Tips For Getting The Best Nature Photos

Taking great nature photographs is not only rewarding, but it is challenging as well. You need some special skills with your camera, and, of course, a good camera helps. A digital SLR is just about required, but the equipment that goes with it, namely the lens, is also very important. Many photographers argue about which DSLR is the best for nature photography. There are proponents of both Canon and Nikon who all claim their camera is best. Either way, a Canon telephoto lens or the Nikon counterpart is a key element for taking award winning nature shots.

There are some ways to prepare for the day when you will be shooting your best photos of wild animals and birds. First and foremost, know your camera. Practice taking shots at the settings you will use in the field. If you can't afford a proper telephoto lens, borrow or rent one. The kit lens that comes with most DSLR cameras just will not get the job done.

Another piece of equipment that is very helpful is a tripod with a good ball head. Some nature photographers specialize in hand-held shooting, but it takes lots of practice to be good at it. A tripod is your best bet to hold your camera steady with that big gun of a telephoto lens on it. The longer the lens, the more likelihood of camera shake, ending up with an unacceptably blurred photo.

The Beauty of Fine Art Nature Photography

Fine art nature photography is a very affordable way to build a high quality art collection, one likely to build in value over the years. Photography and art collectors can't help being drawn to digital photos of nature, wild animals and outside scenes. Why? Because digital photos have taken collectible photography to a whole new level, resulting in high-resolution images that can last for up to 100 years, with no loss of color.
Digital photos also reflect a photographer's creativity in capturing a special landscape or wild creature that looks real enough to touch, right down to the minutest features.The proof? Simply look at a nature photo, one photographed digitally, and marvel at how it captures the tiniest details drawn from real life - from the thin antennae and stunning colors of a butterfly's wings to the beauty, tones and subtle shading of majestic landscapes. Compare that to other, older photos which weren't taken digitally. Odds are, colors haven't held up well or have faded within a relatively short amount of time.
Unlike photos of old, fine art nature photography can be both a wise investment and a delight to view, year after year, never losing its beauty. Some digital images are highly realistic while others are similar to abstract paintings. Each captures nature's beauty, a unique testimony to the photographer's skill.
Digital photos are a special collaboration between photographer and nature itself. The result? A unique artistic creation - captured in time, in a split second, yet as stunning - or more so - than the finest painting.

Wildlife Nature Photography in Antarctica

Antarctica is one of the most mystical destinations on the planet and every year thousands of tourists now brave the elements and cruise to Antarctica to take in the stunning landscapes and amazing wildlife. For photographers it's a wildlife photography opportunity like no other. For the smartest shooters, the best destination of the lot is actually only half way there...

Every year, as the first warming rays of spring sunshine strike Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean, life begins to stir on its rocky crags and amid its course tussock grass. Within weeks of the last snow melting, Australia's sub-Antarctic outposts teems with wildlife. Millions of sea birds noisily jostle for nesting space while, on the beach, elephant seals compete aggressively for mates.
But wildlife is not the only invader of this remote, 32km long and 4km wide island, midway between Tasmania and Antarctic. Scientists from the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition arrive each spring to join personnel who have wintered on the base. During the next few months they record almost everything that moves on land and sea, taking a census of the island's wildlife and studying the island's plant life and geology.
Of recurring interest are the 4 species of Albatross that breed on Macquarie. These majestic birds, which soar effortlessly over thousands of kilometres on 3 metre plus wingspans are threatened in large part because they often become entangled in the fishing lines set by long-line tuna boats.