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Tips for taking photographs outside in the great outdoors with an SLR digital camera

Taking photographs outside can bring with it many challenges. For starters the time of day you take the photo can impact largely on the end result. Outdoor sunlight can often be very harsh. However there are tools such as exposure, spot metering, UV filters, polarizing filters and lens hoods to help you combat these problems. Thinking about the photographs composition is also important if you want to eliminate elements such as a dull sky.

Listed below are our top 5 tips for taking beautiful outdoor photo's.

1. Timing

The time of day is one of the most important aspects of taking a photograph. This is due to the suns rays playing havoc which makes taking a good photo close to impossible. The best times are in the morning just before the sun comes up and in the evening just as it goes down. At these times the light is warmer and you'll get much better results when it comes to color. During the middle of the day, the light is whiter which is why photographs taken at this time often look washed out with a white sky instead of a nice blue. Obviously this is a good tip for landscape photography. If you're taking a family photograph you're not going to get everyone up pre dawn for a photo shoot ;) Instead make sure the sun is behind you (as the photographer) or look for areas of coverage like tree's and buildings.

2. Exposure

If you must take photographs in the middle of the day, then I suggest playing with different exposure settings. If you keep your digital camera set on automatic, then you have no choice when it comes to exposure and you will find your photos look very underexposed or very light in color. Instead, set your camera to manual mode and try exposure bracketing (check your manual). What this does, is take 3 or more photographs of the same scene using different exposures. One light, one normal and one darker. Then you can view the images later and choose which one looks the best.

3. Learn how to use spot metering

If using different exposures doesn't give you the effect your after, then search through your digital cameras manual to see if it has spot metering. Spot metering allows you to tell your camera what part of the scene is important. The camera should then get that specific part of the photograph in correct exposure. Spot metering is useful if you have a group of people standing in the shade or facing away from the sun. The main subject, or in this case the group of people, will be perfectly exposed and not dark as they would have been if spot metering was not used.

4. UV filters, polarizing filters and lens hoods

SLR digital camera's have a range of hardware addons that help with the scorching outdoor sun. For example UV filters can filter out ultraviolet light, while a polarizer filters out some light that is polarized. This can help make a sky or ocean to look a deeper blue than it otherwise would have at that time of day. A lens hood that blocks out the sun is also a must have for all photographers. Some lens do come with them already, while others (especially the canon range) require you to purchase them separately.

5. Think about composition and photograph straight horizons

I can't count how many times I've taken a good photograph to find the horizon terribly uneven. Sure you can straighten a horizon with Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro. However framing the shot correctly in the first place will save you editing time once you get home. Furthermore if the sky looks dull or white in color instead of a deep blue, then think about eliminating it altogether before you take the photo. Taking an outdoor photograph doesn't mean you need to include the sky.

UPDATE: Our tutorials for photographers are now being continued over at SLR Photography Guide.