Nature and travel photos require a different approach than people pictures. These are the time-tested techniques used by the pros:
- Shoot just after dawn and just before dusk. When natural light is low in the sky it's at its most splendid. There's drama from the shadows being longer than the objects that cast them. Early morning light can lean towards pink. Late day light almost always looks warm. The worst time to shoot is noon on a sunny day.
- If you have to shoot in the middle of the day, hope for overcast skies to soften the light. Just after a rain is a great time to shoot. The air is clean. Leaves and other objects are wet and more saturated in color. The light can be magical.
- The best time to shoot skylines and silhouettes is just after the sun goes down. The lights in the buildings go on and the sky still has color and a glow. Silhouettes will be at their blackest against a colorful sky.
- Stoop down a little when you shoot for a slightly more dramatic perspective.
- In dim light, try to brace yourself and camera to avoid blur. Lean against a wall or tree for stability. Prop your elbows on a stump, fence post or the ground.
- Post-process if needed to boost saturation, contrast and sharpness. A click of iPhoto's Enhance button and dragging the sharpness slider a little to the right often is all that's needed to make your photos stand out.
