The Photographers Guide to Hiking

It is summer time here in the Pacific Northwest, and that means the sun is out, the days are nice and long, and the mountain flowers are erupting into their full bloom. Its time to strap on those hiking boots, top off the water bottles and head out. But, because we are photographers, we are ~~cursed~~ blessed with the responsibility to make the absolute best image possible at these amazingly beautiful places where we are hiking.

We photographers strive to have the highest quality image that’s possible. This means we have to lug our heavy camera equipment up to the top of the mountain because we don’t want to take snapshot with our phones. Normal people can go to these places and snap a selfie with their iPhone’s and be perfectly happy, but we are photographers who demand the very best image quality possible.

When To Go Hiking

Knowing when to go hiking is just as important as where to go hiking. As the seasons change, so do the pictures that can be made there. The image of the fire lookout above is covered in feet of snow in the winter months. I would need snow shoes to get up there.

Does the trail explode with color during the spring when the wildflowers are blooming?
Is it better to hike the trail in the morning or the evening?
Perhaps the mountain gets obscured by the shadow of another mountain in the evenings so it needs to be photographed in the morning.
Are there deciduous trees that change into beautiful reds, yellows, and orange during the autumn?
Is the trail covered in feet of snow during the winter or spring?
Could you snow shoe the trail if it does have snow?

These are all examples of questions a good photographer will need to ask themselves if they want to come away with amazing landscape pictures instead of just snap shots that most other people take.

Because the best lighting is always during the Golden Hour (Sunrise, Sunset), it might mean you need to be at the destination of your hike to capture images of the place in the best light. This might mean you need to wake up hours and hours before sunrise in order to have enough time to get to the trail head and hike to the destination just as the sun begins to rise. Most people will just be getting out of bed around this time, but not us photographers. We wake up when its still dark to get that amazing picture with the perfect light. This is just part of the photographers curse.

Another option is to camp at or near your destination the night before so you are already there when the good light happens. This is our camp site from last summer on top of a mountain that looks directly at Mount Adams in Washington state.

MtAdamsCamping-1336 — A million dollar view right outside my tent. Mount Adams, Washington.

When I go hiking, I want to pack as light as possible. Its heavy enough bringing water, a lunch, and maybe an adult beverage or two ? to enjoy at our destination. Now add a heavy camera, several lenses, a tripod, and whatever other photography accessories you want to bring. It can get heavy fast.

The Tripod

Check out the Recommended Tripods to see what the best backpacking tripods are.

Every landscape photographer needs a good solid tripod. It is critical to hold your camera completely still while taking any sort of exposure slower than 1/60th of a second. Especially if you want to capture those spectacular milky way photos.

Carbon Fiber Tripod – A carbon fiber tripod is the lightest, yet can be one of the most expensive. But, if you plan on doing a lot of hiking and traveling with your tripod, it is worth the extra cost to get one that’s light weight.

Aluminum Tripod – Aluminum Tripods are less expensive, but they weigh more than the carbon fiber ones. Not ideal for hauling up a steep trail, but its not the end of the world. Lots of photographers have aluminum tripods.

The Camera Bag

When you are covering many miles on a hike, a bad backpack can make your shoulders and back incredibly sore. You can just use your basic camera bag, but those are not meant to be worn for hours at a time, especially the messenger-type ones. They put all of the weight onto just one shoulder, which will leave you with a sore crooked back at the end of a long day.

What I Look For In A Hiking Camera Bag

Waist Support and Chest Straps – When I go hiking, it can last anywhere from several hours to several days. The camera must be comfortable to wear for an extended amount of time or else my shoulders and spine will be hurting in no time. A waist strap is essential take the weight of the pack off of your shoulders and transfers it to your hips. Waist straps are extremely important when I am choosing a camera bag for hiking or traveling.
Rain Cover – Stormy weather makes for some amazing images, but it also means you can get drenched in a downpour. You want to keep your expensive camera equipment nice and dry. A good hiking camera bag should have a rain cover included or built in that can pull out when it starts to rain, and tuck away for when the sun returns.
Tripod Holder – A tripod is critical when I am shooting landscape photography. Having a place to strap my tripod to the outside of my bag is essential. I don’t want to have a second strap hanging around my neck to hold my tripod. Having everything strapped to one bag is much more comfortable and convenient.
Airplane Carry-on Acceptable – Any bag I get needs to be able to fit into the overhead bin on airplanes. I am not just buying a bag for hiking, I am getting a bag for all of my travels.
Easy Access – The backpack needs to have easy-convenient pockets and pouches to access my gear. The last thing I want to be doing is digging through my bag looking for my camera when a squirrel, elk, or Bigfoot comes cruising down the trail. I need to be able to get to my gear quickly before he slips back into the brush and forever remains a mythical creature.
Water Bottle holder/bladder – A good camera bag will also have a place to carry a water bottle. When I don’t have enough water my head starts to hurt, I get cranky and I don’t want to be taking pictures anymore. Bring enough water so you can focus on your photography and not on how much you hurt because you are dehydrated.
Lots of Pockets – I can never have enough pockets, it seems there is always something small to tuck away in a pocket; GPS, batteries, memory cards, maps, phone, etc.
Lots of Clips and Loops – Sometimes I will want to carry an extra pair of shoes, or a water bottle, or a small camera accessory. Straps to clip things to are super helpful. A carabiner comes in handy for clipping things to your bag.

Recommended Bags

Mindshift Backlight 26L – This is the bag I personally use and I love it. It is large enough to carry 2 camera bodies, a 400mm lens, several other lenses, a 13″ macbook Pro, a tripod, and have plenty of room for a jacket and a lunch.

Mindshift Rotation 180 – This is another excellent Mindshift bag. It has a compartment that pulls out from the side so you can easily access your camera gear, and quickly stuff it back away inside the bag.

MindShift Rotation 180Â° Panorama – Another variation of the Mindshift Rotation. This one is a little smaller and less expensive than its larger brother.

F-Stop Tilopa Camera Bag – The Tilopa is a very durable hiking camera bag suitable for day hikes or multi day hikes. The F-stop bags use an internal camera modular system so you will need to buy the internal compartments. But most people I have spoken to that own F-Stop bags love them.

Lowepro Photo Sport BP 300 AW II – A pretty nice bag from Lowepro. I have used Lowepro bags for several years and they have proved to be durrable and reliable.

The Camera

Depending on what camera gear you bring, it can make a big difference in how tired you are when you finally reach the top of the mountain. This is one of the major reasons people choose the smaller, lighter mirrorless cameras over the heavy DSLR. Mirrorless cameras are quickly becoming the system of choice for many people. They are lighter, smaller and very capable.

Lenses

Camera lenses are heavy, there is no way to deny that. Try to limit the number of lenses you bring because the weight adds up quickly. I have taken lenses many times that I never even take out of the bag. My wide angle lens and my medium telephoto lens (24-105mm) are the two lenses that seem to never leave my camera. I have longer telephoto lenses that I would love to bring with me, but they are large and heavy. Not ideal when hiking up a mountain.

Take as few lenses as possible. The fewer lenses you have, the fewer times you will be changing your lenses creating the opportunity for dust to get inside your camera and onto the sensor. It seems like when I have lots of gear with me, I never seem to have the correct lens on my camera. So leave that extra gear at home and make due with what you have. You will spend more time in the moment and come away with better images.

I Always Bring:

Wide Angle Lens – (16-35mm, 10-22mm, etc.) To get those large landscape shots and be able to include the foreground and the sky in one shot. Keep in mind that wide angle mountains make the background look tiny and the foreground look large.
Medium Telephoto Lens – (24-70mm, 24-105mm, etc.) To get close to that far-off landscape or make that mountain look larger in the frame.

I Might Bring:

Super Telephoto Lens – (70-200mm, 100-400mm) If I am going someplace with lots of wildlife, I will bring a super telephoto lens to get up close to the animals.
Fast Lens – I might bring a fast f2.8, or f1.4 lens to take night photos of the stars. When out hiking in the back country, the sky is absolutely mesmerizing, twinkling with millions of little diamonds. A fast lens allows more light into the lens so you so you can capture those milky way photos nice and sharp.
Macro Lens – Hiking trails are lined with all sorts of neat, little plant and animal species. Anything from flowers, bugs, to mushrooms, and more can make for a great photo. A macro lens helps zoom to get these tiny subjects nice and large on your sensor.

Camera Accessories

Cleaning Cloth/Lens Wipes – Its dirty out there, you are bound to get a drop of water, a smudge, dust, or anything else on your lens. Sure you can try to remove any spots in post, but it is so much easier to just pull out a cleaning cloth and give it a wipe. It takes just a moment, but it will save you lots of time later on. A cleaning cloth also takes up almost no room in your camera bag. You might as well pack a few just in case it gets really dirty out there. You never know! For instance, when shooting waterfalls. You can get lots of water droplets on your front element. If you just have one cloth it can get soaked and leave streaks all over the glass. So bring plenty extras lens wipes.

Lens Hood – It’s easy to forget the lens hood at home, but it is extremely helpful in the right conditions. First of all, the lens hood will help keep water drops off your front element. A lens hood also helps protect the lens from being damaged in case it gets knocked into a tree or a rock. The lens hood also cuts the glare of the sun shining on your front element. When the sun shines on your lens, it can cause a lens flare and glare in your image. The glare lowers the contrast and creates a washed out look.

Filters – Lens Filters allow you to change the look of your images in a way that most people would otherwise not be able to create.

WaterfallHunting-7196 — A Neutral Density Filter allowed me to capture an exposure several seconds long to give the water that silky smooth look. Without a filter, the image would be overexposed.

When I go hiking I bring a 10-stop Neutral Density Filter. It allows you to take a long exposure in bright sunlight without overexposing the image. The 10-stop ND blocks 10 stops of light. It is almost impossible to see through with the naked eye.
A 6-stop Neutral Density Filter will do the same thing as the 10-stop ND filter, but a 6-stop just blocks a little less light than the 10-stop. This is for when you want to use a longer exposure, but not as long as the 10-stop would require.
A Graduated Neutral Density Filter is used for darkening a bright sky but not the foreground. When the sky is darkened, it equals out the exposures of the foreground and the sky so you can capture the details of both in the same shot. Otherwise the sky could easily get blown out.
Polarizer Filter – Every landscape photographer will have a polarizer filter in their bag. A polarizer is used to remove glare from reflective surfaces like a lake or remove the glare from wet rocks and leaves to improve the contrast and saturation.

Peak Design Pro Clip – I love this thing. I used to be an R-Strap user, but I got tired of having my camera constantly swinging around on my side and brushing against trees and rocks as I walked past. And if I ever needed to use both of my hands to climb up a cliff, the camera would swing around getting in my way while rubbing against dirt and rocks.

But the Peak Design clip is a small metal plate that clips onto any type of strap or belt, and allows your camera to quickly disconnect and reconnect to your body so you can securely put your camera away when you need both hands. And unlike the R-Strap, the Peak Design Clip keeps the camera secure exactly where you placed it. No flopping around when you walk. It has really changed how I carry my camera and the way I shoot. I am much more nimble when moving around, and it’s great.

Extra Batteries – Make sure you pack extra batteries. You don’t want to run out of power and still have to lug the camera around, but not be able to take any pictures.

Extra Memory Cards – For the same reason as the batteries. You don’t want to fill up your memory card and not be able to take any more pictures. You still have to carry the weight of the camera, but won’t be able to use it. You might as well be carrying around a big rock.

Non-Photography Hiking Gadgets

Forest Pass – Many hiking trails require you have a forest pass to park your car at the trail head. Make sure you have what you need before heading out.

Headlamp/Flashlight – It gets dark out on those trails. Always bring a flashlight with you when hiking. You never know what will happen out there and you might have to spend the night in the forest. Its better to have a light and not need it rather than need a flashlight and not have one.

Water Filter – The water flowing down the side of a mountain may look clean, but you never know what dead animal might be laying in the water just upstream. The water can pickup microscopic bacteria and cause you to get sick if you drink it. That is where these water filters can save the day. You use them like a straw to suck the water up, and it filters out bacteria and parasites so the water is safe to drink. As an added tip, you can wrap duct tape or parachute cord around the filter as a convenient place to store them. Duct tape (not the whole roll), and parachord are also excellent things to bring backpacking.

Handheld GPS – Invest in a quality GPS. I will never rely on my phone to be my only GPS unit. The battery of a smart phone does not last very long and you will be up a creek without a paddle. Just make sure you get a high sensitivity GPS unit so it wont lose signal when you are under foliage or in a steep canyon. I recommend the Garmin eTrex 20X GPS.

Paper Maps – For when technology will eventually fail us, you can always find the trail the old fashion way. A paper map will never run out of power and turn blank. When it is your life on the line, I wouldn’t chance it by relying on something that will eventually run out of power.

Compass – A map is only handy if you know what way you are walking. Get a small compass that you can use to show you what way is North.

Multi-tool – It seems there is always something that needs to be tightened, loosened, cut, bent, sawed, pinched, etc. And a good multi-tool is the perfect tool for the job. They are small and extremely handy. Perfect for the hiking photographer.

Rope – When you are hiking in the back country looking for that hidden waterfall, you may encounter some steep and slippery terrain. Using a rope so you can safely walk down a steep slope can be handy. I’m not sure about you, but I personally don’t like slipping down a muddy hillside with all my camera gear.

Gloves – A good pair of gloves will help protect your hands when climbing down a hillside. This way you will be able to hold onto the rope, or be able to grab roots and branches without worrying about grabbing something pokey, bitey, stingy, slippery or anything else.

First Aid Kit – Anything can happen when you are wandering around a forest You can cut yourself, get bitten, get scratched on a tree branch, or just about anything else. At the very least, carry a band aid.

General Hiker Safety Tips

Always tell somebody where you are going and when you are planning on returning! This is the single most important safety tip. Tell somebody where you are going and when you will returning in case something happens and you don’t get back on time. this way somebody knows where you are just in case you get lost and need to be rescued.
Watch where you are stepping – Photographers have their cameras glued to their face and its easy to step into a hole or off a ledge when you’re not paying attention.
Keep away from the edges of cliffs – It often seems that the best pictures are from just past the edge of a cliff. Don’t be tempted to get right up next to that cliff for that shot. It is not worth your life. True Fact: more people die while taking selfies than get eaten by sharks. Don’t be a statistic.
Bring Extra Water – Stay hydrated. It is easy to get dehydrated when you are hiking and sweating.
Bring a Snack – You burn a lot of calories when hiking. Bring a lunch or a snack so you can keep on taking pictures and not be starving the entire time.
Dress in layers – It’s easy to shed a layer if you are getting a little warm or add a layer if you are starting to get cold. If you just bring one jacket, you only have one layer to shed. Just make are you have something warm to put on in case you get lost and need to spend the night in the woods.
Follow all signs/warnings – Some photographers seem to think that signs along the trail don’t apply to them. Some people trek into off limit areas leaving foot prints in extremely fragile areas. Just read the signs and follow the directions. Don’t ruin it for the rest of us.
Identify poisonous plants and animals – Lots of trails around the Pacific Northwest where I live have Poison Oak growing all over the place. Being able to identify poisonous and venomous plants and animals in your area can save you from getting seriously injured.
Don’t leave anything of value in your car – Trail heads are notorious for car break-ins. prowlers know that you will be gone for several hours while out hiking, and people often leave wallets, purses, electronics, etc in their cars and you are just asking to have them stolen. When you park your car, give a quick look around for any shady characters who seem to be watching you. They could be waiting for you to head up the trail and BAM, they smash your window and grab your gear and they’re gone in seconds.

Dog Mountain Hike — The trail up Dog Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington.

Hiking Resources

Facebook Hiking Groups – These groups are full of hiking enthusiasts who have hiked all over and are always willing to give you advice about a specific location. The groups are also great for finding new locations that you may have never heard of before.

Waterfalls Northwest – I often go hiking in search for different waterfalls that have not been photographed to death and Waterfalls NW is one of the most helpful websites when it comes to discovering and locating new waterfalls to visit.

National Park Maps – This site is a massive collection of all the maps to every National Park in the United States. It is an incredible resource that I use when planning a trip to any national park.

Hopefully by now you are ready to lace up your hiking boots and grab your gear to head up the trail. But, before you head out the door, if you liked this guide then Like our Facebook page to keep up to date when new photography articles get posted.

Now get out there! Go make some great photos.

Astrophotography With A Homemade Telescope From 1950

Recently a good friend of mine asked me if I wanted an old homemade Telescope that was in his parents garage gathering dust. They were getting rid of it because it has not been used for years and years and they needed the space. Without knowing much about the telescope, I responded “Heck yeah I want a telescope!” I have always looked up into the night sky and just be mesmerized by the beauty and mystery above.

An Interesting History

The telescope has a fairly interesting past. The telescope was home built around June 1950. T. H. Struck worked for an airplane manufacturer at the time, It appears that he used scrap pieces of airplane parts to assemble his Telescope.

Along with the telescope was a letter from a Mr. H.L. Freeman at a company called Telescopics in Los Angeles, California. It seems Mr. Struck sent in the Mirror to Telescopics to test the optical quality and apply a surface coating to protect the glass. This is an interesting read and gives you a glimpse into how business was done in the 1950’s before the convenience of modern communication.

Telescope-1 — Post Marked June 21, 1950. It only cost 6 cents to mail this letter.

I was unable to find any information about Telescopics, the company that Mr. Struck sent his mirror into be coated and inspected. I believe Telescopics was ran out of somebody’s garage because the address on the letter is for a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles just like how Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple Computers in a garage in Palo Alto, California in the 1976.

There is a spotting scope attached to the side of the telescope that helps you get the telescope pointed at the correct part of the sky. The spotting scope on the side has Japanese writing on it. I am not sure what this scope is originally for.

I will quote Mr. H.L. Freeman from the letter where he says the “Focal Length of the mirror is 29-3/4″ or F.7.” I will have to take his word on that.

What I Needed

Before I was able to connect my camera to the telescope, I needed to get a few things that would allow me to connect the two together. Because telescopes are not designed to be used with a camera, you need to get some special equipment to be able to mount the camera to the telescope and be able to focus through the eyepiece.

Telescope Focuser – The telescope originally had a brass tube that held the eyepiece in place. To focus the telescope, you just slid the eyepiece optic in and out inside the brass tube with your hand, and there were no locking set screws that would allow you to lock the optic in place. Now image trying to mount a heavy DSLR up there, there was NO possible way would you be able to focus using that originally eye piece. I needed a replacement.

T-Adapter > EOS Adapter Ring – This allowed me to connect the standard T-Adapter to a specific type of camera. Because I shoot Canon, I needed the adapter that was specifically for the Canon EOS system. There are also adapters that allow you to connect to the Nikon, Sony, Pentax, and probably every other system out there.

I was able to purchase a T-Adapter that had a Barlow lens included*

Barlow Lens – A Barlow lens is a special lens that slides down into the eyepiece and allows the camera to be able to focus on the tiny image coming through the eyepiece. A Barlow lens also doubled the magnification of the image. I was able to zoom in much further on objects in the sky, but it made for finding those objects more of a challenge.
T-Adapter – This is a special adapter that connects to your camera just like a lens. But instead of having a large lens, the T-Adapter looks like a funky tube that sticks straight out from the camera several inches. It is quite bizarre looking.

Eyepiece Extension Tube – I needed the extension tube because without it, the camera was not positioned at the correct location to properly focus the image. It was just a blur without the extension, but when I added the extension tube, I was suddenly able to see and photograph the universe in all its glory.

Mounting the Camera to the Telescope

You can see how far the camera sticks out away from the telescope. It is probably a good 8 inches away from the body of the telescope. Having a large DSLR that weighs several pounds can really throw off the balance of the telescope. I needed to adjust the balance and have the camera sticking nearly straight up when mounted otherwise the telescope would just constantly want to tilt down.

The eyepiece I bought off of amazon was made to fit onto the side of a cylinder, I needed to cut and grind the base of the eyepiece to fit against a flat surface. The eyepiece is made of plastic so this was fairly easy to modify.

It was an exercise in trial and error to figure out the correct combination of lenses, extension tubes, and focusing to finally get a in focus image. In the end, I still had to use tape to hold the Barlow lens onto its extension tube because I had to only thread it on a tiny bit for it to reach that sweet spot.

Now that I was able to focus the telescope, it was time for the fun part. I had to wait for a clear night to be able to take some pictures of the moon. April in Oregon is not a great time for clear skies. But there were a few chances where I was able to see the moon and planets.

I used the live view mode on my Canon 7D II to see what the telescope could see. It was a little tricky to focus because when i touched the little focusing dial, the telescope would just start vibrating like mad and make it hard to see what i was doing.

I had to use the Barlow lens which doubles the image magnification, and I also used a cropped sensor camera which again magnifies the image 1.6x. Because of this the camera could not fit the entire moon into a single frame. So I shot a series of images with the exact same settings of all the parts of the moon which was visible that night and merged them together in Photoshop into a composite. The resulting image is much larger that a single image off the camera. I could print a huge print with a image as large as this.

I had a blast getting this old dusty telescope back up and running like never before. I know Mr. Struck, the man who poured his heart and soul into this telescope. I couldn’t imagine the amount of thought and effort went into making this device. But I couldn’t stop thinking about what Mr. Struck would think if he knew I was here, 65 years in the future mounting a computer/camera to his baby to be able to take pictures through it. I bet he would be proud that somebody would take the time to appreciate his creation. I doubt this telescope has ever had a picture taken though it. And the image that Mr. Struck could only see, I can finally capture in a photograph thanks to modern cameras.

Imagine somebody 65 years from now finding something that you built. I can not think of too many things that I have created that somebody would be excited for two generations from now. Plus I am using the telescope in a way Mr. Struck couldn’t even have imagined 65 years ago. Here’s to you Mr. Struck, I would have never made these images if it were not for you.

Astro-5572-Edit-3 — Jupiter and his 4 moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) are anywhere from 365 million – 600 million miles away from earth. Most likely the furthest away object I have ever photographed.

Future plans updates to the telescope.

Take More Pictures – Because the night sky is always changing, I plan on taking lots more pictures as other planets and objects like comets and UFO’s to come into the sky where I can see them. I also need those clear summer nights to really get a good look, its still often cloudy here in Oregon in April.
Replace Tripod – The biggest problem with using this tripod is getting it to aim properly at the object you want to look at. And once that object moves out of the field of view, you have to reposition the telescope. But because their is so much slop and play in tripod that holds the telescope, it is easily the most frustrating thing about using this telescope.
Deep Cleaning – The telescope is pretty dirty. It has 65 years of grime, cobwebs, dust, and oxidation on it. This thing could use a good cleaning and possibly a paint job or special coating to spruce it up.
Protective Carrying Case – If there is one thing besides Photography that I really enjoy, its carpentry. So why not smash both of my favorite hobbies together to create some sort of carrying case to be able to transport and protect the delicate telescope.
Tracking Mount – I could get a tracking base that will automatically position the telescope in the correct orientation and track the objects as they move through the night sky. Tracking an object allows you to be able to take long exposures of those objects and you will start too see all the nebula’s, spiral galaxies, and whatever else is out there that is just outside the power of human eye. If I ever buy a new tripod for the telescope, I will definitely consider getting one that has a tracking mode.

How To Make Your Pictures More Interesting

We all are guilty of it, you may want people to think every picture you take is incredibly interesting but you are not kidding anybody. Everybody takes plenty of boring pictures. You see all these amazing pictures online on Facebook, 500px, Flickr, etc. and if you’re like me, you get inspired and want to create your own amazing shots just like the ones you see online.

One way you can add interest to your pictures is by understanding what and why the human brain thinks something is interesting. Then incorporate those traits into your compositions.

Look Around – When you first show up on a scene you want to shoot, before you even raise your camera to your eye, walk around and check out the area from every angle. Find the best possible composition before you start snapping pictures. Look for backgrounds that contrast the subject. Make sure there are not power lines hanging through your shot. Take the extra time to look around for that amazing perspective and don’t just stand with the rest of the tourists, and take the same old snapshot that everybody else does.
Leading Lines – Leading lines are the edges of objects that run towards the horizon. Leading lines can be anything from roads, rivers, trails, train tracks, branches, and anything else that has a line. A leading line gives the viewers eye something to follow through the frame. You can subconsciously tell the viewer where to look in the picture by using leading lines. Place the main subject of your picture at the end of the leading line and you will guide the viewers eye towards that subject. The picture will be easier to understand and it will be more comfortable to the viewer. Look for those lines next time you are out shooting
Vanishing Point – Vanishing points are one of the first thing you learn when you take an intro drawing class. A vanishing point is a point on the horizon where your leading lines may point. If you take a picture looking down a long railroad track, eventually it will look like the rails touch each other. This is the vanishing point where those lines meet. Composing your shot so you are looking towards a vanishing point will make your pictures more interesting.
Find the Light – Learn how to see the light, see how it shines through the trees, how it bounces off of buildings and Windows, how the light can fill a scene and give it a beautiful warm feeling. Yeah is the light you want to find, and incorporate into your pictures. When most people travel to someplace new, they walk around during the day visiting landmarks when the light is at its worst. The sun is directly overhead casting dark shadows all over everything. It is during those kind of lighting conditions is when your camera has the most difficulty capturing the full dynamic range of the scene. In other words, the camera can’t see into the bright highlights of the scene and the dark shadows at the same time. Either one will be overexposed, or the shadows will be underexposed. Instead, go scout around for those locations during the day that you want to photograph, and come back later in the evening or early in the morning to create your picture in that beautiful golden hour light.
Have a Main Subject – Try to incorporate an object in your picture that the viewers eye will repeatedly come back to. Something like a building, a person, an animal, a mountain, just anything. The viewer will feel much more comfortable when viewing your picture if they can take their eye back to the main subject to rest for a moment. If you have no main subject, the viewers eye will search aimlessly around the picture looking for something else to focus on. This is a great time to practice the rules of composition, Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, Image Balance, etc. Place a building in the
The Vista House in the Columbia River Gorge glows like a torch from the setting sun.
Remove Distractions – Try to get into the habit of looking at the background, the foreground, and scanning the edges of the frame for any distractions. Look for objects that come into the frame, any bright spots will show up in the background and cause the viewers eye to get distracted. When trees, poles, or power lines are positioned behind the head of a person, it will look like they have wires coming out of their head. Instead, step a foot to the side to change the background slightly. Try to keep the clean as possible. When the image of clutter and distraction, the viewer will get confused and ultimately not like the image as much.
Bad Weather – There is no such thing as bad weather. Rainy storm clouds, snow storms, hail, and fog can make for some of the most interesting photos. If anything, the worst weather to take pictures in is on a bright sunny day with blue skies and not a cloud in the sky. Those days in my opinion are the worst conditions to take pictures in. If you’re out taking pictures in the rain, it gives a whole new look and feel to your picture. The rain makes everything it touches more saturated and reflective causing lights to bounce off of every surface in a different way than it would if it were just dry. If you are shooting street photography, the rain makes the people act differently than they would if it were a clear day. Someone might be running from their car into a building, people will be holding umbrellas, A sudden wind gust can make a person scream and if you are paying attention you can capture that look on their face as The rain blows into their face causing them to squint. The same goes for snow and all other types of foul weather. Fog will give any seen a ominous somewhat creepy feeling. The viewer can almost feel The chill in the air when looking at the picture. It is the photographers job to capture the feeling of the scene and convey it to the viewer. And the nasty weather can be amazingly interesting to have in your image.
Tell a story – It is easy to make a pretty picture. It is much harder to tell a story with a single image. For as long as people have walked the earth, they always had a love for storytelling. It is only just recently in human history have we had the ability to tell stories by other means, movies, TV shows, video games, etc. but going back thousands and thousands of years before that people only had their words to entertain and educate others. So photos that can convey a story to the viewer appeal to the most basic reptilian corner of the human brain and people love stories. As a photographer, it is your duty to try to communicate a story with your image to the beer videographers have it easy, they can use hundred and thousands of images to communicate A story to their viewers. But photographers only have that one image use it wisely. Street photography is a great place to practice telling a story with a single image. You may see someone walking down the street in a brightly colored suit, and another person might be looking at that person in the bright sued with a funny look on their face. If you snap a picture of that exchange, you would be telling the story of this interesting person that draws everybody’s attention in the area. Capturing peoples eyes helps to communicate peoples emotions and thought processes. They say the eyes are the gateway to the soul, and it is absolutely true.

The Human Element – Incorporating people into your picture is a great way to add interest to your image. People are fascinated with walking other people, you can go to the heart of any city and sit there for hours just watching all the different people going about their daily lives right in front of you. Adding people into your pictures helps the viewers brain understand what is going on in the picture, gives them the ability to relate to the subject, tells a story about the person in the frame, shows how large or how small your subject is. And holds the viewers attention for longer. This is why street photography is so powerful and emotional, if there were no people in the street photography you would just have boring pictures of streets and sidewalks and buildings, it is the people that brings the image alive. If there is one thing you can do to give your image more impact and make it more interesting, it would be to incorporate people.
This image incorporates several elements to add interest to the picture. 1. The human element is used to allow the viewer to relate to the image. 2. The man is doing something, he is combing the beach looking for treasures from the sea. 3. The man is in the center of the image (breaking the rule of thirds)

Fill the Frame – Get close to your subject, Fill the frame as much as you can with your subject. With wildlife, you can get a shot of that bald eagle take from hundreds of feet away but the eagle will just be a small dot in your picture, or you can get as close as possible and as tight as you can to get a picture of the eagle filling the entire shot. You will be able to see all the little details of the bird, it’s feathers, it’s eyes, etc. the result will be an image that is incredible to look at and causes an emotional reaction in the viewer.
A Different Perspective – Try to find a different way to see your subject. This may sound similar to the first hint tip I shared but this is a little different. Is there any water puddles or a lake nearby? If so then find where your subject is reflecting in the water and take a picture from that perspective. Don’t just keep your camera at 5 feet in the air where 99% of the other pictures out there are taking that, be different and move your camera all around, higher, lower, all over the place. Find small little details and showcase those. Most people will just stand in one spot and take The exact same picture as 1000 photographers before them, and another thousand photographers after. That does not mean you have to shoot the same picture as everybody else. Be different, see different, Think Different. You are your own creative individual person, stand out from the crowd and create something that no one has ever seen or done before. This is how you get noticed. If you take the exact same picture as everybody else, you’ll just get lost in the crowd. Be original, be yourself.

There you have it, those are some my top tips for adding interest to your photos. There are more things you can do, But you are going to have to figure them out for yourself. That is all what being an artist is all about, somebody could give you the paint and the brushes but it is up to you to create something beautiful. If somebody else told you what to draw, paint, carve, photograph, build, than is it really art?

Let me know what your tips are, head on over to the Photo Lowdown Facebook page and let me hear from you.

How To Take Pictures of Silky Smooth Waterfalls

Waterfalls are an amazing sight to see. Pristine waters flow down the river through the forest only to plunge over a cliff in a torrent of raging water and a deafening rumble. I am fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest, when I go hiking pretty much any where in the forest, its a good chance a waterfall is not far away. I always bring a camera with me to photograph these beautiful water features in the forest. Anyone can just take a picture of the waterfall, but if you really want to capture the feeling of that waterfall, this guide will teach you how to create beautiful pictures of waterfalls that you would be proud to hang on your wall.

When To Go

The best time to visit a waterfall depends on all sorts of things. For some waterfalls, the best time go to see them might be when the rivers are flowing their their hardest. But some waterfalls might grow so large that they are dangerous to visit during heavy rainfalls. It varies from waterfall to waterfall. You will just have to research it for your local waterfalls. Here is a great site if you are in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. WaterfallsNorthwest.com

Depending on your climate, the best time might be early winter, all the way through late spring. When the rain starts to fall, the rivers fill up and those waterfalls grow large again. Another good time is when the snow pack starts to melt, and the rivers channel all that snow melt over the waterfalls. Some waterfalls flow year round, while other waterfalls completely dry up in the summer, only to return to life when the water starts to flow.

What you need

Of course you don’t need all the items listed below. But all of these things that I use to assist in creating beautiful pictures of waterfalls. But the only things you truly need when photographing waterfalls is a camera, and a waterfall. :p

Tripod -You want to keep your camera dead still. To achieve that silky flowing water look, you will need to shoot an exposure 1 second or longer, and any movement the camera makes will cause image blur.
Wide angle lens – When I am shooting waterfalls, I like to get up close to the falls. Because you are so close, it can be difficult to capture the whole falls in a single shot. A Wide angle lens helps you achieve this. But if you can only get within eye sight of the waterfall, a longer focal length will get you closer to the waterfall. try to have the waterfall as big as possible in the picture. Fill that frame.
Neutral density Filter – In order to get that silky looking water, you need to keep your shutter open for a few seconds, but the picture will be over exposed if you let in that much light. A Neutral Density “ND” filter cuts the amount of light entering the camera. Think of a neutral density filter as sunglasses for your camera. You wear Sunglasses on bright sunny days to cut the amount of light entering your eyes. Its exactly the same with a camera and an ND filter.
Polarizing Filter – Whenever I am shooting water, I always like to have a Polarizing Filter on my lens. A polarizer helps to reduce the glare on the surface of the water and any wet surfaces. The colors seem to pop more, and you see more detail below the surface of the water.
A Map and Compass – Waterfalls are often deep in the woods or off the beaten path. It is easy to get turned around and get lost in the wilderness. Make sure you have a compass and a map with you when your in the backwoods. Also tell somebody where you are going to be in case you do not get back on time. Play it safe.

Settings

Exposure Mode – Because you want to use a specific shutter speed, you will need to either be in Shutter Priority or Manual Mode. I personally like to use Manual Mode because I have complete over the exposure. I don’t want the camera to think I want to use an aperture of f4 in one shot, and f22 in the next. You are just at the mercy of the camera when you are in using shutter priority.
Exposure Length – If you want that silky smooth looking water, you need to use a shutter speed of 1 second or more. But if you just want to give it a slight blur, 1/30th of a second will cause a slight blur. But if you want to freeze the water in place, A shutter speed of 1/250th or higher is required. Pick whichever style you like more.
Aperture – I will usually start with an aperture of f11 to f16 to begin with. But if I forgot to pack my ND filter, I will close down that aperture all the way to f22 or as high as it will go. This will enable me to use a long shutter speed without overexposing the shot.
ISO – Use a low ISO. I set mine to ISO 100 because that gives me the cleanest picture and allows me to use a longer shutter speed because ISO 100 takes in less light than ISO 200 or higher.
Histogram – turn on the histogram to make sure you do not clip those highlights. If the image is over exposed, the histogram will show lines pushed all the way up to the right.

Protect Your Camera Gear

It is wet at the bottom of waterfalls! You and your camera will get soaked if you are close enough. You will dry out, but you can destroy your camera if you get water on it. Many cameras come with a weather sealing but that can still leak and soak the camera.

A protective rain cover for your camera will keep your camera dry and safe away from water. Think of it as a rain jacket for your camera. You can read more about keeping your camera dry HERE: Shooting Great Photos in the Rain.

A Lens Hood will help keep water drops off the front of the lens. Those little water drops can ruin your beautiful waterfall photo. They can be removed later in Photoshop, but it can be very time consuming to do it during post processing.

Use a Lens Cloth to keep the front of the lens clear of water drops. Bring several of them, depending on how wet it is, you can saturate your lens cloth in no time. A wet lens cloth just smudges water around the glass. And constantly be wiping that the front element with that cloth. Water mist is floating around all throughout the air at the base of waterfalls and will land on your camera lens immediately.

Protect Yourself – Make sure you keep yourself dry. It is no fun to be out taking pictures while you are completely soaked and cold. Get a good rain jacket, rain pants, rain boots, and gloves. Keep dry and you can be out there for hours without slowing down. Check out the Recommended Gear section to see the very best gear to keep you and your gear warm and dry.

Composition

Waterfalls are big, it can be difficult to get a good composition of them. Use these tips below to get the very best shot possible of those amazing waterfalls.

Make sure the waterfall is falling straight down. You can use a bubble level to make sure your camera is level to the horizon.
A foreground object can help balance the image and lead the viewers eye into the image. Something like a boulder in the water works great for this.
Leading lines will also draw the viewers eye into the image. the waters edge as it flows down stream or a branch works great as leading lines.
Shoot a panorama – because these waterfalls are so big, you might need to take multiple pictures to be able to capture the entire thing. You can shoot a vertical or horizontal panorama no problem, You can later easily stitch these pictures together in Lightroom or Photoshop. When shooting a panorama, it is important that you take all those pictures with the exact same settings so the lighting conditions do not change from image to image resulting in a funky panorama. Just make sure you shoot plenty of pictures for the panorama. include more of the surrounding rock than you think you need. It might come in handy later.
Don’t be afraid to get into the water. The best composition might be from the middle of the creek. You can sure bet no other photographers where you are at are going to wade into the water to get that shot. You can stand out from the crowd by having an original composition of an often shot location.
The best spot might not be up close to the waterfall. People will show up and get all the way up to the edge of a viewing platform to take their picture. Instead, get back, maybe way back to find an original composition. Check out the Recommended Gear section to see a list of the best boots to keep you dry when wading into the water. Just be careful, don’t slip on the wet rocks or wade into water that is too deep.
Having people in your shot will create interest in the foreground, a connection to the image, and give a sense of scale and may make the waterfall look all that much larger.

There you have it, use these things you learned above and go out and create some of the best waterfalls you have ever taken. If you want more great photography tips like these, make sure you Like Photo Lowdown on Facebook. I post over there all of the time about all things Photography.

How To Shoot Amazing Pictures In The Rain Without Soaking Your Gear

When most people hear the weather forecast calls for rain, they want stay inside. The last thing those people would do is take a camera out into the rain and go take some pictures. Those people are called “Fair weather photographers.” The type of photographer that only comes out when the sky is blue and the sun is shining bright. It’s funny, because pictures taken in those conditions look the worst and are boring and uninspired. The pictures that are taken during the middle of a thunderstorm, or just after a large rain storm passed through are the ones that capture something unique that catches the viewers attention and stands above the rest of those snap shots.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, and around here it rains for 9 months of the year. That is not an exaggeration. So much rain, that if I stayed inside instead of going out and taking pictures, I would not be taking pictures for most of the year. I am not a Fair-Weather Photographer, a little rain does not slow me down, as long as you take some precautions to protect your dear, you can get some amazing pictures when it is raining.

When the Sun is out, so are the people. Go to any National Park on a warm summer day, and you will be stuck in traffic nearly everywhere you go. But when the rain starts to fall, the people hunker down and stay home. Perfect to get to those popular locations and not be stuck in the crowd.

Rain photographs can be some of the most atmospheric and moving pictures out there. wet surfaces are a lot more saturated and vibrant than a dry surface would look. Most people stay inside when it rains, but next time there is a downpour grab your camera and head out to see what you can create. Just going out to take pictures in the rain will separate you from all those Fair weather photographers.

Living in such a rainy state also has its benefits; Oregon is incredibly green and lush. Giant waterfalls cascade over granite and basalt canyon walls all over the state. Evergreen forests cover much of the state. Our rivers and streams are some of the cleanest in the world. All of these things help create amazing photos. On the other hand, its always raining. Some people can handle living in such a wet climate better than others. I have grown up here and I am used to it, but lots of people are not used to it.

Protect Your Gear

Camera rain cover – The most important thing you need to do is to protect your camera gear. Electronics and water do not mix so you need to take extra precaution to make sure your expensive camera if protected from the rain. Just as there are rain jackets for people, there are also rain jackets for your camera and camera bag. There are rain covers available in all price ranges, you can get a disposable plastic rain cover for just a few bucks, or you can get on that costs over $100. The disposable plastic rain covers take up no room inside your camera bag, so I like to have an extra one in the bottom of my camera bag for that rainy day, no pun intended.

I also have a non-disposable rain cover that I got from Amazon for about $15. LINK This rain cover takes up more room in my camera bag, but it is much more durable. If you do not have a rain cover and you find yourself trying to take pictures during a rainstorm, you can use a plastic bag as a rain cover, just cut a hole for the lens for poke through and you’re ready to rock. A disposable shower cap that you find in hotel rooms will also work. I wouldn’t recommending using a shower cap to be your full-time camera rain cover, but it can come in handy in a pinch.

An umbrella can also be a useful tool for taking pictures in the rain. It can be awkward to try to hold onto an umbrella and take pictures at the same time. To arms is just not enough for that, so you can either clamp the umbrella to the tripod, or you can stick the handle of the umbrella between your backpack and your back to hold it over your head. Once you are under the umbrella, you are very well protected from the raindrops.

Protect yourself

Protecting the camera is only half the equation. You must also protect yourself from the elements. Nothing is worse than being out taking pictures, and being so physically uncomfortable that you just want to leave. You will not capture any good pictures this way, and you might even just get sick. A person must take care of their basic needs before they are able to learn or create anything. These basic needs are food comfort clothing shelter bananas

Get yourself a good waterproof rain jacket with taped seams. If the seams are not taped water will seep through the seams and get you all wet underneath your rain jacket. One of my old rain jackets did this and I immediately threw it out and got myself a waterproof Columbia rain coat.

Depending on how hard it is raining, or how windy it is. You might also want to get yourself a good pair of waterproof rain pants. The pants are made out of polyurethane and a water cannot penetrate it and he went inside.

Rubber boots will enable you to walk through shallow streams and puddles with confidence, but if you’re going any place cold, consider getting an insulated pair of rain boots. Bog rain boots are some of my favorite. They are warm, waterproof, and comfortable.

Mood

Photographs shot in the rain have a completely different look and feel than if it was shot on a clear day. The lighting is more even and diffused. The colors are deeper and pop when its wet out. The wet streets and puddles reflect lights and colors. The clouds are dark and dramatic. The overall feel of the photo becomes much more moody.

Camera Settings

when those dark gloomy rain clouds rolling in, it can get a lot darker out then if the bright sun was out.

Shoot in Shutter Priority – 1/60th of a second is a good starting point. This speeds allows you to capture the raindrops with a slight blur so you could see that the rain is falling. Shooting any faster will freeze the raindrop and you won’t have that falling raindrop feel/look.
If you use too slow of a shutter speed, the raindrops will disappear altogether. The splashing water drops will also give the ground a cloudy look.
The lighting is usually dimmer when the dark rain clouds roll in so don’t hesitate to bump up that ISO.

Rain can be A tricky subject to take pictures of. When the rain is lit from the frot, it can be difficult to see the raindrops especially against a white background.

Use back lighting or side lighting to make the rain drops glow and A dark background will help the raindrops appear even better.

When I photograph in the rain, the first thing I do if I walk around and look for a good background. Next I will try to find someplace where I can get out of the rain if at all possible. If there is not a awning or covered area for me to set up my camera, I will break out the rain cover and maybe even an umbrella to keep the rain off of my expensive camera equipment.

Next I will set up my camera and wait for that perfect subject to come walking through my frame. You never know what is going to come into the frame, but sometimes the planets align and you get an amazing shot. A little Old lady might come walking by carrying a grocery bag, or somebody on a bike might ride through. You will need to be patient because that is what it takes for you to be there when that amazing shot happens. If you’re impatient, chances are you will just get a mediocre snapshot and not that one amazing picture.

A lens hood will help keep the raindrops off of the front element of your lens. The large front elements seem to attract raindrops immediately once you take the lens cap off

Rain Drop Splash Black and White — I opted to not use a polarizer on this picture so the rain drops would be more visible. A polarizer filter would make the bottom of the puddle be visible and distract from the rain drops.

Tips

Be on the lookout for reflections on wet surfaces and in water puddles.
Use sidelight or back lighting to make the raindrops pop.
Use a lens hood, they will help keep those rain drops off your lens. Those little water droplets can ruin a great image.
Have plenty of microfiber cloths with you to wipe off the lens.
Use a polarizer to reduce the glare on wet surfaces and make the colors pop.
Keep extra camera batteries close to your body, it can get cold when its raining and this will drain your camera battery.
Immediately dry the camera once you get out of the rain. Don’t let the water sit in the camera for too long. Water is amazingly good at seeping into those places you don’t want it to seep.
Pay extra attention to make sure your camera is focusing on intended subject and not the water drops. The camera may want to focus on the falling raindrops instead of what you’re really trying to focus on

Now that you have a game plan of how to protect your camera and yourself during the next downpour get out there and take some amazing pictures in the foul weather. Once you get out there you’ll realize there’s a whole new world of photos waiting for you to find.

The Photography Gift Guide

Do you have a special photographer in your life that you want to get something special for this holiday season? Is that special photographer especially difficult to shop for? You want to get them something that they would really like but the problem is they already have everything they already want. This can be difficult, because if you are like me, you are picky about your photography gear, and you already buy everything you need already. It can be hard to shop for a person like that, my wife says that I am hard to shop for.

Well look no further, here we have created a comprehensive list of the best things to get for that person in your life that loves photography with something to fit within all budgets.

$10-$100

Photography Apps (iPhone, android) – there are some incredible photography related apps available for iPhone, and android. Some of the most useful Apps that I use are ones that help you plan where the sun and moon are going to rise, edit your photos on the go

Rocket Blower – no matter how clean you try to be, or how quick can you change your lenses, You’re going to get dust and gunk in and on your camera. It rocket blower is one the most useful and essential items have in my camera bag. Every photographer needs to have a blower of some sort to blow the dust off the front element of their lens, or any dust that gets inside the camera onto the sensor. There are other blowers available, but the rocket blower if my personal favorite.

Micro Fiber Lens Cloth – an absolute must for any photographer. I always try to have a few extra microfiber cloths in my camera bag with me at all times. You may be a clean person, but the front element of your lens will still get dirty and dusty. Get The photographer in your life a pack of 10 of microfiber cloth. That way they can just throw them in all their camera bags, have one in the car, where you store your gear, and you can even lose a few and still have some left over.

Velcro – Velcro might sound like a lame gift, but Velcro is extremely handy to have around. I have Velcro stuck to several pieces of my photography gear. I have a strip stuck to one of my tripod legs that I use to attach my intervalometer remote to so it’s not just dangling below the tripod. I have strips of Velcro wrapped around the ends of charging cables, USB cables, and others so I can stick them to a strip when its not being used to charge something. But I never have to look for the right cable when I need to charge something, its right where I stuck it. I don’t have time to go searching around for my cables.

Trigger trap – The trigger trap is a fun accessory that allows you to create all sorts of timelapse videos. It is extremely capable and useful, and it does not cost very much. The Trigger Trap is a little dongle that plugs in your camera, and the other and plug it into your smart phone and you control your camera from your phone. Instead of using a cheap dumb Intervalometer to record a timelapse, you can use your incredibly smart cell phone to control the trigger trap. Because you are using your phone to be the brains of the trigger trap, it enables you to have all sorts of different functions like star trails, motion sensing, sound sensing, lightning sensing, etc. The trigger trap packs a lot of function into such a small/inexpensive dongle.

Platypod Pro – The plot a pod is a small plate that a ball head for a tripod connects to and lets you mount your camera on to. It is basically a tripod that will fit in your pocket. This way you can go someplace and not have to lug your large tripod with you, or go someplace that does not allow tripods altogether. Places like churches, concerts, observation decks, temples, etc. But you will still be able to use your Platypod and get a rock solid shot because you can still bring it inside. You will be able to get a shot that nobody else there will be able to.

Smart Phone Lenses – The camera on your smart phone is getting better and better with every new version of the phone that comes out. But they are still somewhat limited. You can buy small little lens adapters that flight over the corner of your phone over the camera that will alter the image. You can get a wide angle lens, a fish eye lens, and a telephoto lens. These nifty little adapters allow you to have more flexibility and creativity with your smart phone camera. And they fit in the palm of your hand or your pocket.

Photography books – Its easy today to just look at the millions of pictures people are taking, but we wouldn’t be where we are today without the hard work put in by the pioneers of photography. There are so many amazing books that show the work of the greats before Instagram, before Facebook, before digital cameras all together. The masters of photography had so much knowledge of their craft that anybody can learn something from them. I like to have a bookshelf full of various photography books to inspire me when I am in a creative block.

Multi-tool – Everybody needs a good multi-tool. How often do you come across something that needs to be pinched, bent, cut, pulled, twisted, tightened, loosened, and any other verb you can think of. Photographers come across these things especially often. It seems like you always need to tighten something on your tripod, or the plate to the bottom of your camera is loose, or a bolt gets stuck that you can’t loosen by hand. A good multi tool is something that every photographer needs in their bag.

Gift Cards – Gift cards may not take much thought, but they are practical. Consider getting one to your local camera store, or an online lens rental company.

Warm gloves -When you are out there taking pictures before the sun comes up, or long after the sun has set. It can get really cold out there. Every ~~photographer~~ person needs a good pair of gloves. Consider getting a pair that has places where your finger tips can pop out so you can have better control of your camera. But if you don’t want those, at least get the ones that work with touch screen devices. They will have a different material sewed onto the tip of some of the fingers.

Cold Weather Thermal clothing – Every photographer also needs some good cold weather thermal clothing to wear under their jacket, and pants. Photography is all about being patient waiting for the light to get just right. But this can mean waiting in subfreezing temperatures for an extended amount of time waiting for the light to change. If you are not creating any body heat by moving, it can get cold fast. A good pair of thermal long underwear can make all the difference. If you are not focusing on how cold you are, or heading back the the car, you can instead focus on your photography and ultimately create better pictures.

Fast memory card reader – I say it all the time, you can never have enough memory cards. Cameras are getting higher megapixel counts with every new generation, and that means your old 8gb memory cards will no longer be able to store as many pictures it once could when you were shooting on your old camera. This is why a photographer can never have enough memory cards. I try to have atleast 64gb with me whenever I go out shooting, but usually its more.

Camera clothing – If you know somebody who loves photography so much, that they have to express it every way possible. How about getting them some photography related t-shirts. Perfect for the person that’s a photographer and they want you to know it.

Fancy New Camera strap – Lets face it, the straps that come with cameras are pretty lame. They are uncomfortable, touristy, and are a large advertisement for the camera you are shooting. There are all sorts of different types of camera straps you can get instead. Or skip the strap all together, and get a hand grip or a clip type connector.

Peak Design Capture Pro Camera Clip – This little camera clip is great for attaching your camera to any strap on your backpack, or on your belt. Even a pair of suspenders if you feel so inclined. It is an aluminum clip that pinches a strap or belt so it holds it in place. Your camera then connects via an Arca-Swiss plate to the Peak Design plate. I find it great for active situations like hiking or biking where you don’t want your camera tucked away in a bag, or swinging on a camera strap.

Good Flashlight – How many times have you dropped something in the dark when you are out taking pictures at night. Only to grasp into the dark attempting to find what you dropped Or you cant find that item in the bottom of your camera bag that you are looking for. A good small flashlight is essential for every photographer. I keep this one in my camera bag because it is bright, small, takes AAA battery (I use rechargeable)

Headlamp with Red Mode – Every photographer needs a good headlamp. When you watch the sunset from the top of a mountain, it means its dark when you hiking out. And photographers usually have camera gear with them so they hands are often full. Get a good headlamp and you wont have to worry about carrying a flashlight, it is strapped to your head so it points exactly where you are looking. I suggest you get a headlamp that has a RED light mode. The red light allows you to see but not lose your night vision. It is the same reason that photography dark rooms have a red light in them. The red lights did not ruin the developing film, but you could still in the red light.

Rechargeable Batteries and a Charger – chances are, if you if that special photographer that you know is is like me, they probably have all sorts of different electronic devices that all require batteries. Instead of buying those jumbo packs of disposable AA and AAA batteries, instead invest a little bit more money in a quality set of rechargeable batteries and a charger. The batteries cost a little more upfront, but they will soon pay for themselves because he will not to be buying a box of batteries every few months.

Paper Maps – If you are like me, than you often head out into the wilderness to find those secluded waterfalls, or alpine lakes. Your smart phone will get you most of the way there, but at a certain point you lose service and you are unable to load the maps or the battery dies. Your “smart” phone is suddenly a paperweight and you are stuck up a creek (No pun intended). But a paper map never runs out of power, a map never loses service and becomes useless. Just because we live in a high tech society, it doesn’t always mean the high tech way is the best way.

$100-$250

A Large Print (Paper, Metal, Canvas) – That special photographer in your life spends so much of their free time taking these amazing pictures only to post them to Facebook and that’s it. Do them the honor and purchase a large print of one of their best photos either for yourself, or for themselves. It might cost a little bit, but when you see your image printed large. It is truly breathtaking. Metal and canvas prints are especially cool. I print most of my prints on metal.

Tripod – A good tripod is something that will take your photography to another level. It allows you to create shots that would be impossible to create shooting hand held. Every photographer needs a solid tripod. If you know a photographer who does not own a tripod, get them one! To learn more about how to choose the correct tripod for you, check out the Photo Lowdown Guide To Choosing a Tripod HERE.

Photoshop + Lightroom Creative Cloud – $9.99/Month – Adobe Lightroom is an absolute must for any photographer. Lightroom allows me to edit my pictures to make them shine. The taking picture part of photography is only half the battle, the real magic happens during post processing. There are all sorts of different programs you can use to process your pictures, but few can hold a match to Lightroom. Lightroom also helps me manage the many tens of thousands of pictures I shoot every year.

Photography training – there are all sorts of different photography training resources available on the Internet, if you know a person that wants to learn more about photography or how to use their camera, consider getting them some online photography training from places like Lynda.com, or CreativeLive.com. (not affiliate links, just good resources)

$250-$1000

A GoPro Camera – The GoPro is best the best selling action camera on the market today, and for good reason. The GoPro is a durable HD camera that you can take with you to those places you wouldn’t dare bring your expensive camera. Because the go Pro is so popular, there are an endless supply of accessories to trick out your go Pro camera. I think the most accessory kit for your GoPro is the waterproof housing. This allows you to go underwater to capture a whole new world of pictures that just a few years back required all sorts of expensive waterproof gear. Some of the other accessories available our head mount to strap the camera to your head, dog mounts, to strap the camera to your pooch, suction cup mount, clip on mounts, and basically anything else you could attach it to you.

Travel Someplace New – Nothing inspires a person to take pictures more than traveling to an exotic new location. This can be a getaway weekend to a new city, to the beach, across the country, or even to the other side of the planet. When a person sees the same scenery day after day, they begin to have “blinders” to the beauty that surrounds them. But when a person travels to someplace new, they experience all sorts of new things, and if they’re like me, they get to really inspired to photograph all those cool new things. Treating a person to a trip is one of the best gift you can get that special photographer in your life.

$1,000+

A New Camera – Maybe that special somebody has been shooting the same old camera for years and years. Chances are they are reaching the limits of that camera. A good camera will not automatically make you a better photographer, but it sure doesn’t hurt your ability to create amazing pictures! Check out the Photo Lowdown Recommended Gear section to see what cameras are the best out there.

Lenses – nothing shows a person how much you care about them more than a new camera lens! If they only have the kit lens that came with their camera, consider getting them a wide angle lens. If you don’t want to get the wide-angle lens, consider a telephoto lens, or a super telephoto lens. Check out the Photo lowdown recommended gear section to see what lenses I recommend.

A New Computer – In the era of the digital photographer, a camera is only half of the equation. A photographer needs a reliable powerful computer these days.

Workshop – A photography workshop is an incredible way to learn photography. You get to learn in a small classroom like situation and a better instructor can give you one on one help with anything you’re struggling with. A photography workshop can run anywhere from a few hundred dollars all the way up to thousands of dollars. It all depends on where it is and who is leading the workshop.

These are only some of the great gifts a photographer would love to receive, these gifts may not be for everyone but I sure would be happy to receive any of them.

I want to know what photography related gear you gave or received this holiday season. Head on over to the Photo lowdown Facebook page and leave a comment. I hope you have a happy holiday and a happy new year. See you next year!

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