As the name of this style of photography suggests, it is different from the Macro photography. It can even be said that the equipment related to these two might be slightly different. As a Close-up, Macro and a Nature photographer, I would like to mention a few tips for lovers of these styles in Nature :
1- Always carry equipment such as a backup battery, an extra lens, a compact tripod, a water spray bottle, a small pocket mirror, a 20×30 cm reflector or glossy A4 paper, a small pair of scissors, clips, and LED lights. If you plan to shoot in rainy weather, be sure to bring protective gear for both yourself and your camera.
2- Never rush to find your subject (whether it is pre-planned or not). In a hurry, you may easily miss your interesting subjects. However, if you neglect it, maybe that scene will not be repeated for your photography, and you will miss it! For example, always remember to search among the leaves of trees, bushes and grass. This Photo was The Winner of Shutterbug’s Spring “Time of the Season” Photo Contest. Jun 28, 2021.
When I took this picture, it was almost noon and the sky was partly cloudy,. I started to water the flowers in the yard, and suddenly I noticed that a fresh rose leaf was folded in a strange way. When I gently pushed aside a few of its branches, I saw a spider laying on its web. I didn’t waste time, I took my camera and started photographing this beautiful leaf with spider webs. Due to the partly cloudy sky, a ray of sunlight sometimes shines on the leaves, then I positioned the camera in continuous shooting mode and took several pictures of this beautiful and scary subject.
In this other example, of this beautiful ladybug, it was also near noon when I noticed it among the grasses that had been watered. Most of the time, I have a camera with me, so I can quickly pick it up. In this case, because it was at a very low height, I had to start photographing the ladybug lying on the grass! However, this didn’t stop me from capturing this beautiful existence on my camera sensor.
3- Don’t keep the camera angle or your position fixed—take photos of the subject from multiple angles and positions. Move the camera around the subject or change your location; if the subject is movable, use holding clips to adjust its position for the best shot. Unfortunately, many amateur photographers—and even some professionals—settle for just one or two location changes. Personally, I continue shooting as long as I can change the position of myself, the camera, or the subject, resulting in multiple angles of the same subject. See the photo below for reference:
This photo actually depicts two subjects in one scene. At ground level, there’s a yellow dandelion flower, and about 10 cm above it, angled slightly, are delicate dandelion seeds ready to drift in the wind. I captured this image by bending slightly toward the flower and adjusting the camera angle to create depth and interest. Remember to vary your position and the camera angle relative to the subject—and, if possible, adjust the subject’s position as well.I also recommend trying eye-level photography for subjects like flowers, tree leaves (if height isn’t an issue), and even insects. Take a look at the photo, which captures a macro shot of a dragonfly’s face! This photo was The winner of the “Your Photos“ page competition as “Star Photo“ . BBC WILDLIFE MAGAZINE, August 2021 | Vol. 39 No. 09| Pg. 86 .
4 – Always observe the light on your subject to capture it at the best possible moment. Good lighting can make even an ordinary subject look remarkable! See the photo below, where I captured a halo of sunlight shining through the leaves of the tree on this single branch. When going under the trees, look for the sunlight on their leaves!
5 – To take a photo with a shallow depth of field with a soft and beautiful background (moody), you can use wider apertures, and if there is no suitable sunlight on the subject or its surroundings, you can use an LED light or the flash of your mobile phone. Pay attention to this photo taken at sunset. You can see all the elements of the scene and beauty in this photo.
6 – Use a low ISO value as much as you can!
7 – With a bit of patience and careful observation of insects or other creatures in nature, you can capture a beautiful series of photos, as shown below:
