Guide to Outdoor Photography

Firstly I would like to declare now that I am not a professional photographer. Furthermore I don’t really have that much of an idea of how to use most settings on a camera. But it has never stopped me capturing what I want. So this is the Guide to Outdoor Photography My Way.

Being a firm believer that good photos come from being in the right place at the right time, I have little reason to learn about tweaking all the settings. In addition, I don’t spend a lot of time editing photos. I feel like this makes them more of a drawing than a photo. A photograph should be a capture of a moment in time. Just to clarify, I don’t have a problem with heavily edited/filtered images. It just isn’t my way.

Guide to Outdoor Photography - Star lapse
Star Topping – GoPro Hero 9

So what Camera should you buy ?

I’m not much of an expert about cameras or lenses. Personally I favour the GoPro for versatility and quality. A lot of the more serious photographers may laugh at this. Packing a versatile number of settings/lens modes means you have a pocketful of tough, light equipment in one device. I have spoken about mods and accessories in my post about the GoPro Hero 9. Think of the camera and settings as your particular style. Not as a level of quality. If you like the results from an old film SLR with a damaged lens then use it. Use the camera you feel most comfortable with (it may even be the one built into your phone).

Furthermore, I feel as though the camera plays little part in the overall results. Aside from having the capability to capture the type of images you are looking for and in a high enough resolution for the device it is intended to be viewed on.

So what is the Key part of getting good photos ?

Time and place. There is no substitute for getting out more and at different times. The worst weather can make the greatest photos. In addition you will never catch lightning, if you don’t sit out in a thunderstorm. A photo is a snapshot of a moment in time at a certain location. Especially in outdoor/landscape photography it is unlikely that someone will capture an identical scene to what you are currently seeing.

On occasions you will have to plan photos. Watch the weather, wait for the right time of day (or night) and look at other factors such as geomagnetic activity. Sometimes a good star lapse can take months of waiting. On the other hand you can just be lucky and get a great picture by chance. The more you practice, the better you will get at spotting good pictures and capturing them.

Guide to Outdoor Photography - Sunrise
Atomic Sunrise – Razer Phone 2

My Summary of Outdoor Photography

Sometimes great photos just happen. Sometimes you have to go out and chase them. Either way, the more you get out, the more likely you are to get good photos. If this is something you really want to do and be proud of, You just have to get out there and play. Make the most of every opportunity.

Finally if you found this at all helpful or inspiring, support me by visiting my shop !