It’s monsoon season in the Sonora Desert, and the cacti are fat with water. Flowers are blooming in bright, flaming red. Birds, bats, and bees swoop through the air while tarantulas, rattlesnakes, scorpions, and fluffy-tailed bunnies play hide-and-seek in the bushes.
Bonnie, here, coming to you from our first-ever Storm Chasing workshop in Tucson, Arizona. We’re here with weather photographer Kristen Bentz who takes fantastic photos like this:
Now she’s ready to share her secret storm-catching techniques with us.
We’re here for something spectacular – a sky lit by a billion bolts of electricity. But you don’t have to chase storms to sell great photos.
This morning I took a quick walk around the hotel property, looking for some desert detail stock shots, and came away with 18 photos that are already selling in my online stock agencies. Here are a few of them:
Whether you’re shooting lightning bolts and storms or plants in your backyard, always try to keep it simple. Only include what you need in the photo. Eliminate everything else.
For example, look at these two flower photos. Which one is better?
The one on the right looks more like a pro shot and the one on the left like a snapshot, right?
To eliminate the busy background and bring attention to my subject – the flower – I got closer, filled the frame with my subject, and used a low f-stop number (f/2.8) to blur the background.
Give it a try in your own backyard to see what you get.
Our next mission is to chase a storm and capture lightning shots.
Travel Photography Resources
5 Dos and 2 Don’ts for Travel Photography
Take Great Photos And Get Paid More For Your Travel Articles
Turning a Photography Hobby into a Monthly Income
The Pros Of Selling Your Images As Stock Photography
16 Mobile Photography Tips And Tricks Every Photographer Should Know
