For those of us inhabiting the Northern hemisphere, there is a sense of anticipation. The dark, gloomy days of winter are receding and approaching is the season of renewal. It’s a time when we can go out with our cameras without the need for several layers of clothes, 30 lens cloths and a pair of fingerless gloves.
For many, photography in the spring is the most invigorating and creative time.
As we slowly and inevitably head into the season of soft light and flowers, it’s time to give your cameras and lenses a good clean, charge those batteries and head out to shoot.
Today, let's have a look at some of the great things about shooting in the spring.
The Spring Light
Whilst winter can give us some amazing photographic opportunities, the late, dark mornings and cold often conspire to make us hit the snooze button. With spring comes longer days, but not the crazy early and late golden hours of summer. It’s a time when you can get up at a respectable time and get great sunrises. You don’t have to stay out until the pubs kick out to get beautiful twilight shots. In short, it's the perfect time for photography.
Beyond the timings, the sun is higher in the sky but not so high as to give harsh directional shadows. The light remains soft, the weather pleasant. The temperature of that light is often warmer than that of winter. That more elevated position gives warm tones and soft shadows. Colours look vibrant without screaming with saturation.
Whilst we might not get the endless blue skies of summer, overcast spring days, unlike winter, are often bright. They give us lovely diffused light and pastel colours. Perfect for some of spring’s most notable subjects. Which leads us nicely to what to look for is springtime photography.
The Subjects Of Spring – Flowers
The obvious subject is flowers. Spring brings us an abundance of colour in the form of flowers both wild and cultivated. The great thing about flowers as a spring subject is you never have to wander far to shoot them. They could be in your back garden or in a local park. Travelling further afield you might find meadows blooming or forest floors springing into colour.
Whilst a macro lens would be great for getting close ups of this flora, pretty much any lens will do. In the image below I have used a 300mm telephoto and shallow depth of field to isolate the lavender
Even most smartphones will have a macro mode if you do want to push in close. Isolating single flowers of a different colour can be a great compositional challenge with any lens.
The Subjects Of Spring – Landscapes
Earlier we talked about the beautiful soft light of spring. It is this light that makes landscape photography such a compelling subject at this time of year. But there is another aspect that also helps, the weather.
Because we still have plenty of cold air around, there is alway a decent chance of fog, mist or even cloud inversions. All of these make fantastic elements in landscape images.
Another factor that makes landscapes great at this time of year is the return of the leaves. Even different trees of the same type will grow their leaves at slightly different times. Add in different tree types and we get a smorgasbord of blossoms and leaves. Add in the flowers, bracken, moss and grass, spring is a perfect time for landscape photography.
The Subjects of Spring – Fauna
Is there anything as cute to photograph as a spring lamb? Spring is not only the time of renewal for flora but also fauna. From the farmyards to the parks new life is being born everywhere. If macro photography is your thing, spring is the time most of the insects return. Butterflies, bees and other colourful bugs start to reveal themselves to our lenses.
Bird lovers will be able to photograph both migrant and permanent inhabitants, many of whom may be much more active as they gather food for their young.
The Subjects of Spring – Cities
Cities might seem at odds with the other subjects we have mentioned however they are also fantastic places for spring photography. Parks in particular are great locations. Perfectly manicured lawns, beautiful flower beds, people enjoying the sunshine all make great subjects.
On the streets, cafe culture begins to emerge, more people are up and out enjoying the city making street photography and portraiture a compelling genre.
You can use spring flora to provide glimpses of a city, rather than shooting a specific location. In the image below we see the French Tricolor through the blossoming trees of a local park. It screams Paris in the Springtime.
You Don’t Need Specific Gear
The real beauty of spring is the fact that you don’t need any specific camera gear, such is the abundance of subjects. The camera and lens that you already own will let you cover many of the subjects mentioned above. If shooting wildlife, I would very much recommend a good telephoto. This will keep you further away from the animals, you should never intrude on them or disturb them.
However, flowers and insects can be shot in great detail using a smartphone, if you don’t own a macro. Landscapes and city shots can be created with a standard zoom and the soft light, mist or haze negates the need for filters of any type.
A tripod could be useful for some landscape shots but for most other spring subjects it’s not needed at all. In fact, travelling as light as possible will help boost your creativity.
Spring is, in my opinion, the best time of year to shoot. It’s full of colour, dramatic yet benign weather and an almost unlimited supply of subjects. Coming out of the harsh winter, we are fuelled with creative ideas and raring to point our lenses at something.
So as spring approaches, get those batteries on charge, run a blower brush over your lenses and get ready for the season of renewal.
