This part of the book is entitled "Essential Skills" and contains numerous sections that correspond with things that are needed to know when doing nature photography. The first section is all about exposure. Learning how to make a good exposure is the first step in becoming a photographer. Exposure is controlled by aperture size and shutter speed and can be set automatically or manually. Attaining correct exposure is a matter of checking the histogram on the LCD screen. The histogram graphs the luminance values in the frame and tells you instantly if all parts of the scene have been recorded on the sensor. Next, this section talks about meters. Light meters are best used for an average shot while if you are shooting snow and an inactive lava field the camera is not going to be able to differentiate between the two. Exposure modes include Aperture Priority (AV) mode, Shutter Priority (TV) mode, and manual mode. All of these help make the amount of light in the photo turn out the way it should.
The second section is about reading the light, how to recognize and use different types of light. The first suggestion is to stay out of the midday sun. On cloudless days in this such light much of the subject's detail will be lost to excessive contrast. A rule in general for shooting nature photography is the visual and photographic appeal of natural light improves the closer the sun is to the horizon and these periods are when your shooting will be most productive. Due to front light's direct and even illumination, it is recommended when you wish to portray saturated color, contrast between different colors and fine detail in all parts of the scene. Side light produces long, deep shadows that reveal the wrinkles, dimples, ridges, and other details of a surface in greatest relief. Backlighting's effect is dramatic on subjects with indistinct, shaggy peripheries -- furry and feathered animals in particular. Lens flare becomes a problem that you must watch for. This occurs when the rays of the sun strike the front lens elements directly, resulting in a loss of color saturation, contrast, and the appearance of octagonal hotspots caused by light reflecting off the interior diaphragm blades of the lens aperture. Twilight provides wonderful landscape lighting for photography. Overcast skies produce soft light that illuminates the subject evenly without noticeable shadows.
Next is motion effects. This is where you use shutter speed and camera movement to control the effect of motion. Panning the camera is a way to reduce blurring by tracking the subject as it moves while trying to keep the position in the viewfinder stationary. Panning is most effective if you keep the camera moving smoothly through the shot, both before and after the exposure. Choosing an exposure time that produces obvious blur in moving subjects is an exercise full of potential for producing beautiful abstract imagery whose precise formulation is normally hard to predict.
Then we have modifying natural light. This is by using filters and reflectors with natural subjects. The filters that are normally used are polarizing filters, split neutral density filters , graduated neutral density filters, standard ND filters, color modifiers, and blue/gold polarizing filters. Reflectors are also used to modify light around you. Portable reflectors may be used to change the light that is reflected off of the subject. You can also use fill-in flash for much of the same purpose.
Finally designing the picture space. This section is all about how to manage image features to achieve clarity of expression. The dominance rules are as follows. Red is more attractive than yellow; large draws more attention than small; difference draws more attention than conformity; jagged lines are more striking than curved ones, diagonal lines are more attractive than vertical ones; sharpness is more attractive than blur; light is more attractive than dark. Color evokes the greatest emotional reaction of any graphic element. The center of interest is where the eye is most likely to begin its exploration of the image. If you prioritize the features of a scene based on their visual dominance, you can be pretty sure of a strong composition if you follow the well-known rule of thirds. This guide calls for the center of interest to be placed one-third away from the top or bottom of the frame and one-third of the way from either side.
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