Photography: Outdoor Photography

What is the best setting for outdoor photography?

How to set up your camera to achieve maximum depth of field

• Exposure mode: Aperture Priority (A or Av) ...
• Focus mode: Manual. ...
• Shutter speed: Set by camera.
• Aperture: f/16.
• ISO: 100.
• Lens: 18 to 24mm.
• Drive mode: Single shot.
• White balance: Daylight.

What is most important when taking photos outside?

• 1. Carry a tripod. The easiest way to improve your photographs is to use a tripod. You'll get clearer photos, and a slower shutter speed can allow you to take a deeper depth of focus.
  2. Shoot during the "magic hour." Plan your hikes around good light. The hours at the beginning and end of the day will yield exceptional photos. The rest of the day pales in comparison.
  3. Use supplemental lighting. Sometimes nature's lighting isn't the best for photography. Simple, supplemental lighting from fill-flash, reflectors, and even strobes can do wonders for your photos.

     

     An example of composing a photo using the 'rule of thirds.'

  4. Avoid the "bullseye." When composing your photo, throw things off center on purpose. Use the "rule of thirds," which imagines your photo divided into a three-by-three grid, with the horizon and important elements of the photo found within or along the lines of that grid.
  5. Less is more. Simplify your photos. Pick out the most important element you see and focus in on it.
  6. Add a human touch. Humans are part of the landscape, so don't be afraid to include them in your outdoor photos. People add scale, personality, and interest to landscape photography. Run ahead on trail and take photos of hikers facing the camera rather than walking away.
  7. Catch the action. Try techniques such as panning with a moving subject, slow shutter speeds, fast shutter speeds, or moving the camera on purpose. These can all add the perception of dynamic action to your outdoor photos.
  8. Watch the water. The Cascades and much of the Northwest are defined by moving water. Use a tripod and slow shutter speeds to capture the beautiful, blurred motion of moving water.
  9. Change your point of view. Galen Rowell called this "participatory photography." Finding new perspectives is one way to boost the creativity of your photos. Try a chest harness, an extension arm, or helmet cam to get a different point of view. Or simply crouch low or stand on a rock for a different perspective on a familiar subject.
  10. Add a filter. Two simple, inexpensive filters can often improve your photos. A polarizing filter can deepen the color of the sky and allow you to see into lakes and streams. A graduated neutral density filter, when used properly, can help you avoid the common problem of underexposed forest and overexposed white mountains in the same photo.

  What is the best ISO for outdoor portraits?

  Set your autofocus and drive mode to single shot, your white balance to Daylight (or Cloudy, depending on your conditions) and your ISO to 100, assuming you have good light. Now set your exposure mode to Aperture Priority and select a large aperture, such as f/2.8, in order to throw the background out of focus. 

What is the best aperture setting for outdoor photography?

Aperture advice. When shooting portraits, it's best to set a wide aperture (around f/2.8-f/5.6) to capture a shallow depth of field, so the background behind your subject is nicely blurred, making them stand out better.

What is a good shutter speed for outdoors?

In my example, the camera set the shutter speed at 1/250th of a second for the outdoor shot. Detecting less light in the indoor shot, the camera chose a slower shutter speed of 1/15th of a second.