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10 Simple Home Nature Photography Ideas

In this post, I will share with you 10 simple home nature photography ideas. Nature photography is one of the most fascinating and awe-inspiring aspects of photography in general. There are countless photographers and photography enthusiasts who love to take nature photographs, regardless of their profession. Luckily, nature is available to everyone.

Nature photography ideas
10 Simple Home Nature Photography Ideas

Perhaps, you live in a busy environment that doesn't give enough room for nature to express herself. You don't have to travel around the world to take amazing images. You can always walk into a park or even your own backyard to take amazing nature photography shots.

Here are 10 simple home nature photography ideas you can use wherever you live

1. Flowers

nature photography ideas you can use at home

This is one of the most accessible subjects in nature. Flowers are all around us, be it natural or artificial. You can walk into a park or your backyard to take a good flower shot. Ensure that you take lighting into consideration. Natural light is still the best when it comes to nature photography. You can choose to take your subject at an angle that backs the light. Backlighting gives your flower a 3D effect and will ensure that the veins on the leaves and other details pop.

2. Water Drop

10 simple home nature photography ideas

This image can be taken anywhere you find yourself. All you need to do is to set the stage to get a perfect shot. You can take it indoors or outdoors. I prefer to shoot outdoors because I can get ample light from the sun.

You'll need a container filled with water, a plastic bag filled with water, a tripod stand and of course, your camera. When taking this shot, timing is key. You also need to be as steady as possible which is where your tripod comes in.

Place a water filled plastic bag above the container that is filled to the brim with water. Puncture a tiny hole in the plastic bag so that the water drips slowly into the container. Set your camera to a fast shutter speed, say about 1/500 or 1/1000, but ensure that you adjust other settings as well so that the image isn't too dark. Time the moment accurately when the drop hits the surface of the water in the container, and then click shutter when the splash is produced.

3. Dew

Home nature phtography

This is one of my favorite things to shoot. You'll need to be an early riser to get this shot as dew only comes out in the mornings. When taking the morning dew, ensure that it is on a fine surface like a leaf, or a flower. You can take the dew from any angle, but I prefer flatlays. When taking flatlays, you'll want to make sure your hand is steady because a slight shift in your position can alter the focus and give you a blurred image. You can also use a tripod stand to make it easier.

4. Moon

Picture of the moon

Even if you live in the most nature deprived environments, the moon will always be there at night. The moon is the only heavenly body you can capture from the earth without any danger to your camera lens. It is best to capture the moon with a zoom lens. It makes the image larger and gives the illusion that your image was captured from outer space. Also, your settings will determine if you get a darker shade of the moon, or a brightly shining moon, so ensure that you pay attention to your camera settings.

5. Reflection

Cat reflection in water drops from home nature photography

Reflection shots are always very beautiful. You can take reflection shots with a mirror, a pond, water droplets or a crystal ball. Whatever medium you choose to use, ensure that you take the subject at an angle that can be easily recreated through your reflection medium. Note that when taking a shot through a crystal ball or water droplet, the image will always appear inverted within the orb.

6. Insects

Picture of an insect from home nature photography

You will find insects almost anywhere you are. They are some of the most fascinating things to capture, but also some of the most difficult. When taking insects, target the golden hours. The golden hours are the hours just before sunrise or sunset. Insects tend to hide from the heat, so these hours are the best. Also, you might be out for a long time, so it's also a plus for you as you wouldn't need to be out in the sun.

Insects can be very elusive, so you'll need to be incredibly patient. Don't go about chasing them around as they would only keep running away, leaving you frustrated. Be as still as possible, and wait in one spot until they come to you. When you spot a potential subject, move as slowly as possible and take the shot as far away as your camera can allow. But ensure that the details are visible.

7. Body Parts

close shot of an eye

Your body is also a part of nature. If you've run out of ideas, you can always turn to your body parts. You can shoot the details of your fingerprints, your eyes, the hairs in your skin, your face and so on. You just have to be creative about it. When shooting your body parts, you might need to use a tripod stand or set a timer. This is because you'll be the subject this time, and you might not be able to click the shutter by yourself. You can also get a model to be your subject.

8. Animals

Close shot of a frog on a leaf from home nature photography

Do you have a pet, or are you friendly with your neighborhood animals? You can turn them into your nature photography subjects. Wildlife shots are some of the most amazing and inspiring aspects of nature photography. You can also take a stroll into a park or your backyard. The image above is the photo of a frog I just happened to find in my backyard. When shooting animals, you'll need to be quick as they don't tend to stay still. In this case, it's fine to set your camera to auto, so you won't have to waste time changing the setting, because you subject wouldn't wait for you.

9. Sunset

Beautiful sunset image from home nature photography

The sunset is a very popular choice among nature photographers, and the good thing about it is that it always looks different. The vibrant rays reflected upon the clouds never fails to create a mesmerizing effect.

Ensure that the sun is on the horizon and isn't too bright as this could create a glare on your image and also damage your lens. Your shutter speed should also be as high as possible since you'll be shooting directly into the sun and would need to limit the light entering through the lens. Your aperture also doesn't need to be open too much since you are taking a landscape shot, so you don't need any depth of field. An aperture of f/4 will suffice. A low ISO of about 100 is also recommended in order to reduce the light as much as possible. You can also reduce flare by using a lens hood.

10. Droplets

image of purple water droplet taken at home

My all-time favorite nature photography shots are still water droplets. They can be formed from dew or the rain. The best part of it is that it can also be staged. All you need is a spray bottle and a nice surface that can hold the droplets in a spherical form. Leaves are my preferred surface choice, but not all leaves can hold a water droplet in a spherical form.

You'll need a macro lens for your water droplet shots. A tripod isn't really necessary, but it can be a great help especially when the wind blows on the leaf your subject may be placed upon. You can experiment with the light and let the light bounce off your water droplet for a more mesmerizing effect.

There are many ideas you can explore, the above are just 10 simple home nature photography ideas. Experiment with different subjects and practice more to get better. You too, can create amazing nature photographs even from the very comfort of your home.

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4 Comments on 10 Simple Home Nature Photography Ideas     ...


By Michael Akerele ·

Which lens did you use for the moon?

samlanny says:

@Michael Akerele Its just a small 113mm built-in zoom lens

3 years, 1 month ago

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By Michael Akerele ·

Wow. Nice!

samlanny says:

@Michael Akerele Thank you

3 years, 1 month ago

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