Nature Photography How To

Shooting great outdoor photographs in perfect light is often quite simple, enabling us to capture impressive images that require a minimum of post processing. Unfortunately, things get far more challenging under less favorable conditions as you'll see in this quick tutorial from the Photography with Rich YouTube channel.

Rich is an experienced pro, specializing in practical no-nonsense nature and wildlife photography videos describing straightforward techniques that photographers of skill levels can use to capture enchanting images that really grab attention.

This episode is all about dealing with low light, whether that means shooting on overcast days, in the shade, or when the sun is about to drop below the horizon. Rich puts it like this: "I believe that great low light photography comes down to one single factor, and that is getting the correct shutter speed."

In less than five minutes Rich explains the settings he recommends for different situations, as well as a few pro techniques for making the task far less difficult when light just isn't right. He demonstrates his approach in the context of wildlife imagery, but the tricks you'll learn will prove equally valuable for all types of outdoor photography in in dim situations.

Most of you know that a fast shutter speed is important for freezing action, like birds in flight or a twitchy squirrel in the example Rich provides. But as the shutter speed increases, the amount of light entering your camera decreases accordingly. In short, the challenge is this: "How fast a shutter speed can we get away with while correctly exposing a shot­."

Another key consideration is that image noise rears its ugly head if we bump up ISO beyond reasonable limits to offset the fast shutter speed we choose based upon the aperture setting employed.

Rich runs you through all of the parameters beginning with the behavior of your subject; namely, are you photographing a static scene like a bird resting on a branch or is your subject in motion? Whether you're shooting hand-held or with the camera atop a tripod also factors into the equation.

If you follow Rich's advice you'll understand everything necessary to "easily to nail the shot every time." The Photography with Rich YouTube channel is a valuable resource for anyone who shoots in the field. So be sure to pay a visit and explore everything that's available.

And on a related note, don't miss the tutorial we featured recently with another accomplished pro who provides a straightforward primer that explains everything you need to know for jumping into the enhancing world of low key photography with simple gear.