Category Archives: Nature Photography

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Photography is a powerful medium to tell stories, capture moments, freeze time, and showcase memories. And certain rules and techniques can help you make a good photo great.

Framing is one technique that uses either natural or artificial elements in the photograph to focus on a particular subject. It guides a viewer’s attention to your subject and tells a story through your image simultaneously. Let’s explore what framing is, and how and when to use it.

What Is Framing in Photography?

Framing in photography refers to the composition style of using natural or artificial elements to create a visual frame inside your image. The technique helps you focus viewers’ attention on your subject while adding depth, context, and a story to your image. There are different methods to use framing in a photograph.

Natural Frame

When shooting in a natural environment like a forest, lake, path, or river, you can use the naturally available elements as your frame. For instance, you can use trees, leaves, bushes, and rocks to create your frame.

In this situation, your subject will be the center of attention, and the natural elements like trees and rocks can block two or more edges of your image to create a frame. If you’d like to give this a shot, see our guide on how to get started with nature photography.

Architectural Frame

Using architectural elements to create a frame is very common among urban photographers. You can use a window, buildings, fences, and walls to create a frame for your photograph.

This type of frame is most commonly used when taking photos of cities. However, you can also use an architectural frame to capture images of humans, objects, or nature.

Geometric Shapes

Squares, triangles, and circles are common shapes in our environment. You can either use the shapes available to you or artificially create one to give depth to your image.

For instance, you can use your hands to create a heart shape and use it as a frame for your photograph. Similarly, you can use a circular mirror and place your subject in the reflection to create a stunning photograph.

Light and Shadows

Light and shadows are the unconventional yet appreciable way of making frames in your photo. This method uses lights like streetlamps, candles, or torches to create a frame. It works best in night photography.

Similarly, you can click a portrait with a spotlight on the subject and darkness in the remaining part of the composition—the light will create a circular frame.

When to Use Framing in a Photo

There is no right or wrong way of using the framing composition style in your photographs. However, if done incorrectly, it can divert the viewers’ attention from the subject, rendering the technique ineffective. Therefore, it is essential to understand when to use the framing technique, and when not to.

One simple rule is that if the photograph looks good as it is, there is no need to add frames forcefully. It might suffocate the image, making it look bulky or cluttered. Similarly, if you are already using any other composition style, adding a frame to it might ruin the effect.

However, using two compositions in a single photo has always been a healthy debate among photographers—it all comes down to trusting your gut. Here are some sure ways to know that framing will make your photographs look better.

Telling a Story

The framing technique can be a game changer when you are keen on telling a story through your photograph. A story can be the portrayal of emotions, combining conflicting ideas, and many other similar concepts.

For example, the above image uses buildings as a frame, and the subject is an airplane. It might represent freedom from corporate life.

Eliminating Chaos

If there is chaos in the image, framing can effectively bring viewers’ attention to the subject. One example is clicking a photograph in a crowd. A crowdy place has too many environmental elements that can draw attention away from the subject. In such cases, you can use a frame in your photograph to bring attention to your subject.

Showing Perspective

The framing technique is the best composition style when it comes to showing perspective. It helps show the viewers your perspective of the environment. For instance, a landscape view from within a room where you can use a window or door as a frame shows your view of the world.

Another common way is using a phone or camera as a frame, and the subject appears on the screen. It shows the perspective of the person taking the photo.

How to Use Framing in Photography

To successfully use the framing technique, consider the following points.

• Identify the subject: The elementary part of using the framing technique is always keeping your subject and not the frame in focus. Identify your subject as well as the less important parts of the photo.
• Identify the framing elements: Look around you to identify which elements from the scene are a good fit to use as a frame. Some examples can be trees, arches, geometric shapes, or contrasting elements.
• Positioning the frame: Once you have identified your framing element, position it at the edges of your picture to create a visual boundary, which in turn guides the viewer’s eyes toward the subject.
• Don’t overpower the subject: The frame should complement the subject and not compete with it. Ensure the frame does not overpower your subject by being distractive.
• Use extreme angles: Using a low-angle or high-angle shot combined with framing can add more depth to your image, creating a dramatic and engaging composition.
• Keep experimenting: Sometimes, hitting gold on the first attempt is hard. Therefore, experiment with different frames and pick the one that best suits your subject and the context.

Use Framing Composition in Your Photos

Framing is one of the best composition styles you can use in your photos. The technique uses natural or artificial elements from the scene to create a visual boundary in the picture and guide viewers’ attention toward the subject.

You can use this technique to tell a story, show your perspective, eliminate unimportant parts from the scene, or use it as a creative choice to make extraordinary images. The key is to have clarity about the context of the image, identify the subject and frame, and experiment until you achieve your desired goal.

OCEANSIDE, CA — Patch reader and local photographer Jeff Prior captured this photo of Morning fog in Oceanside.

Jeff Prior is an Oceanside resident and owner of Water Wise Swim School. His swim school was closed for thirteen months due to Covid-19. It was during this time he really started to focus on his passion for photography…and documenting the beautiful scenery, landscape and wildlife (especially pelicans) of our coastal area. Jeff sells his photos at local events such as the Oceanside Artwalk and Vista Farmers Market as well as online at https://www.jeffpriorphotos.com/. His line of Jeff Prior Photos notecards can be found on Etsy.

Thanks for sharing!

If you have an awesome picture of nature, playful kids, a funny pet or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we’d love to feature it on Patch. We’re looking for high-resolution images that reflect the beauty that is Oceanside, and that show off your unique talents. Send your photos to lisa.frost@patch.com. Be sure to include photo credit information, when and where the shot was taken, and any other details about what was going on.

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A Stewartry man is celebrating success in the Scottish Nature Photography Awards.

Duncan McNaught won the botanical category with his Autumn Beech image.

Delighted Duncan, who lives in New Galloway, said: “I am absolutely thrilled to have taken first place.

“Blessed where I live surrounded by trees, I’d ventured out early one morning into the grounds of Kenmure Castle.

“A light mist had formed overnight creating the most moody scene in front of me, some of the beech trees had hung onto their golden leaves.

“It was these and the soft light that drew me to take the image. I feel it showed the sense of calm I experienced that morning, no one around, just me and my camera which I love to do often.”

Two of Duncan’s other photographs were shortlisted in the award and these, along with his winning shot, will feature in the awards’ portfolio yearbook.

Superior has announced the town’s first-ever photo contest to celebrate hometown pride.

The SNAPS photo contest is open to all Superior residents, including those displaced by the Marshall Fire. For the inaugural competition, residents may submit one photo per person that captures the beauty of the town, whether it be a place, person, pet, nature or event.

Residents must submit their photo on the Shape Superior website by 5 p.m. April 17.

Photos will be reviewed by three judges composed of Superior staff members, and the winners of the competition will be contacted by email between April 26-28. Selected photos will then be printed, framed and fully assembled to be displayed at the Superior Community Center from June to September.

For more information about the competition’s selection process and criteria, visit the Shape Superior website.

© Frank Urban
Scottish Wildlife Portrait category and overall winning image, Cucumber Green Spider

A photo competition based in the country of Scotland has today announced its winners of the annual Scottish Nature Photography Awards 2022. Some of the winning images have been captured by photographers as young as 12 years old

63-year-old retired photographer, Frank Urban, has won the prestigious title of Scottish Nature Photographer of the year, as well as the Scottish Wildlife Portrait award for his superb image of a neon green spider.

• These are the best cameras for wildlife photography in 2023

An image of a tiny green spider has won Frank Urban not only the Scottish Wildlife Portrait category, but he has also been selected as the overall winner of the prestigious Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2022. 

Speaking of his image, Frank shared that, “I am sixty-three and retired from work around five years ago. I happily fill my days with walking and photography, and find that my local area, which includes the Campsie Fells and the Forth and Clyde Canal is ideal for both. For this photograph though, I had been working in the garden when I noticed this colorful spider on the handle of a garden tool.”

He continues, “I knew this was called a Cucumber Green Spider from a previous sighting and thought I would try to photograph it. I was really delighted how well it turned out. I used a blade of grass to move it to a safer spot in the garden.”

Judges of the competition included photographers Dougie Cunningham, James Roddie and Niall Irvine, who each saw the potential in Frank’s image. Irvine has stated that “Frank’s image draws you into the miniature world of the spider. It’s an excellent example of awareness of the proximity of nature in our immediate environment and an appreciation of its beauty.”

• Take a look at last year’s awesome winning image from the Scottish NPA 2021 of a muirburn mountain fire trail!

The winner of the Junior Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2022 (under-18s) was Jessie Morris from Durham. Jessie is just 13 years old, and her winning image titled ‘Rush Hour’ features a mass amount of gulls arriving at the same time to roost. 

Jessie shares that she has been particularly interested in bird photography since the age of eight, and said she was shocked that the judging panel chose her image. “Hidden away on moorland north of Berwick, we waited at the edge of a loch for pink-footed geese to arrive” She explained. 

“It turned out, however, that the shot of the day was gulls roosting on the water. A low exposure captured them settling down for the night. The busyness of the shot as they squabbled for the best positions reminded me of the hustle and bustle of the evening rush hour.”

Another winner of the competition was Maria Christidi, awarded with the title of Student Scottish Nature Photographer of the Year 2022. Maria is a Fine Arts student at the University of Dundee studying for her BA qualification, and her series of abstract images titled ‘Physis’ is what earned her the prestigious title. 

The series explores the relationship between humans and nature, and features a portfolio of three submitted images to the competition, working together as a collection. She has shared that, “We view nature at the periphery of our everyday life, maybe walking through parks or nature reserves when the toll of our modern hyper-urbanized lifestyle is too much. As a result, nature tends to be viewed as a foreign object that acts to us as a form of escapism.” 

“By taking close-up shots which emphasize the unruly characteristics of natural subjects, the viewer can question their relationship with nature more closely and view it in its true fragility rather than it being solely a source of entertainment.”

The full gallery of winners for this year’s competition can be viewed on the Scottish Nature Photography Awards website, as well as the short nature film by Andy S Hayes that won the Scottish Nature Video Award, among the other runners-up. 

The image collection will tour as an exhibition later this year, and will be published along with the shortlisted entries in a Portfolio Yearbook to be released this summer.

• You might also be interested in the best portable hides and camouflage gear for photographing wildlife, as well as the best action cameras, and the best spotting scopes to never miss a moment.

• Take a look at our guide to the best lenses for bird photography and wildlife, as well as the best trail cameras and the best cellular trail cameras to capture the more easily spooked or timid subjects.

The product may contain wheat, an allergen not declared on the label

03/29/2023

“Ask Anna” is a sex column. Because of the nature of the topic, some columns contain language some readers may find graphic.

Dear Anna,

OMG, my crush just slid into my DMs and we’ve been chatting nonstop for the past week! I’m sooo into him, but I don’t know if he feels the same way. How do I know if he’s interested in me or just being friendly? Should I make a move or wait for him to make a move? — Seriously Over Stimulated

Dear SOS,

First of all, congrats on getting your crush’s attention and hitting it off so well! When you’re a teenager, which I’m presuming you are, it’s pretty much the most exciting thing ever.

Per your question, it can be pretty difficult to tell if someone is just being friendly or if they’re interested in you romantically, especially online.

One way to gauge their interest is to pay attention to the way they “talk” to you in these messages. Are they using flirty emojis or dropping hints about wanting to hang out in person? Do they seem genuinely interested in getting to know you on a deeper level, or are they just making small talk? These could be signs that they’re interested in you romantically.

But the only bona fide (bone-a-fide?) way of knowing whether someone’s into you is to make a move. I know, scary! But the reward is usually worth the risk. Plus, you don’t need to, like, hire a lute player to serenade him or place a trail of rose petals from his locker to yours. (Though major romance points if you do go that route!)

If you’re feeling brave, try asking your crush out on a casual one-on-one hang, like grabbing coffee or going for a walk. This will give you a chance to get to know each other a little better in person and see if there’s a spark.

But if you’re not ready to make a move yet, that’s totally OK too. You can always continue chatting with him and getting to know him, and see if things escalate (that is, see if he builds up the courage to make a move).

Dear Anna,

My partner (29F) keeps stealing my (33F) socks! I don’t know what to do — every time I do laundry, half of my socks are missing. I don’t know if she just legitimately doesn’t know which socks are hers or if she just doesn’t think it matters, but I know they’re not just getting lost in the wash. My feet are cold! How do I get my partner to stop taking my socks without starting a fight? — Dire Effects For Every Evolving Thing

Dear DEFEET,

Congratulations on the greatest advice question ever written. You’ve completely imploded the expression “cold feet” and have brought to light an issue (queer people stealing each other’s clothes to the irritation of their partners) that almost never gets its due diligence.

As an avid clothes-stealer, I apologize on behalf of our kind. Sometimes I steal my partner’s clothes because I’m bored with what I have and hers are shiny and novel by comparison. Sometimes it’s laziness. Sometimes I want to feel close to her and wearing her things makes me feel special and insider-y (literally).

First, try having a lighthearted conversation with your partner about her sock habits and find out what her intentions are (if any). Maybe she doesn’t even realize she’s taking your socks or thinks it’s a harmless habit. You could make a joke about starting a sock-sharing system or suggest buying matching socks to avoid confusion.

If that doesn’t work, you could try labeling your socks with your initials or a specific color so that they’re easier to identify. This way, your partner will know that those socks belong to you and are not up for grabs.

Also, socks do end up lost in the wash, even when nobody is attempting great sock heists. If the issue is just that your partner doesn’t have enough to begin with and resorts to stealing yours out of necessity, then go sock shopping together. You can even get passive aggressive ones that say “thief” on them to remind her of her inexcusable transgressions. I kid.

Remember that the most important thing is to approach the issue with a sense of humor and open communication. Try not to get too worked up over a few missing socks — in the grand scheme of things, it’s a small problem that can be easily solved with a bit of teamwork and compromise.

Dear Anna,

My boyfriend frequently comments on the physical attractiveness of other women, including celebrities and people on Instagram, and it’s really starting to hurt my feelings. I feel like it’s disrespectful, especially because I don’t make similar comments about men in front of him. Do you think I’m overreacting, or is it reasonable to expect my boyfriend to be more considerate of my feelings? — Photo Insecurities Coming Strong

Dear PICS,

It depends. Have you told him to knock off the comments and he does it anyway? Or have you not mentioned it to him and are silently simmering every time he drools over Cate Blanchett? If it’s the former, then yeah, that’s a dick move, and it would behoove you to bring it up again, more vehemently this time. If it’s the latter, then tell him you don’t like it. Give him a chance to change his behavior.

But also, you’re letting your insecurity get the best of you and escalate a situation that’s, on the surface at least, pretty benign. Hot people are everywhere! They’re (often) not a threat to your relationship. The trouble usually comes from our own inner garbage angel, which is the little hater voice inside of us that tells us we’re not good enough. When you hear your boyfriend say, “That person is hot!” your garbage angel is like, “You’re not as hot as her, therefore you’re worthless and soon your bf will leave you for Janelle Monae.”

When none of that is remotely true!

You might find that you can quell the garbage angel by intentionally not comparing yourself to whatever photoshopped, glammed-up person’s pic is on social media. You might also try having fun with it. Rating celebrities’ hotness is practically our job as Americans. A job we don’t get paid for but one we take seriously nonetheless. “Yeah, Cate is looking super babely in that photo. But if we’re having a celebrity threesome, I’d prefer Kristen Stewart.”

Easier said than done, I know, but with practice it gets easier. Plus, he’s not the only one who should be having the fun. The next time he points out some hottie on Insta, you should feel entitled to do the same. If he gets butthurt about it, then maybe he’ll keep future photos to himself next time.

Anna Pulley is a syndicated Tribune Content Agency columnist answering reader questions about love, sex and dating. Send your questions via email (anonymity guaranteed) to redeyedating@gmail.com, sign up for her infrequent (yet amazing) newsletter or check out her books!

Entertain SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA29 มี.ค. 66 9:00

Pearl Abyss announced today that the new class “Igneous” has arrived in Black Desert Mobile. The arrival of the new class brings with it an array of events to celebrate his appearance. 

Wizard awakens to become Igneous, the embodiment of nature’s strength who has reached the pinnacle of magic. He possesses an ability to use the elemental powers of “Marg,” the Fire Guardian, and “Arne,” the Water Guardian.

With the “Godr Sphera” as his Main Weapon, and the “Elemental Grimoire” as his Sub-Weapon, Igneous uses elemental power to trap enemies and strike them down with blazing fires. His elemental magic is capable of restricting enemy movement and attacks while deploying massive area-of-effect attacks to easily overcome multiple foes. 

Igneous starts with 4 active skills and learns additional skills by leveling up. His most deadly skills are as follows: 

• Aqua Jail Explosion: Igneous creates a barrier of ice-cold water to trap and overwhelm enemies. 
• Calamity: Igneous unleashes his rage onto a wide area with burning flames. 
• Bolide of Destruction: Igneous summons a powerful fireball and hurls it to the ground. No enemies shall remain where it drops. 
• Savantgarde: Igneous remains calm and collected amidst an inferno of rage to maintain control of the battlefield. 

A variety of events have begun to celebrate Igneous’ arrival in Black Desert Mobile, including daily missions and special log-in events. Moreover, Adventurers can receive “Igneous’ Arcana” from their in-game mailbox every day until April 10. This and other items can be exchanged for Sun Crystals, Dimensional Fragments, and Shadow Knots.

Visit Black Desert Mobile‘s official website for more information. 

Watch the Igneous’ video: 

• Trailer: https://youtu.be/MvzAOJKb9VA 
• Combat showcase: https://youtu.be/6OK1lY6g8RQ 
• Preview: https://youtu.be/lph8CvvkRV8 

About Black Desert IP 

The Black Desert IP is Pearl Abyss’ open-world action MMORPG franchise with cutting-edge visuals and skill-based combat that redefines the genre. With the most developed character customization system of any game currently on the market, users can break out of the norm and make unique characters that truly represent themselves. Its intuitive controls, beautifully designed world, and extensive lore will excite both newcomers and veterans of MMO games and action RPGs. Pearl Abyss is currently servicing the Black Desert IP, which has gained 50 million players across the world on PC, mobile, and console. 

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2041962/Image__The_Embodiment_of_Nature_s_Strength__Igneous__Arrives_in_Black_Desert_Mobi.jpg
Caption – The Embodiment of Nature’s Strength “Igneous” Arrives in Black Desert Mobile

Source: PRNewswire/InfoQuest

PRNewswire/InfoQuest