. Schiefelbein says a key skill is the ability to capture wilderness not only in its glorious splendor, but also in its quiet moments and subtle details.
Good light can help bring out those subtle details. "The best times to take outdoor landscape photos are early morning or late in the day," said Schiefelbein. "The sun is at a lower angle in the sky, the light is lovely, and the shadows are not harsh as when the sun is overhead." Dave often rises at 4:30a.m. on camping trips hoping for good morning light, though he notes that time of day is not necessarily a hard and fast rule. "Quite often, breaking light in changing weather is equally dramatic."
Another overlooked skill is the ability to notice the perfect condition for a great outdoor picture. "The best pictures happen when something is going on with weather, or lighting, or animal activity that exceeds the norm," said John Marshall, a landscape photographer famed for his images following the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. "With all the amateur photographers out there hiking, no doubt some of them are going to find themselves in situations which every pro would envy. Often these situations result in photos that are truly wondrous."
Alan Bauer specializes in capturing the natural history of the Pacific Northwest on camera, and encourages amateur nature photographers to improve their photography with a sense of purpose. "One of the greatest values of photographic art is using it as a tool of communication to better educate people about the beauty surrounding us," says Bauer. "Many hikers enjoy photography to recall and communicate what they felt and experienced on their trip."
Take a few tips offered by area outdoor photographers and you could even be an award-winning photographer.
Earth Share of Washington organization Washington Trails Association is hosting its annual photo contest called Northwest Exposure. The contest seeks to exhibit the splendor of Washington's wild areas and provide a forum for both aspiring and experienced nature photographers.
"With spectacular pictures from Washington's wilderness, we hope to encourage both exploration and preservation of our state's natural areas," said Lauren Braden, Communications Director for Washington Trails Association. "If people appreciate the beauty of Washington, they may take action to protect its natural treasures."
Northwest Exposure will showcase the best of these backcountry photographs in Washington Trails magazine. This annual outdoor photo contest has four unique categories: People in the Wild, Washington Landscapes, Flora & Fauna, and Offbeat Outdoors. WTA will award a grand prize (which will be pictured on the cover of the January/February 2005 issue of Washington Trails) plus first, second, and third prizes in the four categories.
You can submit up to one photo in each of the four categories. WTA has assembled a top-notch panel of judges for the contest, and will host a special gallery and award party for all the photographers who enter.
The submission deadline is Sunday, October 31, 2004.For information and entry forms, call (206) 625-1367 or visit www.wta.org.
TIPS FOR BETTER OUTDOOR PHOTOGRAPHS:
- The frame game: Know what your subject is, be it a mountain, animal, flower or person. Its placement in your frame should be deliberate. Try setting the main subject off center, with something of secondary interest opposite the main subject.
- Get a little closer: Experiment with letting your subject nearly fill the frame. Details are often more interesting than a wide view.
- Watch your borders: Check the edges of your picture before you click to make sure something is not cut off or distracting. A picture should start and end gracefully.
- Work with the light: It should flatter your subject. Take advantage of interesting light in the morning and evening. Overcast skies help bring out contrast in forests, waterfalls.
- Watch out for distractions: When taking a picture of a loved one outdoors, make sure a tree isn't sticking out of his or her head in the background.
- Don't forget that you can take a vertical shot. It's natural to take horizontal pictures because that's the way we see things. But a lot of times, your best viewpoint is vertical.
- Invest in a good tripod: This results in sharper pictures. Taller and heavier is better, if you can tolerate carrying it on hiking trips. In a pinch you could steady your camera with your backpack, or use your body by leaning against a tree or propping yourself on your elbows. A tripod is helpful for crisp shots of moving water, to blur the motion of the water while keeping everything else in the frame sharp.
- Bend at the knees: Don't just stand there and push buttons. Crouch down to get a different angle of that bird on a limb. Try to see the subject for several different angles to see what works best.
- Respect your subject: Don't endanger your subject or cause a distraction among wildlife. Remember, a camera doesn't give you a license to disturb nature.
- Take your time: Study the composition. Every detail should be important, or it may not belong in your photo.
- Learn to be quick on the click. Some subjects (particularly small, furry ones) may not wait for you. Practice taking quick photos so that you can pull this off when the situation demands it.
- Practice all of these tips and techniques in your own yard or city park to sharpen you skills--it will show in the quality of your trail photographs, guaranteed.
Get more info on Northwest Exposure photo contest.