Spring Photography

Spring is a great time of year. Even though it seems like, for some of us, Spring is determined not to show up until nearly summer-time, it's still a much better time of year than the long, cold, dark days of winter. Spring is alive and ripe and filled with color and warmth. The end of the abomination that is "Standard Time" gives us more hours of daylight to work with. Shoots of green are beginning to fight their way out of the barren ground. Flowers have not yet begun to bloom but they have begun to appear in tiny buds on trees or bushes. The world is waking back to life and with these days, we have a few fun photography experiments you can try to help you shake off the winter doldrums and embrace the fresh spring air! 1) Sky photos -- The calendar says it's spring but, right now, in a lot of places, it doesn't quite feel like spring yet. The temperatures are still chilly (it's actually supposed to snow here tomorrow). The winds are blustering and biting. The ground is still cold, wet, and icy in a manner that makes you remember to wear shoes even for a quick jaunt to your car. But, the sky is definitely different. The angle and position of the sun has changed for most people. So, making certain you take steps to protect your camera, take some photos of the sky. Don't take photos of the sun itself without the proper kinds of lenses, filters, and sensor guards but you can take some good photos of the sky at dawn, at sunset, or even the wispy white clouds that mark the arrival of spring. Also, spring is a great time for some storm photography in certain parts of the world -- just keep your head and stay safe. 2) Time lapse -- If you're wanting to show how quickly things can change, spring is a great time to demonstrate that with time lapse photography. Shoots will be coming out of the ground, flowers will be forming in buds that will soon open. In just a few weeks, the world will look completely different. 3) Cute animals -- If you hang around the Internet for long, you'll have trouble distinguishing us from the ancient Egyptians because both civilizations are known for writing on walls and worshiping cats. Photos or short videos of animals -- especially kittens or puppies -- doing something adorable (poking at a flower, trying to eat a plant, confronting another new-born animal) will get you lots of attention. Even better is if you have a grown animal who has learned some kind of funny trick (such as a dog who can play basketball to some extent). 4) Spring festivals -- Spring often brings with it a lot of festivals. Some religious, some cultural, and some little more than a "time to get outside and PAH-TAY because it's not winter anymore!" kind of event. These events often are great avenues for photography as the unexpected can always be expected to happen whenever enough people get together. 5) Urban exploration -- Once again, stay safe doing this and try not to break any laws. But, spring, with new shoots coming up from the ground and plants and animals reawakening, is a great time to explore abandoned buildings and lots. Greenery forcing its way through cracks in the cement can often been more beautiful to look at than an entire yard covered in grass. These are some of our suggestions for how to spice up your photography this spring. What are some of yours? -- da Bird