Outdoor Photography

Outdoor photography genres

Outdoor photography is the art of capturing photographs outdoors including nature, weather, sports, cityscapes, underwater and astrophotography. Although elements of outdoor photography can be included in other categories of photography we thought it appropriate to have outdoor photography as its own category.

Each type of photography can be grouped into one of four major photography categories: Commercial, Creative, Portrait and Outdoor. This page covers the outdoor photography category of photography.

The genres of photography that have major elements of outdoor photography are;

We earn commissions if you shop through the links below. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the full Affiliate Disclosure.

Social media accounts and websites

Great photographers can be sought-after and can earn significant sums from their work. So if you have the skill and determination to succeed in one of these genres or category of photography upload your best images to your website and to your social media accounts such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

Photography tips

We have a few basic tips and tricks below to help you with your outdoor photography.

Composition: You don’t always have to follow the rules, but using the rule of thirds, leading lines, and other composition techniques can create visually pleasing and balanced photographs.

Shutter speed: Adjust the shutter speed to either capture movement or to freeze it. Use a slow shutter speed to create motion blur in the movement of water such as waterfalls and use a fast shutter speed to freeze the motion of birds in flight.

Aperture: Use a wide aperture (f/2.0 to f/4.0) to create a shallow depth of field, which can be used to blur the background and make the subject

ISO: Adjust the ISO to control the sensitivity of the sensor to light. A higher ISO can be used in low light conditions, but experiment with it first as it may introduce noise into the image.

Filters: Use filters, such as polarizing filters or neutral density (ND) filters, to control the amount of light entering the lens and to enhance certain aspects of the photograph, including color saturation or contrast.

Lighting: Use natural light, reflectors, or flash to control the lighting in a close or nearby scene and to create a creative mood or effect.

Tripod: Use a tripod to stabilise the camera and to capture sharp images, especially when using slow shutter speeds.

Patience: The weather outdoors won’t always work out how you expect, but in the right circumstances be patient and wait for the perfect light, weather or moment to capture the image you want.