How to Take Better Photos Outside



The mushrooms were mountainous.

Crowding my screen like a cluster of squishy umbrellas, the fungi towered above a mantle of moss. I leaned towards the nurse log, watching as a secret part of the forest floor came to life through the lens of my iPhone.

Finding new perspectives is one benefit of spending time in nature. Photography is a way to see the world around you through a new lens.

On West Thurlow Island, our group of content creators wandered through the lush forest, finding unique backdrops and macro moments. Rather than hiking, we slowly sauntered along the dirt path on a purposeful photo walk, peering at ferns and fiddleheads through our camera lenses.

Guiding the experience was Emmett Sparling, a travel adventure photographer and filmmaker. We were testing the capabilities of the iPhone 15 Pro Max. “The best camera is the one you always have in your pocket,” he said.

My iPhone, dutifully in my pocket, became my entrance ticket for experiencing the woods up-close. I took my time moseying along the trail, looking for peculiar fauna. I gazed at acorns a nose-distance away, traced a labyrinth inside furled fiddleheads and followed fog drifting over tree trunks I otherwise would’ve plodded past without a second glance.

Your phone is a tool for many things—communication, safety, education and fitness—and for most people, it’s their primary way of capturing and sharing their world. On your next expedition into nature, try Emmett’s tips:

1. Clean your lens

When was the last time you cleaned that thing? Before you start taking pictures, wipe off your lens on your shirt or pants.

2. Shoot into the light

“I always try to position my subject in-between me and the sun,” Emmett said. This creates shadows and a glowing backlight. It lights up the subject, isolating them and making them stand out.

On cloudy days and right after sunset, Emmett recommends shooting with the light. When the sun dips below the horizon, turn around to find the best portrait light: a twilight glow.

3. Patience is key

“A lot of these little macro moments you’ll find in the forest or tide pools, when you show up somewhere, all the wildlife will be gone,” Emmett said. Take five minutes, sit still, and the wildlife will start returning.

4. Notice the little things

Isolate the subject of your picture, whether it’s a blade of grass or an eagle. Position yourself in a way so that you have contrast between the subject and the setting. When shooting wildlife, you want to be close to your subject.

5. Try taking a step back

Move your feet and play with the zoom. 5x can look fantastic from far away. 0.5x gives a completely different picture.

6. Shoot in Portrait mode

If you have an iPhone, shoot in Portrait mode for more control over the f-stop. You can edit the aperture afterwards for a more or less blurred background.

7. Look for macro moments

The mushrooms in my photo were, of course, not truly mountainous. Smaller than my pinky finger, the fungi grew in the forest regardless of whether or not I stopped to view them. Slowing down and getting closer made these mushrooms appear larger than life. I felt like Alice in Wonderland, falling through the rabbit hole to a new reality; I was a small speck in the forest in a curious, intricate, unfathomable existence.

Credit Emmett Sparling

Composition Techniques

Here’s how to frame your shot:

1. Keep your horizon straight. Use the Grid function.

2. Look for depth. Rather than holding your phone flat against a flat surface, hold it to the side of an object for a 3D effect.

3. Look for leading lines, like a boardwalk or railing.

Credit Emmett Sparling

4. Get low and look for the unique angle. “We’re all used to seeing the world from this height,” Emmett said. “If you want to get really artsy with it, get low… like a small creature on the ground looking up at this huge mushroom.”

5. Adhere to the Rule of Thirds. Keep your subject on the left—use the Grid to line things up and keep it interesting.

6. Choose between horizontal or vertical. In a forest, trees are vertical, so it feels more natural to shoot vertical. Don’t forget your end goal: is this for Instagram stories or a photo frame? “Horizontal is always the most versatile because you can always crop it after. If you are unsure, I’d probably stick to horizontal.”

Night Photography Tips:

1. Use a tripod and a timer

The iPhone can detect micro movements, so secure it on a stable platform for the best results. Use the Apple Watch’s three-second timer to take self-portraits and reduce shakiness.

2. Adjust Night mode

Night mode on the iPhone appears as a number of seconds, but this doesn’t mean exposure—it’s the time it takes to process the photo. The camera captures a combination of pictures at different exposures to create the best image possible. You can manipulate Night mode by swiping up, tapping the moon symbol and adjusting the slider. On a tripod in the dark, the max is 30 seconds. This will give you significantly better results. “The 30-second feature on the tripod is probably the most impressive feature of the iPhone camera,” Emmett said.

Credit Emmett Sparling

Ready to shoot your shot? Tag us in the results on Instagram: @exploremagazine.

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