Nature photography

Nature photography is a wide range of photography taken outdoors and devoted to displaying natural
elements such as landscapes, wildlife, plants, and close-ups of natural scenes and textures. Nature
photography tends to put a stronger emphasis on the aesthetic value of the photo than other photography
genres, such as photojournalism and documentary photography. [1]
"Nature photography" overlaps the fields of -- and is sometimes considered an overarching category
including -- "wildlife photography," "landscape photography," and "garden photography".[1]
Nature photographs are published in scientific, travel and cultural magazines such as National Geographic
Magazine, National Wildlife Magazine and Audubon Magazine or other more specific magazines such as
Outdoor Photographer and Nature's Best Photography. Well known nature photographers include Ansel
Adams, Eliot Porter, Frans Lanting, Galen Rowell, and Art Wolfe.

Wildlife photography is all about capturing animals in their natural habitats. The animals are often
photographed in action, such as eating, fighting, or in flight,. Alternatively, more static portraits may
be used to show detail of the animal or to depict it in its environment. Captive or controlled animals
are often photographed instead of true wild specimens, although it is arguable as to whether this
constitutes true wildlife photography.
The world's largest photography organisations, the Photographic Society of America, the Fédération
Internationale de l'Art Photographique and the Royal Photographic Society have agreed on a
definition for nature and wildlife photography that will be applied to photography competitions.[2]
The techniques of wildlife photography differ greatly from those used in landscape photography. For
example, in wildlife photography wide apertures are used to achieve a fast shutter speed, freeze the
subject's motion, and blur the backgrounds, while landscape photographers prefer small apertures.
Wildlife is also usually shot with long telephoto lenses from a great distance; the use of such
telephoto lenses frequently necessitates the use of a tripod (since the longer the lens, the harder it
[3]
is to handhold). Many wildlife photographers use blinds or camouflage.

Macro and texture[edit]

The macro photography article explains close-up photography in general; however, this is also a
type of nature photography. While common macro subjects – bees, dragonflies, and so on – could
be described as wildlife, their world also makes for good photography.
Many photographers record images of the texture in a stone, tree bark, leaf, or any of other small
scenes. Many of these images are abstract. Tiny plants and mushrooms are also popular subjects.
Close-up nature photography doesn't always need a true macro lens; however, the scenes here are
small enough that they're generally considered different from regular landscapes.

Use of color[edit]
Color images are not a requirement of nature photography. Ansel Adams is famous for his
black-and-white depictions of nature, while Galen Rowell praised Fujifilm Velvia film for its bright,
saturated colors, asking "Who wants to take dull pictures that will last a hundred years?"[4] Both
men distinguish between photography as an expressive art form and sensitometry; an accurate
reproduction is not necessary.

Ethics[edit]
A number of ethical concerns and debates surround the creation of nature photography. Common
issues involve the potential of stress or harm to wildlife[5], the potential of photographers
overrunning and destroying natural areas, the use of game farms, and veracity and manipulation in
photography. Also the information posted by photographers on social media of the location of
endangered species leads to poachers using this information to hunt these animals[6].
 Natural sources are popular places for nature photography. Lahemaa National Park in Estonia.

Landscape photograph circa. 1873–83

Nature photography includes images from both large and small subjects. Photo of a beetle using focal length
of 60 mm and a shutter speed of 1/320 second

Black-and-white landscape photograph by Ansel Adams