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Photography
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Martin Borg
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Foreword
I was about twenty years old when I held my first camera. At that time
photography was not a particular interest of mine; nor was nature. But
I do remember being fascinated by big, complex drawings as a child. I
would search these images for exciting details much the same way we let
our gaze wander across landscapes. I used to seek out illustrated books
on our large bookshelf at home and set myself up in a cozy nook to
browse at my leisure. Images captured my attention at an early age.
This spark of curiosity transferred directly into my discovery of
nature photography. I liked the search for exciting and interesting
environments and the calm of the creative process. A new world of
creating images opened for me, and it was perfect. Initially, the camera
was more important to me than my interest in nature. The photos that
I took fused with my actual experience of a placephotography and ex-
periencing nature quickly became one and the same for me.
Twenty years later, nothings changed. The images themselves hold
the attraction for me, but this attraction couldnt have been sustained
had it not been supported by a love of nature. On days when I dont have
the chance to take to the trail, and I have to resign myself to gazing out
my window, the desire to get outside and take photos swells, and plans
for future adventures quickly take shape. The temptation remains, and
always will: no photograph is better than the one Ill take tomorrow.
Martin Borg
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The Foundation
Our boots are what distinguish us as nature photographers. We use the
same equipment as other photographers, and even our basic conceptual
understanding is indistinguishable from other disciplines that deal with
imagesthose that require the use of cameras as well as those that dont.
The only thing that truly sets us apart is where we create our photographs.
As nature photographers were forced to make use of outdoor con-
ditionssuch as light, weather, and terrainand to accept the interplay
of these elements at various times of day. This makes our situation seem
more or less out of our hands; theres nothing we can do but work with
whats available to us and learn how to turn these conditions to our
advantage. These circumstances demand two indispensible traits: en-
thusiasm and creativity.
The Equipment
There are two items you must unquestionably have with you for any
photography foray: a camera and a tripod. Strictly speaking, anything else
is optional. If I were forced to choose only one or two other items, a
thermos and a couple of buttered rolls would be higher on my list than any
photographic accessory. As you develop your skills, its best to figure out
what equipment you need as you go along instead of purchasing things up
front that you may never use.
A modern digital camera is simple and practical, but the model, res-
olution, and additional capabilities are completely dependent on your
budget and your ambition. When deciding what type of camera to buy,
consider your goals. Are you hoping to sell your images to a photo agency
or use your images for other commercial purposes? If so, youll need a
camera that can produce high-resolution images. Are you taking photos for
your own enjoyment? Then you can do with a less powerful machine. De-
vote some thought to your purpose and make your decisions accordingly.
Youll need at least three fixed focal length lenses: a wide-angle lens, a
normal lens, and a short or medium telephoto lens. Zoom lenses are also
practical and enable you to overcome many challenges. Lenses with a
macro function that make close-up photos possible also prove useful.
A tripod is essential, both to make the process easier and to facilitate
the use of long exposure times. And aside from this, using one will make
you look truly professional. Dont be tempted go for an inexpensiveand
likely shakymodel; look for one thats really stable and has a mount that
enables you to position your camera in any way you find useful.
Regarding filters, I have two recommendations above all: a polarizing
filter to deal with unwanted reflections and increase color saturation, and
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a graduated neutral density (ND) filter to tone down the contrast
between the sky and the rest of your image. Both filters should be used
sparingly.
Digital Polishing
Nature and landscape images cant be created in front of a computer
theyre produced on location in the natural world. Most digital editing
should be done with the goal of creating a final image that is as similar as
possible to reality. With that said, digital editing is not to be ignored; it is
an effective and precise tool for developing photographs with difficult
lighting or a broad range of color tones, for example.
Correcting the white balance (in other words, adjusting the color for
the lighting conditions during the exposure), adjusting the brightness
and color saturation, and cropping images can create fundamental
changes that are important for all photographs. The sky is often too
bright in landscape photos, a problem that can easily be fixed with the
careful application of a digital gray filter. Small adjustments to contrast
can give images their final polish.
Your general aim should be to make finished images as true to reality
as possible, unless, of course, youre working with truly creative and ex-
perimental photographs. In those cases, theres no reality to approx-
imate and no rules to heed.
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10
CHAPTER1
THOUGHTFUL PHOTOGRAPHY
Nature photography cant be rushed. With a little
technical know-how, some preparation, and a touch
of patience, youll be able to seize the right moment
when it arises. The trick is to know where to look.
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On the Lofoten archipelago, Norway
1 Up and at Em
To capture truly enthralling na-
ture and landscape images,
theres no avoiding it: youve got
to beat the sun out of bed. This
photo, for example, was taken in
the middle of the night, at
2:15a.m. (in Norway). Hard
though it may be, if you can shake
off your weaker self and pull
yourself from your warm bed, you
wont regret it. Morning twilight
brings out the best of the natural
worldearly morning fog, moon-
light reflecting on calm waters
and makes every landscape
shimmer in its fullest glory. Even
if it means missing out on a few
hours of sleep, it is well worth it
to get an early start to a day of
shooting.
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Stenshuvud National Park, Skne, southern Sweden
HBL 500 C/M,
150MM, F/8,
60 SEC.