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Filming in nature can be unpredictable. Between the weather, animals and terrain, you never know what you might get. It can be exciting and overwhelming which can lead to mistakes. No one wants to miss out on the one in a lifetime opportunity to record something or forgetting to record something have no way of getting back to your original spot. So to make sure this doesn’t happen, there are some things you should always keep in mind.

Bring back up cameras or a way to charge your battery. This may seem like common sense as you know you will be gone for a while. But it is super important as I suggest you keep the camera rolling. If you see something, such as an animal, they are not going to wait around for you to get out your camera and press record. Always be ready for something to happen.

Getting different shots also may seem like common sense but you can miss out on so much detail. Giving context to your location and surroundings is a big plus when filming nature. Do not only get a close up of a plant or creek but get surroundings, close-ups, wide shots and whatever you can think of. You can even get creative and shoot from the perspective of different things. What would a bird see or a little critter? It’s possible to add so much dynamic just from different angles.

Another important note is to think about the story. It is super easy to record a bunch of different things and slap them all together, but what does that tell? To do this, film something interesting to watch. Then show things interacting with it, the surroundings, etc. It will make your videos more engaging to watch.

Always be mindful of your surroundings. Not just for filming but for traveling and setting up as well. Weather can change in a flash, which can be dangerous. As well as be mindful with the wildlife, do not do anything that can alter the habitat you are visiting. It’s great to want to capture and share something you are excited about but keep it that way for others too! Have you ever recorded something in the wild that you didn’t expect to catch?

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iPhones have become a part of everyday life in today’s day and age. What most people don’t know is that their iPhone has a top-notch camera attached to the back of it! The camera on iPhones are very crisp and are great starter cameras for beginners. There are many modes that iPhones can shoot with, and it’s up to you to decide which one fits what you’re shooting. A few examples on the iPhone are time lapses, portrait mode, and square mode. 

One of the more recent features added to the iPhone camera app is the portrait mode. The portrait mode is good to use when you need the audience to view only the subject in your shot. If you’re encountering the problem of focus in your shot, portrait mode on the iPhone is a fantastic way to help remedy this. The mode will blur out the surroundings, and entirely focus on the subject of the shot. 

iPhones can take multiple types of videos, and two of the most unknown and criminally underused ones is time-lapse and slo-mo. The time-lapse feature on the iPhone camera can be used when you want to show something quickly moving and/or changing over time. While slo-mo does the opposite of that. If you want to take a video of something like the clouds moving, perhaps a timelapse is more appropriate than just regular video. If you encounter the problem of your video being boring and or basic, using the time-lapse feature on the iPhone is a great way to make your video unique. 

If you cannot afford good video and photo equipment, iPhones have good editing software built-in. In your iPhone photos app, you can edit your photos and videos without downloading any additional software. You can put filters on your shots, and make them really look good. If you encounter the problem of not being able to afford editing software, iPhones have good entry-level editing software built-in. 

Another bonus that iPhones come with is the ability to download lots of apps. If you don’t have access to a computer, then you don’t have access to top-notch editing software like photoshop. On the app store on the iPhone, there are countless apps that help you edit pictures, some of which are even free! Some good examples are Facetune, PicsArt, and even social media apps like Instagram and Snapchat have editing capabilities. 

What is your favorite app on your phone to edit pictures with?

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There are countless of editing software available. It might be a pain to figure out which ones are worth the money, if free ones get the job done, and which ones are easy for beginners to pick up. Well look no further, I’ll give you a variety of editing software I’ve personally used or ones I’ve seen recommended. Then it’s your job to see which one best fits you for your personal use.

If you’re like me, you started googling free editing software to get begin. With no luck, you found none that are worth your time. Most people will push iMovie aside or forget it even exists since it’s only associated with Apple products. If you have a Mac, look no further. iMovie is a beginner-friendly software that can do a lot of what a professional software can. You can even download it on your phone for on-the-go edits straight from your camera roll. It is a very practical software that is available readily available and is definitely worth checking out.

If you’re looking for more advanced software, I highly recommend Adobe Premiere Pro. Adobe Premiere is part of Creative Cloud, which comes with a lot of software you probably have heard of such as Photoshop or After Effects. You can get a one week trial to test it out, and furthermore, students get a 60% discount, making it $20 a month. But, you can get it for even cheaper, or free! If you go to cancel your subscription it will give you the option to stay subscribed for $16. And if you unsubscribe, you can use the same email over and over again to subscribe every week, it’s pretty simple to get the whole package for free! Adobe Premiere is what I used for years and I’m still learning a lot of tricks you can do with it. It is worth it if you want to take your editing job seriously.

If you like iMovie but want more, Final Cut Pro is a great choice. It is also made by Apple, so if you are familiar with iMovie and their other products, it is not that challenging to get the hang of it. And if you are tired of me talking about Apple products, Android has some great options too. Kinemaster is a very beginner-friendly software available on Androids that is fairly cheap as well. The last software I have to recommend is DaVinci Resolve. You will be surprised by how much the free version has to offer, it has nearly all the features that an expensive software has.

It all comes down to preference and what you want and expect to do with your videos. From simply putting clips together to making videos that look straight out of Hollywood. I’ve given you my thoughts on what I think are the best editing software. I would love to hear which one you plan on using or if you want to recommend any you prefer in the comments.

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A timelapse video is one of the best and most creative ways to capture a scene, but shooting a good looking one can be challenging. When thinking about the best way to capture a scene, think if the setting and subject work with time-lapse videography. Not everything will come across well in a timelapse video, such as anything stationary. In order to shoot a timelapse video, you really only need a tripod or something to hold your camera steady, a camera even as simple as an iPhone, a good scene to shoot, and some time!

When questioning which method of videography is the most effective in displaying a scene effectively, one must keep a few things in mind. The most important of which being, is the subject/scene able to be put in a timelapse video? If you are shooting a scene of traffic moving throughout the day, then that is a fantastic choice for a timelapse video. If you are shooting a scene of a sky on a cloudless day, that may not be a good choice for a timelapse, since it will be hard to see movement. 

In order to shoot a timelapse video, you really only need a few things. The most important thing aside from your camera is a good tripod or something to keep your camera steady. A tripod is a very good option in order to keep your recording device secure, and you can find them for decently cheap at places like Amazon. Your camera is another important feature when creating a timelapse. iPhones now have the capability of shooting video in a timelapse mode, if you scroll the whole way over to the left in the camera app. Other than that, you are in good shape to shoot!

When shooting your timelapse video, you have to keep a few things in mind. Firstly, you need to gauge about how much time you plan to record for. Keep in mind that the time that you record for will amount in significantly less time in your timelapse. You have to judge how quickly your scene is changing, and that will result in the amount of time you need to record for. For example, if you’re recording a scene of traffic moving on a busy road, you will need to record for less time than if you were recording something decomposing since the traffic scene moves significantly faster than the decomposition. 

One of the most important aspects in creating a good timelapse is making sure the shot you have captured is visually appealing. Editing your video in something like Adobe is a good idea after shooting. Making sure that the video looks the way you want it to is essential in making a good time-lapse video. For outdoor time-lapses, making sure to edit the shot in order to account for how the lighting looks is important. If it’s a cloudy day you might want to brighten the shot up, but if it’s very sunny you might have to dull it down. Check out my second vlog to see an example of time-lapses!

Do you have any special techniques or tricks you use in order to shoot good timelapse videos? 

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When taking pictures as a photographer, it is sometimes very difficult to get your audience to look where you want them to look. There are many things that you can do as the picture taker in order to ensure that the audience sees the picture the way that you want them to see it. Keeping your audience focused on what you want the picture to illustrate is very important as a photographer, and there are a few tips I can give you in order to help ensure that your audience stays focused on the subject of the photo.

One easy way that you can ensure that the audience is focused on what you deem the subject of the photo is by blurring out the surroundings of your photo. By blurring out everything else in the photo, the audience is almost forced to look where you indirectly force them to. One way to do this is through a portrait mode that some cameras have, and even the iPhone has. Using a portrait mode helps establish the subject of a photo, and helps solve the problem of lack of focus in your pictures. 

Keeping the subject of your photo central is imperative in order to make sure your audience is focused on it. If the subject of your photo is a person, then it is likely a good idea to place him/her in the center of the photo. The center will naturally be the place everyone looks first, and by placing your subject there it will help the picture be more focused. By placing your subject in the middle, you can help remedy the problem of your audience not looking where you want them to look. 

Reducing the clutter in your photos is essential in keeping your photos focused. By having too much going on in one photo, the viewer can easily become overwhelmed and lose focus on the main idea of the photo. Make sure when taking a photo that you address the amount of clutter in the picture, and make sure there isn’t too much. By doing this, you can help address the issue of lack of focus in your pictures. 

Using angles in your pictures is very important in the aspect of focus. Having the entire photo angled at the subject of your picture is important. For example, if you have a person who is standing in a forest, having him angled at a way that makes the trees look like they’re angled towards him can help improve the focus of the picture. This ensures the audience will look where you want them to look at- the subject. 

What do you find to be the best way to make the focal point of your pictures stand out?

Most of the time shooting video or photography at night will leave you with a blurry dark mess. While newer iPhones have a great camera that can adjust to the night and give you a clear shot, most can not. iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max all have a night setting called night mode you can turn on at the top left. If you’re stuck with an older camera, I will give you some tricks on getting a better shot.

The iPhone camera will lower the shutter speed which allows more light to enter, giving you more light in the scene. This means it will actually take longer to take the photo or capture the light when filming, not by which you will notice with the naked eye. When shooting at night you need to keep the camera extra still. Any motion will make it look like a blur. This is where a tripod will come in hand!

You can always change the lighting to look better in the edit, but did you know you can do it before you even press record? With the camera app open, swipe up and down and you will notice it getting lighter and darker. The trick here is to make it look natural on the screen before you start recording. This means move it up or down so the blackness doesn’t look grainy anymore. Once it looks like how you see it in real life, press record! It will come out more natural-looking.

If you want to get really creative, use the darkness and light to frame your videos! For example, if there is only one center light source during the night, the outer edges will look black. Put your subject in the middle and it can come across as a natural border which brings more attention to your subject. Another popular trick is to create a silhouette. This is done by having one light source behind your subject. This can be easily down with lighting on the street.

Shooting at nighttime doesn’t have to be a headache. It can cause you to think outside the box for even cooler shots you wouldn’t have thought about before. Use it to your advantage next time. What are some ways unique ways you use nighttime to your advantage?

If you shoot nature shots frequently enough, it’s a very safe bet that you will encounter something that many photographers and videographers fear; rain. Rain can be challenging to work around, but if you learn how to incorporate it into your shots and make them look better, I’ll give you some tips to work around the rain and to help you deal with the darkness that comes with the rain, along with making the moodiness of the weather compliment your shot even further. 

An obvious problem you will run into when shooting in the rain is the rain. The rain can get you and your equipment wet, which can ruin your shoot. Make sure to check the forecast before going shooting always so that you are not caught off guard by the weather. When you know it’s going to rain, bring rain gear for yourself and always bring rain gear for your camera, to prevent water damage. 

One of the main challenges people face when shooting in the rain in the lack of light. Usually, when it’s raining, there is not a ton of natural light since it’s likely cloudy. The low light from the clouds leads to your pictures being more even and soft. The light that comes from rain leads to your shots being moodier, and incorporating that into your shots is imperative when shooting in the rain. 

When managing the low amounts of light in rain shots, having a source of light is important in your shots. For example, if you’re shooting the scene of the street, having the street lights on and central in the shot is a good idea. This allows for the contrast between the darkness of the rain, and the brightness of the light. Having light in a rain shot is important so that the shot isn’t too dark, and having a light in the shot can help you avoid facing the problem of not having enough light. 

Rain can sometimes drown out vibrant color, whether it’s through the actual water or the lack of lighting. In order to combat this issue, you can bring artificial lighting with you to shooting, and something as simple as an umbrella to limit the amount of rain in the shot. Even bringing these two simple things to a shoot can really help manage the amount of darkness and rain in the shot, and help your shot not get entirely washed out by darkness. 

What is your favorite aspect of rain shots?

As with the other three seasons, the fall time comes with its challenges and beauties while shooting. The fall season is perhaps the most popular season for filming, due to the gorgeous selection of colors found during the time of year. Autumn presents the challenge of managing these colors, and making them pop. There are lots of things that you should keep in mind while shooting during Autumn.

During the fall, fog and moisture can be a big issue while shooting. The moisture can lead to your lens getting foggy and can lead to your shots looking washed out. In order to prevent this issue, give your camera ample time to adjust to the temperature outside. By leaving it in the car, it has time to adjust to the temperature outside as your car returns to the natural temperature outside after running. This can help reduce fogginess on your lens.

Using fog and mist in your shots can be very difficult to manage. Fog and mist tend to soften and mute the strong colors present during fall. The fog present during the season can really help establish the atmosphere of your shot and make it look more mysterious and moody. Using the fog and mist can be challenging at first, practising using it enough can make your shots look moody and unique. 

Shooting during the fall can be overwhelming. Autumn is the most colorful time of year, and capturing the leaves in a way that is effective can be difficult. The most important thing you have to remember when shooting is the location. Shooting the leaves in a location that makes the scene pop can help your shots pop more, and make them seem more beautiful.

When shooting during the autumn season, generally sunlight does not play as big of a role as the other seasons. Trying to get your leaves to look colorful and good can be difficult. When deciding what lighting you want to use, usually when shooting leaves a cloudy day is your best bet. The overcast lighting really makes your shots look soft and even. The bright and saturated colors contrast nicely with the dull lighting of overcast. 

At what point in the fall do you like to take pictures of the leaves? At the peak of them changing, or before/after and why?

During the summertime, there are limitless possibilities as to what you could shoot. Shooting a beach scene, animals in nature, or even something as simple as leaves moving in the wind. But, like the other seasons summertime obviously presents its own challenges when shooting. 

When shooting during summer, taking care of your equipment is imperative. Cameras can overheat very easily in the sweltering heat of the season, and even a camera as simple as an iPhone can fall victim to this as well. Make sure to bring things to keep your equipment cool. Even leaving your camera in the car during the season can be devastating, since cars can be even hotter than the outside.

During the summer season, people look different. The heat can make people sweat, and not look their best. To ensure that people don’t look greasy and they look less sweaty, even doing something as simple as putting powder on their face can help maintain your subject’s face. Keeping your subject from looking sweaty is a challenge that you will face during the summertime due to the heat, and putting a little bit of powder on your subject can help combat this.

Shade during the summer is something that people seek out more than almost anything, other than water! While shooting, you should do the exact same. Looking for shade to put your camera in is important in order to control the amount of sun. If there is no shade, make it yourself! In order to control the amount of sunlight in your shots, filming in shade is very important during the season. 

When shooting on the beach, the most hazardous aspect can be the sea breeze. The sea breeze can mess up your shots easily. When shooting people, the wind can really mess up people’s hair and make them look frazzled. Bringing something as simple as an umbrella and blocking the wind with it can make your subject look better and less affected by the sea breeze.

What challenges do you find yourself facing while shooting in the summer?

During the springtime, there are many things that one could shoot during the season. Flowers are perhaps the most sought after and are the main focal point of the season. When shooting during the springtime, all of the vibrant colors can lead to shots being messy. There are many things you can do in order to make sure that your shots are as gorgeous as possible.

When shooting flowers, one of the most problematic things you can run into is the lighting of the shot. If you shoot on a sunny day, your shot will naturally have more contrast to it, so watch the forecast before you plan to shoot. On the opposite side of the spectrum, a cloudy day will lead to softer lighting, that is more even. Based on what you want your shot to look like, make sure to plan based on the weather.

The sun is one of the most polarizing things in a shot. The sun can really add to a shot, or it can completely ruin it. Too much sun can lead to your shot being too bright, and too little can lead to it being too dull. Placing the sun behind what you’re shooting can lead to your subject having a surreal glow, and helps ensure that the lighting of your shot isn’t either under or overwhelming. 

Shooting flowers can get repetitive and your shots can get boring after taking so many. Lots of photographers or videographers take shots of flowers during the springtime, so in order to make yours stand out, you can mist your flowers. Bring a bottle of water with you to shooting, and lightly mist the flowers that you’re shooting. The moisture on the flowers makes them look natural and helps ensure that your photos will stand out since the colors will be more vibrant due to the water.

If you think that your flower shots this spring are getting too repetitive and don’t stand out, there is a simple solution for that- shoot something else! During the springtime, everyone is usually so consumed with flowers that they forget about all the other amazing things to shoot during the season. Some ideas are budding trees, animals outside, and people enjoying the weather. 

What is your favorite thing to shoot during the Spring?