Olympus Tips for Capturing our Nation's Parks
Breathtaking & Expansive Landscapes
When photographing landscapes, think about the horizon's position. The most interesting photos follow the "rule of thirds," which means always divide the subject into three sections. This can be done horizontally, vertically or diagonally. For a horizon, place it in the bottom third to capture the brilliant colors of a sunset sky, or place it in the top third to feature the park's breath-taking terrain.
Scale and Depth are key to showing the expansiveness of our nation's lakes, vistas, mountains or craters. For scale, use something that's size is commonly known, such as a person, car or animal that provides perspective against a vast scene. Additionally, to demonstrate depth, place something close to and far away from the camera. For example, place a person on both sides of a lake or ravine to show its true depth. The impact can be amazing!
Historic National Landmarks
One of the best ways to capture a landmark is to include people in it. It not only brings the photo to life, it brings life to the photo. Ask a friend to stand in Lincoln's boyhood doorway and take a step into history. Try adding an object to the foreground to enhance the perspective.
Tell Your Story
Use your images to tell a story. Take a wide-angle or panorama shot to establish the setting. (For a panorama, try shooting segments of the mountain rather than the whole mountain at once. Your camera or software may have the ability to stitch images into one impressive panorama.) Then, use your zoom to get close, providing details of a specific scene. This could include wildlife, people, an intricate rock formation or anything that tells the story of your adventure.
Native Wildlife
Taking wildlife photos requires patience and a powerful zoom. Animals move at will, so you must take time to examine your subject in its natural habitat before you snap your photo. Zooming in from far away helps you to easily change your composition and capture the shot without making distracting movements that could startle a majestic elk or lion. Don't forget to put your camera in the "action" mode! It's perfect for capturing the fast movements of wildlife, particularly birds. The action mode is also great if you're taking a shot from a moving car or while riding a bike.
Water, Water, Everywhere
Reflection shots are always interesting. Instead of taking a photo of the water, try taking a photo of the images reflecting in the water.
Weather & Lighting
Experiment with the weather. While images taken on a sunny day can be brilliant, try taking a picture on a cloudy or rainy day. The dramatic colors in the sky will add to your portfolio.
Get Close-Up
Use a long lens to capture the depth and variety of a hiking trail. You will be able to see the surrounding flora as well as the other amazing plant life. Hiking along a trail is also a great opportunity to capture macro or close-up shots of the natural beauty around you. A flower or fossil can be the perfect subject. Turn on the flash for a few images; that extra bit of light can really bring out the details!
Create a Series
Try creating a series of photos on the subject of the tent-shaped formations. With their differences in size, it is sure to be a compelling study of the remains of the volcanic formations.
