There’s nothing quite as satisfying to a photographer as a shot of the Great Outdoors. From portraits to panoramas, there’s something about capturing nature in all its wild glory that makes it worth trekking through the woods with a heavy camera around your neck. However, outdoor photography can be difficult to get right, and it’s important to remember the quirks and issues of taking pictures in the field.
Many people are of the opinion that, given the great amount of natural light outdoors, there’s no need to use a flash. Though sometimes true, this doesn’t always mean you have to light with the sun. It might usually be bright enough outside during the day, but there are certain situations when it’s still important to use a flash. For example, when shooting at sunset, using a flash gives a stunning contrast between near and far objects that couldn’t be achieved without an artificial bulb. This effect has to be taken on a shot-by-shot basis, of course, so don’t make the mistake of missing out on the infinite creative possibilities of natural light.
Nothing has been more harmful to the art of photography than Photoshop. Now, don’t misunderstand. Photoshop can be an extremely useful tool for touching up details and making slight adjustments. The problem comes when photographers lose the motivation to take a good, balanced picture because they know that Photoshop can fix any flaws. Whilst you can easily apply filters and touch up the tone and colour of a picture in Photoshop, you can never transform a mediocre shot into a good one. Every photographer should always try to take the best picture that they can, without thinking too much about how it might be improved on the screen. A slight mistake can be touched up later, but a large one cannot. No matter how fast the technology tries to catch up, the real magic of photography still relies on a good eye and a steady pair of hands.