The days are getting longer, the flowers are blooming, and the photography opportunities are appearing around us more than ever. Whether you’re just starting out with your very first Nikon camera or you’re a highly experienced professional, each season brings its own benefits and challenges. With Spring, you are met with dew, bright lighting, newly blossomed flowers and bounds of wildlife that you may not experience amidst the Autumn or Winter months. It’s an amazing time to capture some breathtaking landscapes and wildlife photography.
With that in mind, today, our experts have come together to offer you some must-know tips to elevate your skills and help you capture one of the most vibrant seasons of the year. So, without further ado, let’s jump straight in!
Our Spring Photo Ideas
- The Magic of Dew Drop Photography
Dew drops are one the most captivating subjects to shoot in Spring, especially as they almost act as miniature lenses that reflect their beautiful surroundings. As you may know, capturing still or moving water can be tricky, but doing so can really help you develop your skills and lead to some wonderful photography.
To capture these tiny droplets of water that adorn plants and flowers, we recommend:
Reach Your Destination Early: The best time to capture dew drops is early morning. That’s when they’re most fresh and vivid. Reach your destination as early as possible, and you’ll be given the longest time to start shooting.
Stability is Key: We recommend taking a tripod with you on your shoot. Keeping your shots steady will reduce blur and unwanted movement.
Lighting Matters: If you’re lucky enough, you may experience a sunrise on your dew drop shoot. If so, take advantage of a reflector that gently directs the light to make the drops sparkle and helps you avoid unwanted glare towards your camera.
- Capturing Reflections with Lens Balls
Have you experimented with lens balls? These nifty little tools are clear glass spheres that add a unique twist to any shot. They can turn your subject upside down for a wow-factor contrast.
Using them is pretty easy, but there’s still some direction you should take:
Size Matters: Choose a size that’s easy to handle yet big enough to capture reflections clearly. A medium-sized ball offers a good balance.
Focus Right: Getting the focus right using a lens ball can be challenging, but the trick is to focus on the image within the ball, not the ball itself. Your Nikon’s manual focus can be a lifesaver here!
- Experimenting with Motion Blur
Motion blur should be your best friend this Spring. You’ll be met with leaves rustling, streams flowing, petals falling, and birds flying. Therefore, knowing how to capture motion is a must! Using motion blur, you’ll instantly bring your Spring photos to life.
And you guessed it, we’re going to offer you some advice on how to nail motion blur:
Slow Down Your Shutter: Slowing down the shutter speed lets you capture that captivating blur. But remember, it’s all about balance. Too slow, and everything’s a blur; too fast, and you lose the effect. It depends on how fast the motion is, but if you want to blur a waterfall, for example, a relatively long exposure of 3-5 seconds is best.
Practice Makes Perfect: Experiment with different speeds. There’s no harm in experimenting with your settings to get it just right. But remember, some subjects won’t wait around for you!
- Exploring Different Angles for Shrubs and Wildlife
Changing up your perspective when capturing the beauty of Spring will add a new dimension to your photography style. Sometimes, simply trying new angles can create something extraordinary. Here are a few things you can try:
Go Low or Go High: Don’t be afraid to get dirty by lying on the ground or climbing a hill for that unique angle. Where wildlife and plants are involved, you can really be creative in how you choose to showcase them.
Think Outside the Box: Why not try experimenting with your depth of field using secondary subjects? For instance, photographing a deer through a cluster of leaves adds a mysterious, almost fairytale quality to the image.
- Mastering Wide Aperture for Detailed Close-Up Shots
Lastly, master your wide aperture in low-light conditions and watch as the perfect bokeh comes to life in your close-ups. Not only will you have a stand-out subject, but you’ll also have a beautifully blurred background that works fantastically as a natural spring photography backdrop. Here’s how our experts achieve the perfect bokeh:
Open Wide: Use a lens that can open to at least f/2.8 or wider. The lower the number, the more pronounced the bokeh. It’s truly amazing how a simple adjustment can turn a busy photo into a serene, focused scene.
Get Close: The closer you are to your subject, the more pronounced the bokeh effect will be.
Spring Photo Shoot Ideas with Grays of Westminster!
Spring is a photographer’s playground, and with the help of Grays of Westminster, you’ll be all set to capture its beauty. Whether you want to upgrade your entire set-up or are on the market for reflectors to help you with lighting issues, we have everything you could need, either online or in our wonderful little shop nestled in London.
Remember, photography is as much about creativity as it is about technique. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and most importantly, have fun this Spring! If you ever have any questions or would like a simple conversation over a shared passion, we love chatting about all things Nikon and photography, and we’re always here to help you find the perfect gear for your next photography adventure. Just email info@graysofwestminster.co.uk!
In the meantime, happy shooting, and may this Spring bring you some of your best shots yet!