Scotland Photography Tips
The great pleasure of photography, especially in Scotland, is that you never stop learning. There are so many techniques, hints, and tips, that it would be almost impossible to know all there is to know. Perhaps this is what makes Photography in Scotland such a wonderful hobby. The Scottish outdoors is a perfect place to hone these skills and really learn a lot about photography and your camera.
First, reading the camera manual helps. It is actually quite astonishing how many people don’t ever read their camera manuals. Particularly with modern digital cameras, many people seem content to use the various AUTO functions and little else. While camera manuals can be hard to read at times, they are your first step towards taking better Scottish photographs. The more you understand how your camera works, the more it will work for you. Head to your local cafe, buy a pot of tea, or coffee, and struggke through it the manual. One day you will be very glad that you did!
For the most part, everyone is using digital cameras these days. Provided you have sufficient space on your memory card, don’t think twice about shooting the same thing 3 or 4 times. Be sure to play with aperture settings and shutter speeds because this is really where your photography skills will start to expand.
Whenever possible, do the majority of your Scottish photography early in the morning or late in the day. Any mid-afternoon haze will have a negative effect on most photographs, so be sure to rise early!
Only taking photographs in the early morning or late at night in Scotland sounds great, but obviously this isn’t always possible. For those days when the haze is strong or the sun is extremely bright, a polarizer is a must. Many photographers use a polarizer in almost all situations, but relying on it won't make you a better photographer. Polarizers are relatively inexpensive and work to turn a tepid blue sky into a deep, rich blue. Much of what is done in a computer with Photoshop can be avoided with a good polarizer. To see just how much a polarizer can affect a photograph, hold one up to the sky at 45 degress and lightly rotate it with your fingers. The results are visible immediately.
While photographing beautiful Scottish Lochs and Mountains is wonderful, small objects can also be very worthwhile. Don’t be afraid to get on your knees to get the perfect shot of a Scottish Bluebell or a Scottish Thistle. With the proper aperture setting, these pictures of Scotland can be absolutely outstanding, so don’t be unwilling to step off the trail once in a while! Bear in mind that the aperture settings for plants are a lot different than those for a Scottish Loch or Scottish mountain, so be sure to make the appropriate adjustments to your camera.
Elements:
The Landscape of Scotland.
In a book filled with breathtaking images, Craig McMaster has
captured the essence of Scotland's wild landscape. From Rannoch
Moor and Glencoe to Ardnamurchan, Torridon, Glen Affric, Arran,
Iona and beyond, Craig explores towering mountains, secluded
coves, enigmatic stone circles, dramatic skies and hidden lakes.
Scotland:
The Wild Places.
This latest collection of panoramic photographs by award-winning
photographer Colin Prior celebrates the breathtaking scenery
of Scotland's wildland areas. It follows the longstanding success
of his earlier book Highland Wilderness. Whereas Highland Wilderness
focused on the issues involved in conserving the Highlands,
this time Prior presents a mature reflection on the space and
silence of those wild places, a salutory reminder to people
that even in today's world such places do exist. His remarkable
images encourage stewardship of the Highlands by inspiration
rather than rhetoric.
The
Most Beautiful Villages of Scotland.
A collection of lavish photographs celebrates some of Scotland's
most scenic glens and lochs, in a tribute that features such
subjects as the picturesque fishing village of Auchmithie, the
Edinburgh-surrounded community of Dean Village, and the island
port-village of Tobermory on Mull.
