A popular saying is that beauty's in the eye of the beholder, but there are still encompassing aspects that differentiate fine art from simply taking pictures in nature photography .

First of all, In the first place, the photographer interested in producing art needs to come to the realization that hundreds of pictures will need to be taken for every one that may be a contender . In many cases, there is precious little a photographer can do when their subject cannot be predicted beyond having a stockpile of patience and the reactive reflexes of a stalking spider . The first aspect of fine art nature photography then is the ability to catch a natural moment. Anyone can photograph lions sleeping in the grass or a storm pelting a reservoir , but it's the patient and focused photographer who can capture the moment in the air before pouncing , or those first few raindrops on the water .

Another important part of making a photo a fine art photo is to have all the important equipment for this task. A tripod, for example, is important when you take nature photos not only to keep shots consistent, but also to minimize photographer movement as much as possible as to not disturb the immediate environment . Having the correct lens is imperative , for a lens that is 300/4 will produce a much different effect than a 20mm wide angle lens .

Yet another aspect to consider is lighting that really shows the difference between fine art nature photography and pictures you took quickly on a zoo trip. It's easy to find natural light , and it's the best, but only if it isn't too harsh as it is midday . Not only should you know about light sources , but also be able to control it. Using umbrellas, reflective foils, and white boards might not be needed when taking nature photos depending on landscape composite and the time you're shooting . Once again , here it is important to know what equipment is necessary and what is not to get the desired effects .

As mentioned , beauty depends on the person looking at something , but certain techniques and practices will be seen in photos worthy of bearing the title "fine art." If your end goal is fine art nature photography, the photographer must have patience and be ready, must know the needed and unneeded equipment , and in the end, must master the range of lighting techniques that can be used to get the effects you want. The rest is up to nature and chance .