When a Nature Image Becomes Fine Art

Intro by Skip Cohen


There's a point in photography, especially with close-up work, where an image becomes fine art. This is one of my favorite photographs from my good pal, Ossian Lindholm. We all have our definition of art, but for me, I love the composition, the lighting, and the color. Ossian has taken us to a place we would normally miss seeing. Most of us would just walk by the scene.

He's a remarkable artist, teacher, and environmentalist. Now, imagine how much you could learn and create on your own if you were traveling with him for a few days on an upcoming trip. There's a great one coming up in November. From November 5 - 13 Ossian will be on another Vision and Vine tour in Argentina. This trip is recognized as one of National Geographic Traveler's 50 Trips of a Lifetime. Just click the banner above to find out more.

In the meantime, follow Ossian's advice and check out your immediate surroundings. You might find some classic images to capture right on your doorstep! 

by Ossian Lindholm

Most people, when they think about true nature photography, see themselves walking through the woods, jungles or hiking on a mountain path. When they see an amazing image from another photographer they imagine the artist dressed in a camouflage shirt and pants, spending hours with a long lens waiting for the decisive moment. The truth is, great nature images are all around us and often closer than we think.

On a quite Sunday morning I discovered this frog in the garden of my house. No exotic location or spending hours in the wild searching for the shot.  This little guy was comfortably sitting on a leaf sunbathing the morning away. 

I grabbed my camera along with a 300 mm lens and simply started shooting. My biggest challenge was making sure I didn't disturb his rest, part of the beauty and serenity of the shot. So, since there was no room or time to set up a tripod, I increased my shutter speed and shot it handheld.  The image was captured at f8  1/2000 at ISO 400.

Often the biggest challenge in nature photography is slowing down enough to pay attention to our surroundings. So, whether you're on a trip with me like Vision and Vine, a safari or just in your own backyard, take the time to look closely at the world closest to you. You'll be amazed at what you'll find.