Outdoor Photography tips by Jim Oltersdorf

We’ve all been guilty of it whether we admit to it or not. A wonderful experience occurs out in the great wide open and you asked yourself, “Where’s the camera?” Whether it is the setting sun on the distant mountainside, or a huge eagle that you just saw while enjoying the great outdoors, these moments can be captured quite easily... if you know what to do.

Many times while in the wilderness, I came to find that what I expected, didn’t happen. The lighting was wrong, the brightness of the sun was too flat (mid-day) and harsh or a thousand other factors that didn’t work into the equation of good photography. However, sometimes it was more than I expected and that is what makes it so fun! Outdoor photography isn’t all about simply pointing your camera and depressing the trigger. Here are a few tips to improve the quality of your experience…

Sometimes it is better to photograph early in the morning as the sun rises as depicted in this image. The lighting can be dynamic which lends to a better picture rather than waiting for the sun to set. © 2007 Jim Oltersdorf

I receive many e-mails around the world from shutterbugs who desire to improve their picture taking and all ask, “What camera should I use to produce results like what I see you achieve?” There always seems to be the idea that the more expensive a camera is, the better pictures it must take. This is complete nonsense and a waste of money. First and foremost, money doesn’t create an exceptional photograph, never has, never will. The person behind the camera is the one who does that. It is your wonderful creative expressions that produce those, the camera is the instrument to achieve this. You may desire to ask yourself a very important question when purchasing a camera for your outdoor picture taking. “What is it that I desire to create when outdoors in regards to my picture creations?” Do you want to shoot fast-action scenarios such as a herd of caribou running away at full speed ¼ mile away or, do you wish to capture the intimacy of a mother bird feeding her fuzzy babies in a nest 10 feet away? Do you wish to make wide-angle landscape images that show the magnificence of a specific area or a macro shot of a tiny ladybug as it crawls across a green leaf?

This bull caribou and the two cows (yes, caribou females have antlers too!) were photographed from a distance away with a 200 mm telephoto lens. Curious, they were “all eyes” when their picture was taken! © 2007 Jim Oltersdorf

Point and shoot cameras, although limited in their abilities, offer an incredible array of shooting scenarios and one never has to be bothered with the problems with interchangeable lenses. Lightweight and easy to use, the prices in these cameras have been drastically reduced over the past couple of years and are more affordable than ever! The crispness of the images they produce are startling and when sent over the internet as e-mail to be shared with your friends and family alike, are impressive! The cameras also produce wonderful enlargements that are most suitable for framing although most cannot be expected to be enlarged more than 8x10 inches or it will lose that sharpness.

SLR digital cameras (single lens reflex) offer one very important feature that the point & shoot cameras do not, inter-changeable lenses. If you purchase one of these cameras you now have the ability to put an extreme wide angle lens on or, a huge telephoto for those hard-to-get distance images. On the upper end of the spectrum regarding costs, the camera body will be the cheapest and the larger telephoto lenses can set you back thousands of dollars!

This Alaskan Spruce Grouse was photographed as it went about its business feeding on the small insects and other tidbits it eats. Slow, quiet and not walking directly at it allowed the photographer to capture the bird along with the colorful background that make the image even more powerful and appealing. © 2007 Jim Oltersdorf

At one time or another when afield, wildlife will be encountered and you will want to take the picture. Although it may sound silly but the single most frequent mistake photographers make is, not being prepared to take the shot! The camera is in its case or in the backpack! You have to be ready at any given moment since nature isn’t going to stand there all day long while one fumbles around in the pack trying to find the camera. Wildlife isn’t a push-button mechanism, you HAVE to be ready at any given time. I think of the camera bag as a device to shield the camera in the event of rain or transporting it to the field.

Once out and in my hands, I am ready for anything at anytime. You should be too if you want those images. Don’t worry about beating up your camera, it is going to happen if you use it enough. Many people carry their camera in its case and by the time they get it out, compose and then click the shutter, the animals has already made a run for the hills. Accept the fact your camera is going to get scratched and looked used, that is what it for! I always have been somewhat confused about the notion when an outdoorsman will travel a great distance, spend thousands of dollars to experience the situation and then misses the shot because they were worried about scratching their camera.

These moose twins (calves) were photographed by chance and within seconds, headed into the brush and the photographer never had another chance to photograph them. Be ready at all times! © 2007 Jim Oltersdorf

One of the most important things to know when attempting to photograph wildlife is learning as much as possible about the creature you wish to create a picture of. Get a few books and read as much as you can, learn whether they are nocturnal or most active during the day. Ask yourself the question of where they will be most likely encountered and what type of conditions you’ll be placed in to capture that image. The extremes of weather can be a pivotal point of joy or disappointment and be ready for that. Shooting in dry desert conditions can be a great deal different than in the snowy mountains while sheep hunting. It is not always the sunny days that provide great images, a raining and weater-type photo may lend well to the emotion of the shot you will take. A good tip to always carry a soft non-abrasive cleaner cloth for the lens and a small piece of plastic to rain-proof to shield your camera from the water.

Big game animals are always a challenge due to their wary nature. However you can make it a great deal easier to capture them with your camera by knowing their habits, especially in the autumn. The rut. That’s right, deer, elk, moose and the others will be more apt to show themselves if you are out in the field during this time of year. Anxious to find a mate, these animals become quite bold during this time of year and offer opportunities that otherwise would not occur. In addition, creating photography during the autumn affords one to get really splendid color landscape backgrounds as well!

Besides the camera other items sometimes needed for wonderful and appealing outdoor photography are a good and steady tripod, filters and additional lenses. The tripod must be able to support your camera and lenses easily. For slow shutter speeds, this is a must as any vibration or movement can ruin an otherwise magnificent photograph. Especially for dim lighting, the tripod allows you to shoot these slow speeds when the available light minimal at best. I use my tripod almost all the time when I shoot landscapes and I can take my time in setting up the camera and composition without worry due to time constraints.

A good circular polarizer filter will allow you to take pictures and reduce one of the single most culprits that stalk your photography, glare. Held 90 degrees to the sun and affixed to the end of your lens (they’re almost always screwed on the outside of it), the filter will reduce or completely remove glare off the subject matter. Fish can be readily seen under the water, the sheen off a leaf or any surface that allow glare will be wonderfully photographed! This filter does not add any color but will deepen it if used correctly. I am never without one while outdoors and for good reason.

Have you ever had a magnificent scene unfold in front of you and you took the picture only to find later that the backdrop was washed out when you got home and looked at it in the computer? Why? A camera “looks” at any given scene and makes “decisions” based upon the instrumentation it has in its “brain”. If it is a contrasty scene (like a bright sun and dark woods) it attempts to address the exposure which would be the best (that is if it is shot in the program or automatic mode). Placing a graduated netural density filter on the end of your lens will compensate for this and the sky will be magnificent! If there were clouds in the frame, you will be able to see them without the shot being washed out. It’s a great method of producing outdoor photography that will surely be admired by your friends and relatives alike!