How a National Geographic Photographer Taught an Easy Way to Take Better Nature Photos by Phone
A fresh approach to landscapes
Yüyan creates visual stories about how cultures relate to the environment, with work ranging from the Amazon to the Arctic seas. He offered four tips for taking pictures with a phone, including one focused on choosing a foreground subject.
He said natural landscapes can be especially difficult to photograph distinctively because they have been captured so often. His recommendation was to look for something interesting nearby and include the scenery in the distance.
Why foreground matters
Yüyan said a foreground subject can give an image depth and intimacy, while making the photograph feel more unique. The advice changed how the writer thought about composing nature pictures.
At a beach in Santa Cruz, the writer had photographed the shore with mountains in the background. The mountains looked appealing, but the sand filled the foreground and made the lower half of the image seem dull.
Reconsidering earlier photos
The writer also recalled taking phone photos on a hike in Prescott, Arizona. On arriving at the Watson Lake parking lot, the rock formations seemed striking, but photographing the scene from the lot did not capture it as well as hoped.
Some pictures already in the writer’s camera roll appeared to reflect Yüyan’s advice. His suggestion helped explain why certain images felt stronger and left the writer more eager to search for foreground subjects on future nature trips.
Key points
- Yüyan advises finding an interesting foreground subject and framing distant scenery behind it.
- He said this approach can add depth and intimacy to nature photos.
- The tip led the writer to reconsider photos from Santa Cruz and Prescott, Arizona.