The History of Nature Photography ~ Enhance Photography Skill

The term "nature photography" applies to a wide range of photography. Included in the classification are wildlife, landscape and macro. The history of nature photography is as old as photography itself. In 1826, French scientist Joseph Nicephore Niepce positioned his camera through a second floor window to create the world's first photograph. The photo he made that day captured surrounding trees, courtyards and outbuildings--a landscape photo.

In the history of nature photography, Ansel Adams arguably is the most renowned landscape photographer. His most famous work included black-and-white images of Yosemite National Park and the Southwest region of North America.

Adams, along with fellow photographers Imogen Cunningham and Edward Weston, formed a collective they named "Group f/64." The group was committed to "pure photography," where images of nature are photographed using traditional methods.

During the 1930s, Adams often would accompany members of the Sierra Club on outings as the group's paid photographer. His involvement with the club included producing books used in the club's efforts to have Sequoia and Kings Canyon designated as National Parks.

The National Geographic Society and its magazine have had a long historical association with nature and wildlife photographers. First published in 1888, the magazine's motto is "Inspiring people to care about the planet," according to a "National Geographic" fact sheet.

In the July 1906 edition, the magazine printed a photo story titled "Hunting Wild Game with Flashlight and Camera." It included 74 images of George Shiras, a photographer and one-term congressmen who worked on the Public Land Committee.

The issue and photos were so popular it was reprinted two years later, only two issues of "National Geographic" have been reprinted to date.

Throughout the history of nature photography, wildlife photography has been committed to capturing animals in action. Techniques used for wildlife photography differ from landscape photography.

Wildlife photography wants the emphasis to be on the animal, with as much of the background either out of focus or shot at angle where the landscape is minimized.

Fast shutter speeds, used to capture birds in flight, and wide apertures, used to soften the background, are key technical elements in wildlife photography.

In landscape photography, photographers want as much detail as possible. Using a small aperture increases depth of field to create very detailed photos.

Macro, underwater and cloudscape are other genres of nature photography. Macro photography is best associated with close-up photography of insects and, in some cases, flowers and fauna. Watertight casings allow photographers to capture all the nature contained in oceans and lakes.

Cloudscape photography has emerged out of landscape photography. The first cloudscape photography is credited to Belgian photographer Leonard Misonne by the website Artnet. Misonne's black-and-white photos depict heavy skies and dark clouds.

When Ansel Adams founded Group f64 with other fellow photographers, part of their mandate was to create a set of standards for acceptable practices in nature photography.

In the history of nature photography there always has been debate over the ethics involved in capturing nature photos. In the early days, ethical standards were more concerned about doing no harm to either animals or the environment the photographer was working in.

Those standards still are observed. In the digital age, where pictures can be altered to add or remove certain elements, ethics at the computer are just as important as those applied in the field.