Spring is here and there’s no better way to get out and enjoy the sunshine, blooming flowers, and warmer weather than grabbing your camera and heading out to photograph the world around you! Wondering what to throw in your camera bag for spring? Keep reading to check out our spring photography recommendations!
You can’t go wrong with most cameras but we’re particularly fond of the Nikon Z8, Canon R7, and OM-1 Mark II for spring and summer outdoor photography. You’ll want a camera that can keep up with all your adventures and these cameras are lightweight, portable, and fast. These cameras also excel at photographing nature and wildlife with excellent AF, powerful sensors, and durable construction!
The best lens for the job depends on what the job is! Visit our store to get personalized advice on how to achieve your photography goals. For now, we’ll focus on the lenses helpful for photography flowers, wildlife, and spring landscapes.
Macro Photography:
Spring has no shortage of gorgeous flowers and cool bugs to photograph. There are lenses specifically designed for macro photography that help you get up close with your subject. These lenses are great for focusing at very close distances while maintaining details, textures, and other visual elements that really elevate your macro photography.
Our Macro photography lens recommendations are…
Canon RF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Nikon NIKKOR Z MC 105mm f/2.8 VR S Lens
Sony FE 90mm f/2.8 Macro G OSS Lens
Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS Macro STM Lens is also a great option for Macro photography though it’s not a true macro lens. This lens, unlike most macro lenses which feature a 1:1 magnification, has a 1:2 magnification. Even still, you can get really close to what you would achieve with a 1:1 macro lens!
If macro lenses aren’t in the budget, don’t stress! You can achieve macro-style photography if your camera has a macro mode or invest in cheaper alternatives such as extension tubes or close-up filters which can turn your normal lenses into macro lenses!
Animal + Bird Photography:
Birding season is upon us! Capturing birds in flight and animals in their natural habitats can be a truly rewarding experience with tons of opportunities to capture animal behaviors, colors, and interactions.
Check out our wildlife photography lens recommendations…
Nikon NIKKOR Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR Lens (Nikon Z)
Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens
Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM Lens
These lanes help you confront common challenges that can arise when photographing wildlife such as fast, erratic movements, changing lighting conditions, distant subjects and weather conditions.
Landscape Photography
Capturing the beauty of the changing landscapes and seasons is a fun way to catalog the natural changes around you. When it comes to capturing landscapes, wide angle lenses are your friend. By embracing a wider field of view, wide-angle lenses give a sense of spatial depth to your images and draw viewers into the scene. If you’re looking to capture the vastness of landscapes, from mountain ranges to seascapes and cityscapes, you’ll want to make sure you have a wide-angle lens in your camera bag.
There are plenty of great wide-angle lenses on the market like…
Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR Lens
Canon RF 10-20mm f/4 L IS STM Lens (Canon RF)
Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II Lens (Sony E)
Accessories
In addition to a great camera and lenses, accessories like tripods and weather protection can help you take your spring photography kit to the next level!
Our photography accessory top picks!
ProMaster XC-M 525 ALUMINUM Travel Tripod
Benro Slim Travel Tripod - Aluminum
Benro Slim Travel Tripod - Carbon Fiber
Peak Design Slide Camera Strap
Awesome Spring Photography Locations in Nashville and Cleveland!
*Check before you go for any permitting or personal use photography regulations!
Cleveland:
Nashville:
