If I had to choose just one day a year to shoot trees, then I would choose one of the autumn days and I am sure that most photographers would make a similar choice.
Autumn brings a whole new palette. The time of summer greenery has passed and has given way to bright yellows, warm oranges and bright reds. Birches, beeches, oaks, aspens, mountain ash and other trees give rise to such a riot of colors that we, as if spellbound, take a camera and go to the nearest forest or park.
To be honest, I love photographing trees in any condition and color, and I use a variety of techniques to do so. But what attracts me most about trees is their creativity. The fact that trees are essentially immovable objects provides the perfect opportunity for captivating, creative photography. All you need is knowledge of a few basic photography techniques combined with a willingness to experiment.
So what is creative tree photography? Each photographer is free to interpret this concept as he wants, but for me personally, it involves creating an image that is different from what we see in ordinary life. Therefore, any image of a tree or forest, other than what we see day after day with our own eyes or on documentary footage, can be considered creative.
Creative images can be obtained using a wide-angle lens, using a zoom lens in an unusual way, choosing an unusual point of view, or using camera functions that distort or change appearance removed objects.
One of the simplest but effective methods creation creative photography– using a wide-angle lens to shoot tree crowns from ground level. There is nothing radically new in this method, but it provides a very interesting alternative view of trees.
Lens with focal length 16-21mm on a full frame camera, or its equivalent on a crop factor camera will give you impressive results. The most difficult thing about this method of shooting is finding a group of evenly growing trees whose trunks will create symmetrical vertical lines in the photo. Either way, you will need to spend some time looking for suitable trees and checking how they look through the camera.
The best time to shoot is on a sunny day with a clear blue sky, which will create a blue background showing through between the branches. Contrary to the generally accepted rule, the midday sun for this type of shooting will be the most preferable, as it gives a more uniform illumination of the leaves than the sun at an angle.
The easiest way to take such a picture is to shoot while holding the camera in your hands. However, since you are using a wide angle lens, you should set your shutter speed to 1/30s or faster to eliminate any camera shake.
To get the most interesting photos, you need to lie down on the ground - for this, take a raincoat or blanket with you, which you can spread under you. This will include more tree trunks in the frame and distort the perspective as much as possible.
Set your aperture to f/11 or f/16 to get a good depth of field and focus on about the middle of the length of one of the tree trunks. You may need to adjust if the tree trunks are too dark or if the sky is too bright. Considering the need for exposure adjustment, the best option Will shoot in RAW.
If you have a fisheye lens, you can use it not only for the method of shooting discussed above, but also for shooting in the forest in general. For example, I use a Sigma 15mm fish-eye lens, which gives excellent results at a reasonable price.
Another shooting method that I will share with you is to move the camera or subject to get a blur. The simplest way- rely on mother nature and choose a day when the wind sways the leaves and branches, and then, by setting a slow shutter speed, capture the blurry pattern created by moving branches and leaves.
The idea is quite simple, but to use long exposure you may need, firstly, a tripod, and secondly, a polarizing or neutral density filter to reduce the amount of light that hits the camera sensor.
Even if you use an aperture of f/16 and the lowest ISO available on the camera, on a sunny day you can only use a shutter speed between 1/30s and 1/100s, but this shutter speed is too fast to record motion blur.
So, you can't do without a filter in this shooting. will reduce the light level by about 2 stops and in addition to this will reduce the glare on the leaves and make the colors more saturated.
If you want to use a slower shutter speed, you will need a Neutral Density (ND) filter.
There is, of course, an alternative to using filters - you can shoot on an overcast day, or at dawn or dusk, that is, at a time when the level of natural light will be much lower.
In any case, you should aim for a shutter speed of 1 second or longer to create a quality blur effect.
Finally, to take a picture, attach the camera to and use the cable release. After waiting for the moment when the leaves and branches sway the most, take a picture.
how to photograph autumn trees
Though the blurry moving leaves are yours the main objective, photography needs some kind of visual anchor that the viewer's eye can hook onto. The tree trunk is great for this role - they are less affected by the wind, so they will come out relatively sharp in the photo and provide good contrast to the blurry leaves.
If you don't want to wait for windy conditions, you can try to achieve this effect yourself by moving the camera while shooting.
This technique is best used when shooting tall, straight tree trunks, which will allow you to achieve the effect shown in the photo below.
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This shot was created by moving the camera smoothly from top to bottom. One way to take a similar photo is to hold the camera in your hands and quickly move it from top to bottom at a shutter speed of 1/2s to 1/8s.
Or you can mount the camera on a tripod and pan slowly at a shutter speed of 1 to 2 seconds.
It is extremely important to avoid any horizontal movements when shooting this, as they will spoil the desired effect.
The main settings you need to make on the camera are the most closed aperture and low ISO values, allowing you to choose the shutter speed of the desired duration.
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And finally, another way to shoot trees creatively is to move not the camera, but the tripod with the camera. In this way, you can achieve not only a blur effect, but also a soft focus effect.
At shutter speeds longer than 2 seconds, you may start moving the tripod a few moments after the exposure starts. In this case, you can get an effect reminiscent of the effect of a double exposure: to sharp objects captured at the beginning of the exposure, the blur obtained in the second part of the exposure will be added.
This method gives you the freedom to be creative: you can experiment with different types of movement and achieve results that you like.
Of course, not everyone will like the creative ways of shooting autumn trees that I suggested. Some will use them, others will not. But, no matter how it was to experiment with photographing trees at a slow shutter speed - it's exciting, because each new photo will not be similar to the previous one.
More useful information and news in our Telegram channel"Lessons and Secrets of Photography". Subscribe!Photographing in the forest is a truly interesting and exciting activity! All day long you can wander through the forest and find many stories for beautiful photos. This is a wonderful vacation in nature, away from the hustle and bustle modern world and the noise of big cities. After all, communication with nature always brings peace and tranquility to the soul, awakens love for the simple and beautiful, reminds us that technical progress and urbanization can never replace the beauty of nature. The tranquility of the forest, the majesty of the mountains, the coolness of the water from the stream, the singing of birds, the ladybug on a leaf of a tree - all this is beautiful nature, without which life would be gray, smoky, gloomy and ... short.
In order to photograph the forest, you need to have:
- camera, of course (preferably a SLR);
- a tripod for fixing the camera during shooting and the possibility of using slow shutter speeds;
- flash - may be needed to capture individual objects and details of the forest;
- lens - at least one 18 - 135 mm, but if there is more - then only a plus;
- a good backpack or bag for photographic equipment, with moisture protection;
- food, water, raincoat, blanket or light blanket (for relaxation);
- a compass and a map just in case, or a phone with a GPS navigator.
Frame composition.
One of the most difficult moments when photographing a forest. If we just take a picture of the trees, then we get an uninteresting photo with the same trees, standing next to together. There are several solutions. For example, use light. At sunrise or sunset, the trees will be in beautiful edge lighting and will cast long shadows that can be included in the composition of the shot. Another tip would be to highlight the main subject - this is one tree in the foreground, a separate tree from the entire forest area. That is, some object should not be lost in the multitude of its own kind. The third tip is to find the right angle. No need to be lazy, you need to walk both to the right and to the left, and climb the hill, if necessary. You can often find a good vantage point from which to photograph a row of trees in a forest, or an interesting balance of trees, or a combination of the two.
Show all seasons.
The beauty of the forest, in fact, is always there. In any season. After all, the forest is always changing and showing the beauty of each season in the forest is a very interesting activity. In the spring it is good to show the thaw and the melting of snow. The first thawed tree trunks, the first thawed patches, dripping icicles on the trees, the first buds, snowdrops, young leaves… Flowers in summer. Flowers will look especially beautiful against the green background of the forest. Photographing the forest in autumn is just a pleasure, because the foliage plays with yellow and red colors. Photos at this time always turn out bright and colorful. In winter, after the recent snow has stuck to the branches of trees, it's time to take pictures winter fairy tale. Such photographs are always interesting, as if they introduce us into the world of calmness, balance, harmony. Also in winter, the contrasts of evergreen firs and white snow look beautiful.
Photograph the forest in any weather.
Nature doesn't have bad weather... You can change the mood of a photo using the weather. For example, in the spring when it is sunny, patches of bright sunlight in contrast with shady areas will create a positive spring mood. In overcast weather, when there are no harsh shadows, you can get soft calm pictures. When it rains, you can show how wet leaves glisten or tree trunks cast black. Or trees shrouded in white mist...
Pay attention to different fragments of the forest.
A fallen tree, a picturesque stump, bizarre roots, green moss, an anthill, traces of an animal ... All this just needs to be noticed!
RAW format.
It is best to photograph in the forest in this format. Camera automation may not always correctly determine the optimal exposure and will have to be prompted. And if the hint “was wrong”, then in RAW format it will not be difficult to fix it. Also at home on a computer, you can experiment with white balance: somewhere to make pictures warmer, and somewhere colder. Also, when processing RAW files, it is easier to add clarity and sharpness to pictures, make them brighter and more colorful, or, conversely, make colors weaker, or maybe even turn a photo into black and white ... In general, with the RAW format there will be an opportunity to plunge into creative process again, but already at home.
I hope these simple tips have already made you want to take everything you need and run to photograph the forest. If yes, then the article was useful and has the right to life, and nature will receive new connoisseurs. Good luck to you and good photos in the forest!
A great environment for the photographer's activity is the forest. This is literally an infinite number of all kinds of plants, insects, flowers, berries, animals, trees, etc. The forest is also unique in that in any season of the year it never ceases to amaze and amaze us with its picturesqueness.
Moreover, several genres can simultaneously coexist here, such as landscape, portrait, macro.
But taking pictures in the forest is not as easy as looking for treasure, even if you have a modern metal detector. In order for a photograph not to resemble a picture from a natural history textbook, it is worth making a little effort.
Going to the forest for good shots First of all, you should decide on ideas. Of course, it is not possible to plan everything in advance, but it is still possible to formulate the main theme. It also happens that ideas come on the spot, and in a completely opposite direction, but one is not a hindrance to the other.
It often happens that a magnificent landscape appears before our eyes, we rather grab the camera and take a few pictures, but unfortunately, at home on the monitor, we notice that it does not look so unusual. Why is this happening? The fact is that the human eye perceives everything in a slightly different dimension. People see with two eyes, but our camera has only one. Hence the disagreement. Therefore, in order to get at least a little closer to what we can actually get in the photo, it is worth covering one eye and examining the subject.
It is very important to follow the separation of plans. In this, you can turn to the diaphragm for help. By changing the depth of field, you can get amazing results, for example, an autumn leaf or a flower bud will look much more beautiful and expressive on blurred background. For a similar result, the aperture should be set to its minimum value, and then choose the appropriate shutter speed.
As you know, the forest is a poorly lit area, there are also places where the sun's rays penetrate extremely rarely, this fact should also be taken into account. In this case, you will have to resort to sensitivity capabilities (ISO). The value of this parameter should be set as minimal as the degree of illumination allows. It is worth remembering that high sensitivity generates noise and artifacts, which will not add color to the image.
And, of course, fantasy, this is perhaps one of the most important factors that is responsible for the uniqueness of the pictures. It is not always easy for a novice photographer to figure out what to shoot, so it will be useful to preview pictures taken by more experienced photographers in advance. In the future, ideas will come on their own.
"Frost and sun, wonderful day!" No matter how trite, but in winter you can really take great photos, you just need to take into account a number of features inherent in this particular time of year. Below are some tips on how to get the best shots in winter. But one rule that is not directly related to photography itself is better to consider at the very beginning: warm up! No photo session will work if you freeze after ten minutes or freeze your fingers on the fourth or fifth frame. So if you are dressed for the season, then take the camera - and go!
Keep track of technology
In the instructions for most cameras, you can read that shooting in the cold is not recommended or even prohibited. In fact, if we are not talking about extreme frosts, you will not cause harm to the camera.
However, you should still monitor its condition: if the screen started to work with a delay, or, moreover, focusing is much slower than usual, then you should stop the photo session. And remember that in the cold, the battery discharges much faster.
By the way, after returning from the street, do not take the camera out of the bag and do not turn it on for at least a few hours: otherwise, due to a sharp change in ambient temperature, condensation will form, which can cause a number of unpleasant consequences for the camera and lenses.
Compensate exposure and white balance
Most often, they go out into the cold with a camera for bright shots with blue skies and sparkling snow. But just this feature of the surrounding landscape can play a cruel joke: the camera's automation, trying to compensate for the brightness of the snow, darkens the entire picture, which means that losses in the shadows are likely.
It is “treated” simply by pre-correcting the exposure as a plus. The main thing here is not to overdo it and not achieve overexposure, so check with the histogram.
With white balance, the situation is similar - automatic is mistaken, and this leads to blue in the pictures, so white balance correction is necessary (including subsequent fine adjustment, therefore, as always, it is better to shoot in RAW).
Think about shooting in cloudy weather
In principle, there are two main things you need to know about shooting in cloudy weather. First, compensate the exposure in the same way in a plus. Yes, even if the day is overcast, the snow is still too bright for the camera to obscure.
Secondly, you should not try to shoot complex objects in cloudy weather: they will almost certainly not turn out to be the most successful.
It would be better if in such weather you stop at concise photographs with a minimum of objects, or at scene shooting directly related to such weather.
Look for bright objects in the frame
Winter, as you know, tends to be monochrome, which means that brighter objects will stand out against the background of white (well, or gray) snow, especially if they are really bright.
Saturated colors - red, green, blue, orange and others - effectively highlight the object in the picture and are sure to attract attention. You don’t have to look far for examples: well, who among us hasn’t photographed a rowan bush covered with snow?
Make use of the dark
Winter is that rare case when shooting at dusk can compete with daytime photos in terms of effectiveness.
You just need to choose a place where there are a lot of lights, preferably multi-colored, that is, it will almost certainly be a park that has high-quality lighting.
Reflected from snow and ice, it creates an absolutely wonderful picture, transforming even landscapes that look dull and unremarkable during the day. And how beautiful is the slowly falling snow in the light of lanterns!
Snowfall is not a hindrance
Speaking of snowfall: if the street is not a snowstorm with a hint of a snowstorm, then falling snow is by no means a hindrance to great shots, you just need to take into account a few nuances.
First, don't use flash! Snowflakes are tiny crystals, so random reflection of light in all directions is guaranteed.
Secondly, great value shutter speed acquires, since it determines how falling snow is displayed in the picture - whether it will be a slow fall (short shutter speed) or a dynamic flight (long shutter speed).
Well, do not forget to periodically clean the lens filter from adhering snow, so as not to find completely unnecessary spots in the picture. By the way, about snowflakes. Take a look at the work of Sergei Kichigin and feel the charge of inspiration!
Autumn is one of the best seasons for forest photography. But every season has its positives. We will show you how to make your forest photos more interesting at any time of the year.
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
Exposure compensation +0.3
Equipment
You will need a tripod in order to avoid the effect of blurring the image from hand shake. The flash is useful as a source of additional lighting when it is dark, for example, during rain. In general, for shooting forest landscapes, a standard zoom lens with a focal length of about 18-135 mm will suffice.
Also, do not forget to bring a bag for the camera, a towel, things from the rain, as the weather can be changeable.
Composition
When shooting in the forest, the construction of the composition is greatly influenced by how close the trees are to each other: depending on the angle, the degree of overlapping of the trees changes, and this subsequently affects the impression of the pictures.
It is important to clearly define the balance. To do this, when you have roughly decided on the composition, try framing by changing the shooting point. The underlying principle is this: there should be no other trees behind the tree that will become the center of the frame. Choose a shooting point so that the central object is separated from the others as much as possible. Of course, when choosing a composition, it will be necessary to take into account the angle of incidence of light.
No need to think that the trees will look the same no matter which way the camera is pointed, and therefore the shooting direction does not matter. It is necessary not just to shoot blindly, but to pay careful attention to the balance in the composition of the trees and then finally determine the composition of the frame. Since the subject does not move on its own, then you need to move yourself. Don't be lazy to move, enjoy framing and shooting, trying all kinds of shooting points.
change of seasons
In many ways, the charm of the forest lies in the fact that its appearance changes depending on the time of year. Enjoy taking photos throughout the year, show the unique beauty of each season.
If you shoot in the spring, then the optimal time is a thaw. The snow gradually melts, first freeing the bases of the trees. The snow cover is all in the bald spots of the soil around the tree trunks - this is a forest landscape that happens only in early spring.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
Also a great subject for shooting - young foliage. This is an incomparable beauty - delicate green leaves sparkling from the abundance of sunlight. In places the snow has not completely melted yet, so it will be good to show its contrast with the young foliage.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
During the period from early to mid-summer, you can photograph various forest flowers. Try to play on the contrast between the colors of various shades and the rich greens of the woody leaves.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
Autumn is, first of all, autumn foliage. This is the time when the leaves of the trees turn bright red and bright yellow and the forest shows its most enchanting sight.
AF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
The winter snow landscape will also become beautiful object filming. Please note that in winter, a grove of trees that has shed all its foliage and is lightly powdered with snow can look very light.
Lens A 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
Good for shooting in winter coniferous trees that preserve greenery; the photo below was taken with a wide-angle lens from the bottom up - thus, the emphasis is on height. The background is a bright sky, and if you shoot without adjustments, the exposure would be insufficient. Therefore, an exposure compensation of +1.0 was made.
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed Auto
Exposure compensation +1.0
When you shoot in places where the snow is very deep, the tripod will sink into the snow. To avoid this situation, it is good to put snowshoe-like bases on the tripod legs. Because they are not for sale, it is good to make them yourself, using, for example, old ski poles.
Shoot in different weather
The forest changes depending on what the weather is like. Using weather features, try to create moody shots of the forest.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
On a sunny day, work with light and shadow will serve as a special technique. In the forest with young foliage in the photo below, the photographer chose a place between the trees, where the rays fall, illuminating the ground and tree trunks with separate points like spotlights. The light seems especially bright because of the contrast with the shadows, and you can feel the full force of the spring sunshine.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
When creating a photograph, the shooting was carried out using oblique light. The contours of the trees stand out very clearly, adding depth to the image, in addition, the light and shadow areas are in sharp contrast, creating a particularly impressive view.
When shooting on a bright day, you need to pay attention to the fact that if the sun's rays directly hit the lens, then there may be glare or distortion in the photo. To avoid this, it is good to shield yourself from the sun with a tree branch or foliage. Please be careful not to look directly at the sun when framing.
On an overcast day, the light spreads evenly, and you can get soft, low-contrast landscapes. Try to take a photo in the style of the photo below, where the background was the sky covered with clouds. The picture has a special beauty, resembling a picture painted on a white canvas; this would hardly have been possible had the sky been blue.
AF Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D lens
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed Auto
The forest is also interesting on a rainy day. There are quite a few people who refuse to shoot when it rains. But you can find special subjects to shoot that are only possible in such weather, for example, the shine of leaves wet from the rain or the trunks of trees shimmering black. Therefore, take care of the water protection of the camera and lenses and try to find your story on the theme of rain.
The forest is shrouded in snow-white mist, which is also an image worth capturing on a rainy day. Beautiful work, similar to a collage painting, in which the trees floating in the middle of the fog appear to be blurry silhouettes. During fog, there will be insufficient lighting for exposure. Therefore, in our case, a positive compensation of +0.3 was made.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed Auto
Exposure compensation +0.3
Shoot fragments
There are many attractive subjects in the forest. Of interest is not only the view of the forest as a whole, individual trees can also become curious for photographing. Try to delve deeper into the essence of trees and find true forest treasures.
The image below shows trees that have fallen on their sides, exposed to years of wind and rain. The photo was taken with a 28-105mm zoom lens and shows a group of trees leaning to one side.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
The next photo shows a tree twisted like a ring. It was quite dark because of the rain, so the picture was taken with a flash to further illuminate the trunk.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed Auto
Flash
The next photo captures a curious pattern of tree roots on the surface of the earth. It had just stopped raining, the wet trunk and roots and the green of the moss formed a rich color scheme together, creating a peaceful picture.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed Auto
In winter, you can see footprints of animals in the forest, for example, a hare, a fox, a marten, a deer, and they can be an ideal subject for shooting. In the image below, animal footprints in the snow were shot vertically. It was they who became the central object of the photo, and in the frame most of the snowy surface is reserved, while the trees are barely visible. There is a lot of white, and so that the color of the snow is not cloudy, a positive exposure compensation of +1.0 is made.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F8
Shutter Speed Auto
Exposure compensation +1.0
The photo below is about melting snow. Between the trees there was a snowball, which for some reason has not yet melted, and therefore the author captured it in the photo. To better show the soft whiteness of the snow, it was necessary to compensate the exposure by three tenths.
28-105mm f/3.5-4.5D AF Zoom-Nikkor Lens
Aperture F11
Shutter Speed Auto
Exposure compensation +0.3
In preparing the article, material was used
The forest is one of the most beautiful and mysterious places on our planet. This is a great place to organize a photo session due to the abundance of colors, the amazing contrast of green trees and blue skies. Shooting in autumn forest filled with colorful leaves. A photo session in the forest demonstrates the unity of man with nature. It also gives the photographer a huge scope for creativity with inventing a variety of images for the model - from fantasy to romantic. Shooting in the forest, of course, has its own characteristics that are worth remembering.
Preparing for a photo shoot
Organizing a photo session in a forest or park requires some preparation. When going out into the countryside with photographic equipment, do not forget to charge the camera battery to the full, just in case, take an extra battery pack and a memory card with you. As for optics, a photo shoot in the forest involves the use of a classic portrait lens with a focal length ranging from 85 to 100 mm. Such a lens will allow you to photograph a model from a comfortable distance of 3 - 3.5 meters, leaving enough free space in the frame. At the same time, the classic portrait lens eliminates unpleasant facial distortions that are typical for wide-angle optics. If necessary, you can also take a zoom lens with you to be able to take close-up photos, as well as capture beautiful forest landscapes.
On a bright sunny day, be sure to bring a sun hood to prevent unwanted glare from entering the frame. You can also bring a reflector with you. And if you decide to shoot in cloudy weather or fog, when there is not enough light, then you will need to take care of a tripod and an external flash.
Of course, the fair sex looks the most harmonious and attractive in the forest. Photos with girls in the forest invariably come out lively and emotional. But at the same time, you definitely need to think over the plot and image for the model that you would like to use. The choice of clothes and accessories for the model largely depends on this. By the way, going to the forest, it is still advisable to wear something comfortable and light. This applies to both the photographer and the model. Since you will have to move through the foliage or the ground, you should prefer more practical shoes that do not impede movement.
Shooting location
In the forest or public park, you must find appropriate place for a photo session. Take your free time to explore the possible shooting location, explore the forest or shady alleys of the park, observe the peculiarities of lighting at different hours. Determine several possible locations for shooting and the most favorable angles. Let's say right away that shooting is rarely carried out in a dense forest. Some forest clearings, a stream, a picturesque stump, separate trees like young spruce or reddish aspen are better suited for this purpose.
In autumn, you can place the model on a yellow-red carpet next to a birch or maple. Such stories are bright and very attractive. As with landscape photography, the early hours or twilight hours are the best time to shoot. In the autumn forest, you can try to shoot in capricious cloudy weather, when raindrops can give your pictures completely new emotions and some kind of zest. Shooting in cloudy weather avoids harsh shadows on the subject's face, but keep in mind that under such conditions, the shots may not come out too bright.
The image and poses of the model for a photo shoot
As we have already noted, when conducting a photo shoot in the forest, it is very important to choose the right image for the model, complementing it with appropriate clothing and accessories. One of the advantages of shooting in the forest is that the image can be very diverse - it all depends on your imagination. Without prying eyes, surrounded by nature, which always gives a person a positive mood, the model can fully open up from completely different sides. For example, a romantic image of a model in an autumn forest can look very attractive.
Of course, you can just photograph the model in her usual way against the backdrop of nature, but it's best to dream up a little and come up with a more interesting plot. Perhaps one of the most common and popular images for shooting a model in the forest is the image of a beautiful forest nymph. To create it, it is enough to dress the model in a light dress or sundress and decorate her head with a wreath woven from forest flowers. An interesting idea for a model girl can also be the image of a witch in the forest. Agree that every woman has something demonic, therefore, with a little fantasy, you can create a mysterious and mystical female image.
Make good use of natural light
One of the main difficulties when shooting in the forest is the nature of natural light. The thing is that because of the leaves and trees there are quite serious differences in illumination in the frame. Also, often in the photo of the model appears "panther" skin due to the fact that sunlight penetrates through the foliage of trees. In some cases, you may simply lack lighting. Then you have to raise the ISO sensitivity a little or use the flash.
It is recommended to shoot in the forest with a reflex camera or a system device with the possibility of using interchangeable optics, in particular, fast ones. Yet ordinary compact cameras due to the small size of the sensor and insufficient light sensitivity, they often cannot cope with the features of natural light. But even if you have SLR camera, this does not eliminate the risk of taking pictures in which, for example, one area of the image may turn out normal, another is too dark, and the third is slightly overexposed. Such problems are solved experimentally with the help of a more competent selection of exposure, choosing the right angle and using a flash. You can also consider using the HDR mode.
On a sunny day, it is recommended to place the model in the shade of a tree. Foliage will delay a significant part of the light flux, as a result of which a person will be illuminated with a pleasant scattered light on the side. Get very good shots. However, do not place the model too close to the tree - too strong shadows may appear, and the person's face may turn green from the leaves. If you are shooting in an open forest clearing or clearing on a bright, fine day, it is recommended to use an external light source or reflector.
A great move when shooting a portrait in the forest is to use two off-camera flashes. One is placed behind the model being filmed, and the second is placed in front and slightly at an angle. It turns out uniform lighting, giving excellent elaboration of details.
When shooting in the forest, take as many shots as possible, because it is not known which shot will turn out to be the most interesting and attractive. The key to successful shooting in the forest is positive mood, creating a suitable image, complemented by various accessories, and the correct use of natural light features. It does not require tons of cosmetics for the model, as in the studio. It is only necessary to emphasize the natural beauty of the model surrounded by pristine nature.
Do not forget that photography in the forest is not only shooting, but also an opportunity to communicate with nature, a way to have a good and fun free time. Since you have already gone to the forest, you will certainly enjoy a leisurely walk or a quick run through the beautiful forest edges, rest your body and soul here. And the pictures taken during a photo session in the forest will become an additional reminder of this wonderful walk and your communication with nature.
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