Photography is a job and a hobby for many people worldwide. Taking perfect shots can be challenging when you are a newbie because you need to know what equipment and skills to use.
Also, you haven’t met or can’t reach a professional photographer yet, which is why you aren’t succeeding easily in this field. You don’t need to worry because I will guide you thoroughly. So if you want to become a nature photographer, you are in the right place.
But why choose Nature photography?
Choose nature Photography over other aspects of photography because it is the widest field. You can pick any animal, bird, insect, landscape, geographical location, or even underwater to shoot.
As a nature photographer, whether freelance or employed by an agency, you can explore many things and places you have never been while taking in the fresh air. So this means you will stay healthy and can easily enjoy your work as long as you want.
So, are you ready to follow my tips on how to become a nature photographer?
Learn more about > Tips for Travel Photography
Who Is A Nature Photographer?
The goal of a nature photographer is to capture the world’s natural beauty. The expert nature photographers travel around the world in central parks and different places to find the best spot to click breathtaking shots.
They can be animals like emperor penguins, white tigers, or crab spiders. Nature photography is when a photographer can show the timeline of changing different seasons or any environmental crisis can be shown through their pictures. As we all know, pictures speak louder than words.
How To Become A Nature Photographer?
Becoming an expert photographer needs you to add calmness to your personality. But you also need to know some important things, so I will describe how you can become a Nature Photographer in the following list.
01. Find The Best Possible Place To Photograph Wildlife
You can get great shots of wildlife and natural scenes. It all depends on where you choose to shot. Before starting a nature photography career, knowing if you think of shooting for wildlife is compulsory.
There are specific places where wildlife is present and specific times at which you can shoot. If you cannot travel to different parts of the world, consider visiting the closest national parks. First, visit there and see which wildlife is present there. Then gear up accordingly and go there to take good shots and practice.
02. Wait For The Right Time
As a nature photographer, you should know about animals. Certain animals are active at certain times of the day. A day, night, midnight, or afternoon can be chosen.
So you should know when to go for photography, depending on which wildlife you want to shoot. Professional photographers have to wait patiently for their subjects to appear. Knowing when certain wildlife may appear can be helpful.
Understanding when to use the right lighting for your subject is crucial. The golden hours also known as sunrise and sunset, are one of the best times for incredible shots. Set up your equipment before sunset to ensure you get the best lighting possible if you are shooting an animal that is most active at sunset.
03. Go For Higher Education
Higher education, such as a bachelor’s or master’s in photography, will help you develop work-related skills. There are certain schools and colleges which offer classes for nature photography.
Going for higher education will also help you link with people who also want to pursue this field. You can take advantage of better opportunities in the future as a result.
Another benefit you can get is sharing your knowledge about photography with your mates; in return, they will give you their knowledge which will result in better skills. You can still find online workshops and courses that will provide certificates and training if you cannot get a master’s or bachelor’s degree from a school or college.
04. Help Form Newspapers And Magazines
You can contact newspaper editors and magazines for better job opportunities. You can also help yourself by selling your pictures to newspapers and magazines.
Sending query letters is better if you reach them for the first time. Sending them your portfolio is also very helpful. You can also send them specific pictures you want to sell. You can be paid in advance or get a permanent seat if they like your work.
05. Make A Portfolio
Making a portfolio for yourself is very important because it demonstrates your work to willing clients. The portfolio contains your best pictures in any form you like, it can be in a slide show, or it can be in physical form. Your possible clients can view and determine your work, and you may be offered a job as a photographer.
Skills Required To Become A Nature Photographer
Here are some essential skills which are important for a Photographer.
01. Forbearance
Photographing nature is not easy, but it is not impossible. Working as a nature photographer requires a lot of patience since they must wait hours and even days for wildlife to appear. It is also possible for expert photographing in nature to practice patience after the wildlife has appeared.
It will be easier to take pictures of wildlife performing certain actions if you do this. When animals appear, they sometimes perform different actions for only a few minutes
02. Research
A nature photographer needs to have good research skills. You will be able better to understand some parts of the world as a result. You will also be able to determine what type of wildlife is present.
Good research skills will help you know how to reach different parts of the world. They can be forests or certain landscapes or places with no civilization around them.
03. Creative Skills
You need creative skills to get more clients in less time. Using this skill, you will be able to capture creative pictures which you can sell to publishers and buyers around the world through this skill.
To develop your creative skills, you should focus on framing, lighting, and different ways of coloring pictures to improve creativity. A creative skill can help you and others stand out from the crowd.
04. Communication.
When you are trying to sell your images to various publishers, it is very important to have good verbal and written communication skills for a photographer. When you use your written skills, you can make very good query letters and drafts to make publishers choose you over others.
Using good verbal communication skills will help you link with other photographers, which will help you share your knowledge with them and get some information from them. It will also help you to discuss when you are discussing with your potential buyers.
How Much Is Nature Photographer Salary?
Nature photographers can earn very well if they know their skills worth. According to a report, the average salary of a photographer is $42,000 per year. Whether you work as a freelancer or sell your photos to different publishers will determine how you will make money.
Your academic education, creative skills, expertise, and experience, may influence how much you earn. Being a photographer is a very flexible job because you know when you have to work and when you can spend time where you want to.
People Also Ask
01. What’s the best camera to capture nature photographs?
My recommendation for the best camera to use for nature photography is the Nikon D850. Even though this camera is best suited for wildlife photography, it can also take stunning landscape photos.
02. How can I work as a freelance nature photographer?
As a freelance nature photographer, there are multiple ways to make a living. You can create your profile on various platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Fiver, and, most commonly, Upwork. Some other websites can also provide work, but if you are going for the first time, it is better to focus on a few. As a first step, I suggest that you focus on Upwork.
Final words
The field of photography is very broad, but working in nature photography can be very interesting for those who understand what they are doing. It is a field where you learn something new daily. As a result of focusing on your previous work, you will be able to acquire new skills.
While it is true that you can earn well if you have good skills, it is also true that only some firms will ask you about your qualifications in your field, which will have an impact on how much money you will make.
You can still make much more than you think, even if you do not have a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Few people can handle this job, as it requires creative skills and passion. We hope this guide is helpful to be a nature photographer.