Although beauty may be in the eye of the person looking at something , but there are still encompassing aspects that differentiate between nature pictures and fine art nature photography.
First of all, In the first place, the photographer interested in producing art must accept the reality that hundreds of pictures will need to be taken for each one that is a piece of fine art . Often times , there is precious little a photographer can do when the subject matter is organic and unpredictable beyond using lots of patience and quick reflexes . The first thing to remember in fine art nature photography then is the ability to catch a natural moment. Any photographer can take a pictures of sleeping lions or a storm pelting a reservoir , but it's the patient and focused photographer who can immortalize the airborne moment before a pounce , or the very first ripples as the rain falls on water.
Another important part of creating fine art nature photography is to be sure one has the proper equipment for the job . A tripod, for example, is imperative if you're taking photos in nature not only for shot consistency , but to keep movement of the photographer to a minimum so the environment is not disturbed . The right lens for the particular style of photography is also important , because a 300/4 lens will create different effects than a 20mm wide angle lens .
Lighting is another aspect that carves canyons between fine art nature photography and pictures you took quickly on a zoo trip. There's a lot of natural light, and it's the best, but only if it's not midday sun that is harsh. A photographer should not just be familiar with a source of light, but also be able to control it. Using things like reflective foils, white boards, and umbrellas may not be necessary for all nature photography depending on your time of shooting and the landscape you're shooting. Again , you need to know what equipment is needed and what you don't need to get the desired effects .
As mentioned , beauty depends on the person looking at something , but practices and techniques used will be seen in photos that can be called "fine art." If the goal is to produce fine art nature photography, one must be patient, ready , must know the needed and unneeded equipment , and last of all , must master the techniques of lighting used to get the effect desired . The rest is up to nature and chance .
