Forests are, without a doubt, one of the worlds most amazing natural landscapes! As a photography subject they’re incredibly versatile and can go from being mysterious, or downright terrifying, to being majestic and powerful in the space of a few hours!

There is something inherently awe-inspiring about trees, especially when you are surrounded by a seemingly endless host of them. Be it their magnificent size or enigmatic beauty, in the depths of the forest we remember nature’s ability to thrive.

In a moment we’ll take a look at some inspiring forest-based photography, but first we’ll outline a few simple tips that could get you well on your way to capturing something of the essence of the forest!

Take Time

One of the beautiful things about landscape photography is that there is no need to hurry. Take your time and get a real feel for what it is you want to capture. Time is on your side. Lighting conditions can change dramatically throughout the day, and if you’re really fortunate, the perfect shot may find you!

Wander through the forest and consider all the possible vantage points, try out both wide and telephoto lenses. A wide lens angled upwards at the trees can bring out the majestic size and scale of your subject, while a telephoto lens is useful for compressing a row of tree trunks and capturing patterns in the trees.

A Point of Interest

As with any photograph, find yourself a good point of interest. It could be a particularly fascinating tree, a splash of unexpected colour, or a pattern in the trees that simply begs you to photograph it.

Whatever your point of interest ends up being, it’s vital that you compose your shot in a way that highlights your point of interest to the viewer. Look for interesting patterns in the light; forests have some unique lighting conditions all of their own. Look for rays of sunlight piercing the conopy and creating pools of light on the forest floor.

In Every Season

Forests are a truly wonderful photography subject all year round. In any season, under any weather conditions, and at any time of day forests can show you a new side to their character. From the bright colours of autumn and the bleak depths of winter, to the thriving life of spring.

Hopefully the photographs below will inspire you to get out and capture something of the awesome beauty of the forests.

Photo Inspiration

ViaMoi

paul (dex)

Luc B

Fred

Stella

MorBCN

Luke Andrew Scowen

ViaMoi

Nicholas

josef.stuefer

Fred

Evan Leeson

Ken Douglas

MorBCN

Trey Ratcliff

Nicholas

Dieter Orens

MorBCN

Jose Maria Cuellar

Ken Douglas

Nicholas

Brian Hathcock

David

Jorge Orte Tudela

Trey Ratcliff

Stefan Perneborg

Ken Douglas

Trey Ratcliff

Judy Baxter

Bianca de Blok

josef stuefer

Anna Falactik

Trey Ratcliff

aspheric.lens

ex.libris

Marc Soller

Angelo Juan Ramos

Daniel Peckham

Daniel Hoherd

Michael Klaas

Daniel Hoherd

Vincent Brassinne

José Luis Mieza

Paul Friel

Dietrich Bojko

Eric

Tobi

Jean-François Chénier

Tobi

Kristian Madsen

Joel Bankhead

Frank Wuestefeld

Trey Ratcliff

Simon Bray

Reto Fetz

Further Reading

Here are a few links to really useful tutorials and articles that will teach you more about this type of photography:

• Photographing in the Forest
• Landscape Photography Tips
• Quick Tip: Getting Started With Landscape Photography
• A Beginner’s Introduction to Wide Angle Photography

Share Your Own Images!

Reckon you have a photo that belongs alongside the above images? Post a link in the comments, we’d really love to see your own favourite shots from the forest!