How to Take Nature Photos Worthy of Canvas Prints

One of the great ways to use canvas printing to decorate your home or office space is to find or take incredible nature photos that complement the colour palette of your rooms. Bringing vibrant wall art of plant life or animal life (or even insect life – like the humble but colourful Ladybug!) can inject some serenity and natural beauty into a room, either as part of an organic-themed design or as a counterpoint (or spice) to a more industrial or modern aesthetic. Imagine a room in white and chrome, with a burst of green and red on the wall thanks to canvas wall art of nature.

These sorts of design elements take on a new weight and meaning when they are sourced from your own surroundings, travels, or garden, so it’s natural to want to create spectacular nature art with your own smartphone or digital camera – but as many have discovered, taking great nature photos isn’t always easy. Here are three tips that solve most of the problems the amateur naturalist encounters.

Nature Canvas Art Tip #1: Scout the Location

Nature is changeable and unpredictable – how often do you head out on a sunny afternoon and wind up soaked to the skin by an evening shower? So why do you imagine you can just stroll out to your subject any time and snap a fantastic photo?

Your first tip is to scout the location. Once you have chosen your subject, whether it’s a bloom in your garden or a secluded spot on a hiking trail miles away, head out there a few times at different times during the day. Make note of how the light affects the scene, and select a time of day when the light is how you want it. Even a few minutes can change the way the light affects what you’re shooting, so be patient and choose wisely.

Nature Canvas Art Tip #2: Get Close

The real secret for almost all nature shots is to get up close to your subject. While this can be challenging when trying to photograph animals or insects, it’s worth the effort. The closer you get the more detail you’ll capture, and you’ll enjoy the greatest composition in the universe because it will be nature’s design. Don’t rely on zoom unless you have to, because zoom decreases the photo quality. Put on your waders, Wellies, or whatever other outdoor outfit you need to, but get on in there and get dirty.

That doesn’t mean you can forget all the other rules of composition. Try not to shoot your subject straight-on, but off-centre slightly, and look for ways to have the light play on your subject to make it more interesting – that’s where your investment in Tip #1 will pay off.

Nature Canvas Art Tip #3: Turn Off Auto

Your phone or digital camera is usually set to “Auto” when it comes to light settings. This will make your photos bland and generic, so turn it off. If you don’t know anything about light meters or other settings, your camera or App probably has some simple settings that will still be an improvement – like “sunny” or “cloudy”.

Still, if you can teach yourself something about how to use your camera’s built-in light meter, you can adjust on the fly for under- and over-exposed shots and come away with some brilliance.

Nature shots are perfect for canvas art, and personally-chosen subjects that have some personal significance not only beautify your home but bring your personality and style into the mix. All it takes is a few simple steps to improve the power and quality of nature photos, making them truly worthy of canvas printing. And if you’re not ready to take your own, click here to view our huge library of nature shots ready to go, and guaranteed to be perfect for your wall art!