Presented as part of the Animals, Plants and Nature Week on deviantART

Some might argue it’s not the person that makes a great photograph but the type of camera they use that makes a great photograph. In this article I will talk about Nature photography more from an artistic creative perspective than from a technical point of view. Not all photography has to be technically perfect or shot using the latest and greatest gear to be considered a great photograph or a work of art. While some will stand firm that this is the only way it is not an absolute must. A great photograph can be achieved with any camera on the market today, it’s not how much money you put out, it’s how much of your creative self you put into your photography.

A common mistake people will make when taking photographs is that they forget to think before they shoot. A camera is a tool, and like any other tool, it needs to be used correctly. The ‘rules’ to good photography are ever changing with the times, however, some rules are meant to be broken or bent now and then, especially for the sake of art. While the single most important aspect of good photography is composition, it may, make or break a great photograph. How you compose your photographs will make all the difference between a great photograph and just another snap shot.



While also being able to document an event or to capture the likeness of a loved one, think of your camera as being part paintbrush and part canvas. There are no boundaries or limits with your creativity and the possibilities to experiment are endless. From Macro photographs of flowers, to full blown Landscapes and Waterscapes and everything else in between, there are countless ways to take an artistic Nature photograph. Of course, there is no exact definition for what makes a photograph artistic. Artistic photography can take on many different meanings from person to person.

Most people may interpret artistic to mean simply, beautiful. Which could be something as simple as finding that attractive feature or condition that transforms an average photograph into a work of art.

Beautiful photographs like these found in Nature can be considered artistic as well as meaningful.



To some, artistic might mean emotional, referring to a photograph that conveys more emotion than information. Artistic emotional photographs are ones that might bring back a memory or leave one feeling nostalgic for another time. They might also convey a particular emotion found in the expressions of our pets, birds and wild animals found in nature. Shown below are some artistic emotional captures found in Nature.



Then there are some who might connect artistic with abstract and consider an image artistic only if it’s difficult to recognize as emotional. Nature surrounds us all and is plentiful with the possibilities of capturing an artistic abstract photograph. The blurred colors of a flower petal, a swirling refection in the water, interesting colors and textures of an animals’ skin, fur or feathers, dramatic arrangements of shapes found in plants or other living things, and even photographs manipulated with ultra-long or ultra-short exposures would all be examples of possible abstracts found in nature.



5 Ways to Help Get Into an Artistic Mindset:

1. Instead of looking at nature around you as being just another object, try to see nature for its shapes, colors, and textures. This will help you envision nature more in a creative light. Get down and dirty if you have to, try a different perspective or angles while looking through your viewfinder for the things that catch your creative eye.

2. Look for contrasts; try finding areas where two different looking subjects come together. Look for shapes that have creative, differing patterns. Change your viewpoint and eliminate any undesired elements if need be.

3. Photograph negative space instead of positive space. By reducing your DOF (depth of field) and focusing on one particular subject off-center within your frame this will blur out a sometimes cluttered background and give a very soft artistic quality to your nature photograph.

4. Experiment with the different mode settings on your camera and see what happens. Instead of shooting in automatic, be brave and try something new. The idea is to try new things, and let the accidents happen and create artistic photographs. Shooting in Manual lets you be in charge, when you feel more comfortable within your abilities, the Manual setting will allow you all the creative freedoms.

5. Take pictures all the time. The more things you photograph, the more artistic you’ll become. Bring your camera with you every where you go. Become one with your camera, read your manuals and refer back to them often and most importantly… Practice, practice, practice !


I end this article with some words from an amazing artist I have greatly admired and found some of my own inspirations from; Georgia O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887—March 6, 1986). O'Keeffe has been a major figure in American art since the 1920s. She is chiefly known for paintings in which she synthesized abstraction and representation in paintings of flowers, rocks, shells, animal bones and landscapes. Her paintings present crisply contoured forms that are replete with subtle tonal transitions of varying colors. She often transformed her subject matter into powerful abstract images.
(Excerpt on O’Keeffe borrowed from [link] )


"When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment. I want to give that world to someone else. Most people in the city rush around so, they have no time to look at a flower. I want them to see it whether they want to or not".
~Georgia O’Keeffe



This News article forms part of the Animals, Plants and Nature Week on deviantART

Please refer to the main APN Week Diary which will be updated all week to keep up with any changes.


Take care and Thank you.
^SheTakesPics
Gallery Director for
Animals, Plants and Nature