How to Shoot Nature Photos in Your Own Backyard

Trips to far-flung landscapes are amazing for many invaluable reasons but in photographic terms, you’re definitely taking a risk. Instead, why not stick a little closer to home and see what your local area has to offer?

From photographing foxes and squirrels in nearby green spaces and parks to exploring the wonders of your own backyard, there are plenty of opportunities to try something new for no extra cost.

For those that enjoy a challenge, seeking out unique subjects in and around where you live can stimulate just as much inspiration as going somewhere you’ve never been before. Even if you live in a crowded city you can still capture the essence of nature in an urban setting—and it's all the more powerful as it’s unexpected.

So, if you’re keen to get creative our tips and tricks for nature photography in your own backyard (and a little bit beyond) will help you get started.

Nature Photography Tip #1: Fill the Frame

When people think of nature photography, it's easy to only consider wide-angle shots, but there's no reason you can't get up close and personal with your subject—particularly if you're playing in your own backyard or local park.

Of course you need to think about the shapes in your image and how they're balanced, but textures are important too. However, sometimes when we talk about adding texture to a photograph it can seem like vague advice.

To bring things into focus (pardon the pun), think about what descriptive words you would use to explain the image you're hoping to take and try to highlight those details in your photo. For example, beads of dew sitting on a blade of grass or frost slowly melting off of leaves as winter turns to spring.

Look closely at the subjects around you and don’t be afraid to zoom in—magnifying the finer details can lead to some extraordinary photographs. Hot tip: use a shallow depth of field to blur out background distractions.

Nature Photography Tip #2: Get the Lighting Right

The weather is a fickle beast no matter where you are in the world, so thinking carefully about the time of day you're shooting is a must.

Natural light is at its best either early in the morning or evening, particularly during the golden hours shortly after sunrise or before sunset. The light has a soft and hazy quality at these times that will illuminate your subjects more evenly than harsh, direct sunlight will.

There’s also an eerie, sentimental emotion that goes hand-in-hand with the early hours of the morning or the time just before the sun descends around the earth. If you’ve ever gotten up for a sunrise walk you’ll probably understand what we’re talking about right away, and if you haven’t then now is the perfect time to give it a try—camera at the ready of course.

Try shooting the same scene at midday and then again just before sunset. You’ll likely notice that pretty, nostalgic-style feeling tends to come through in photographs shot during the golden hours. That emotion plays a big part in many a photographer’s obsession with the golden hours and it’s notoriously hard to reproduce in post-production.

Nature Photography Tip #3: Play with Angles and Shadows

Although sunrise and sunset often have the most ideal natural light settings that doesn't mean you can't shoot in harsh light—you just need to be a bit more alert. Incorporating shadows, as well as front and back lighting, can transform images from washed out to dynamic in seconds.

If you’re shooting close up, simply fill the frame up with the features of your subject and you’ll have won half the battle against the sun’s harsh rays. But for wider shots, it’s all about angles.

Try moving around and placing the sun in various positions behind your subject for creamy images with an angelic glow. Keep an eye on your exposure levels as you may need to use fill flash or a reflector to keep things even.

As for those pesky shadows, there’s one rule that always leads to interesting results: if you can’t beat them, join them. Rather than fighting against all the shapes and patterns cast by shadows of nearby objects and structures, take advantage of them to create a different mood for your images. This is especially effective when shooting black and white.

If there are no natural shadows around, you can always try to create your own. A few sheets slung over your clothesline could easily create movement, texture, and shapes for your backyard nature photo series.

Nature Photography Tip #4: Be Prepared

It may seem obvious, but you need to ensure you have the right lens. If you’re attempting traditional landscape shots you’ll need a wide-angle lens. Anything up to 35mm on a full-frame camera, or 25mm on an APS-C, should do the trick.

However, you won’t want to drop below 14mm as the edges will suffer some distortion—unless you’re purposely attempting a fisheye effect.

For wildlife photography it's best to shoot with a zoom or prime lens, but the preference is down to the photographer. The latter tends to be more expensive, but depending on who you ask it’s both sharper and faster, which can make a world of difference when trying to capture photos of animals on the move.

Aside from lenses, having different types of filters or a tripod can be pretty handy when playing with your shutter speed, doing long exposures, or shooting at a higher aperture. With a good tripod you’ll find it much easier to take crisp images, capture movement, and experiment with depth of field.

Last but not least, watch your step. No matter where you are, respectful nature photography is the best nature photography.

Cover photo by Min An.