Spring

Left Image: Canon EOS D30, Tamron 70-210mm f-2.8, Bogen tripod and pan/tilt head.
multi-pattern metering, 1/30 sec at f-8,  on aperture priority and manual focus.

Spring is the time for outdoor photography. Everything is new and photo opportunities are unlimited. Days are longer so you can spend more time taking pictures. Flower photography is one of the favorite subjects among many people. Wildlife is also very active and offers many photo opportunities. Spring is not just for nature and wildlife photographers. This is the season for many type of outdoor photography including architectural, people, sports, or travel.

If you like photographing flowers, you need a single camera with a macro lens or a short telephoto lens with extension tubes. 100mm macro lenses or a zoom lens covering 100mm focal length along with a set of extension tubes are ideal for close-ups of flowers. A 200mm lens or an 80-200mm zoom set to 200mm setting with a short extension tube is also perfect for flower photography. The combination let you focus on a single flower and throw the back ground out of focus creating a nice effect. I use my 200mm lens and extension tubes close to the ground any chance I get. This approach and a large aperture let me focus on a flower to make it stand out in the picture. I attach a Bogen Super Clamp with quick release to my tripod leg to be able to get as close to the ground as possible. You should also try a wide-angle lens, either a 24mm or 35mm lenses for flowers in landscapes. Wide-angle lenses can also be used with extension tubes for some unusual photographs. You can get close-ups of flowers and still include the sky or any part of the landscape. If you expect to see wildlife, take your 300mm or longer lens with a 1.4X or 2X converters. 300mm lenses and teleconverters should cover most of your wildlife shots. Carry a tripod that can be used close to the ground for wildlife. Smaller animals are best photographed at their eye level. Use a Pan/Tilt head for precise alignment for close-up photography. Ball heads are much easier to work with when shooting wildlife. Polarizing filters are great tools and you should carry one with you. Use Polarizers for darkening the sky or removing reflections from water or vegetation. If you'll be hiking a lot, it is best to carry a light load. You can switch to zoom lenses, a wide angle and a telephoto zoom. 28-85mm and 75-300mm zooms will cover your landscape to wildlife shots. Add an extension tube to your 75-300mm zoom and you can get into close up range to take flower shots. I carry a 24-50mm f-4, 100mm f-2.8 macro, 200mm f-2.8 with its matched 1.4X and 2X teleconverters. I also take a set of extension tubes, polarizing filter, ND graduated filter, extra batteries, cable release, and ISO 50 and 100 films. I try to include my Pentax 67 with 75mm and 200mm lenses. I prefer to use my 6X7 outfit for landscape shots but for close-ups and wildlife 35mm is much easier. I have shot some wildlife with my 300mm f-4 Pentax 67 lens with good results, and even close ups of flowers with my 200mm lens, but 35mm allows much more freedom and faster operation.

Don't limit yourself to nature and wildlife photography. Spring is a great time for architectural photography. Clear blue sky make buildings stand out and give them characters. Best time is early in the morning. I use my 24-50mm f-4 and 80-200mm f-2.8 zooms for architectural photography. I rarely use open apertures, so the maximum aperture of lenses is not my concern. I shoot f-8 or smaller apertures to gain maximum depth-of-filed. ISO 50 is my film choice for architectural photography. I also carry a polarizer, cable release, and change my tripod ball head with a pan/tilt head for more precise adjustments.

Try to end the day with a few nice sunset shots. Choose your location at least 30 minutes before sunset. Select your lens and attach your camera on your tripod. Exposure seems to be very difficult for many people but it is actually very simple. The fastest way is to spot meter part of the sky (not the ball of sun) and open up 1 to 2 stops. How much you open up depends on how light or dark you want your shots to be. Another way is to compose your shot and swing the camera to the side, eliminating the sun from the frame. Take a reading and set shutter speed and aperture on manual mode or press and hold AE lock button on aperture priority, and recompose to take the shot.

A few last words: Take care not to step on the flowers so the next photographer can also capture on film what spring has to offer. Spring is the time that most wildlife reproduce, so make sure not to disturbed the animals and their young. Allow them to move freely without putting any stress on them. You have only three months to take advantage of what this season has to offer, so get out there and have fun.

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