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2018 Year In Review: Some Great Photo Tips

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Published Date

December 28, 2018

A year's worth of great photo tips for your national park adventure/Rebecca Latson

Most of us never visit a national park without a camera in tow, where it's the latest DSLR or your smartphone or tablet. We all want to come home with some great shots. Throughout the past year Contributing Photographer Rebecca Latson has shared her secrets for getting some incredible photos in the National Park System. Here's a look back at her words of wisdom, and supporting photos.

A yellow flower for breakfast, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

A yellow flower for breakfast, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

My Five Favorites From 2017

Happy New Year! Continuing a tradition started several years ago with the Traveler, photographer Rebecca Latson lists 5 of her favorite photos taken during 2017 and explains why they are her favorites. Rebecca details settings, weather and lighting conditions, as well as the story behind each photo.

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An autumn raindrop, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

An autumn raindrop, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

Don't Forget About Those Little Things

While the majority of us and our cameras visit a national park to capture The Big Picture, it's often the smaller things we should remember to photograph in order to flesh out our national park photographic story.  Contributing photographer and writer Rebecca Latson explains why these little things are important contributors to The Big Picture and how you can capture great shots of those little things using one or more techniques she details in this month's article.

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Sunset over the Virgin River and the Watchman, Zion National Park / Rebecca Latson

Sunset over the Virgin River and the Watchman, Zion National Park / Rebecca Latson

Two Point-And-Shoots And A Smartphone In Zion National Park

Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson packed a couple of point-and-shoot cameras and her smartphone, in addition to her SLR, for a winter photo trip to Zion National Park. In this article, Rebecca shares the results as well as advice and tips on getting your best shot, no matter what camera you use.

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Saturated plant texture and color, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

Saturated plant texture and color, Mount Rainier National Park / Rebecca Latson

Capturing Texture, Pattern, And Color In Your Compositions

Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson wants you to focus your powers of observation on the properties of texture, pattern, and color that you see in your viewfinder. Rebecca offers five techniques that she uses when photographing compositions focusing on any and all of these properties found within a national park.

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The golden light of sunrise at Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

The golden light of sunrise at Sunrise Point, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

Capturing Nature With A Time-Lapse Video

Contributing writer and photographer Rebecca Latson is always trying to learn something new about her cameras that she can pass on for use during your own national park visit.  This month's article takes you to Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, where Rebecca demonstrates the capture of time-lapse videos utilizing any type of camera.

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Sunrise and a sunburst over Arches National Park / Rebecca Latson

Sunrise and a sunburst over Arches National Park / Rebecca Latson

Adding A Sunburst To Your Sunshine

How many of you have looked at national park images of the sun and viewed a golden-yellow or golden-orange orb with the shape and brilliance of a star? That’s called a sunburst. Some people think this photographic treatment is pretty cool, while others give it a thumbs-down. Whether you like the result of this technique or not, creating a sunburst with your camera is great for learning more about your camera’s manual settings. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson shows you how this is done.

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Sunrise and a sunburst over Arches National Park / Rebecca Latson

Sunrise and a sunburst over Arches National Park / Rebecca Latson

Photographs That Teach Both Photographer And Viewer

National park photography is a great educational tool, teaching both the viewer and photographer about the natural and cultural history of a particular park. The more you learn about a national park, the more thought and care you'll apply to composing a shot of something sparking your curiosity. Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson provides examples of what she has learned about the geology of Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, and Bryce Canyon national parks, while offering tips and techniques for framing that perfect composition of whatever it is that encourages you to learn more.

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A midday view of Mesa Arch and the vista beyond, Canyonlands National Park / Rebecca Latson

A midday view of Mesa Arch and the vista beyond, Canyonlands National Park / Rebecca Latson

The Armchair Photography Guide To Canyonlands National Park – Island In The Sky

Thinking of traveling with your camera to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park? Contributing photographer Rebecca Latson's latest Armchair Photography Guide takes you along stops within this vast district, providing tips on techniques and gear to help you make the most of your visit without having to hike long trails or venture into the backcountry to capture stellar images.

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Watching the sunrise at Sunrise Point above the Queens Garden Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

Watching the sunrise at Sunrise Point above the Queens Garden Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

The Armchair Photography Guide To Bryce Canyon National Park – Part 1, Sunrise Point To Sunset Point

Following on the heels of last month's Canyonlands National Park Armchair Photography Guide, photographer Rebecca Latson chose to keep things in Utah a little while longer and pen a guide for Bryce Canyon National Park. In this month's article, she provides tips, techniques, and a general overview of the photo ops available within this geologically surreal national park. Rebecca's Armchair Photography Guides are for those who cannot or do not wish to venture very far away from car, camper, cabin or tent, as well as for those visiting this national park for the first time, or who are re-visiting the park and might find the advice listed here helpful for future visits.

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Hiking among the geology at Bryce Point, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

Hiking among the geology at Bryce Point, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

The Armchair Photography Guide To Bryce Canyon National Park – Part 2, Inspiration Point To Rainbow Point

If you read Part 1 of the Armchair Photography Guide for Bryce Canyon National Park, you’ll have followed photographer Rebecca Latson through a photographic journey from Sunrise Point to Sunset Point, along the rim trail between those two view areas. This month’s article continues the narration, moving from Inspiration Point to Paria View, Bryce Point, and view areas further south, from Farview Point, with an elevation of 8,819 feet, all the way to the end of the road at Rainbow Point, with an elevation of 9,115 feet, including a side hike along the Bristlecone Loop Trail. 

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Heading back to the top, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

Heading back to the top, Bryce Canyon National Park / Rebecca Latson

The Armchair Photography Guide To Bryce Canyon National Park – Part 3

If you want to capture great images yet cannot, or do not wish to, venture very far from your vehicle or lodging, then you've probably been following the Armchair Photography Guides for national parks that National Parks Traveler contributing photographer Rebecca Latson has visited. In her final Part 3 of this Armchair Photography Guide for Bryce Canyon National Park, Rebecca covers portions of Fairyland Canyon and Fairyland Loop Trail, complete with suggestions and techniques for fantastic photos in this smaller amphitheater chock-full of colorful scenery and amazing geology.

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Holding winter court at the Court of the Patriarchs, Zion National Park / Rebecca Latson

Holding winter court at the Court of the Patriarchs, Zion National Park / Rebecca Latson

Capturing The Face Of Winter

'Tis the season for winter visits to national parks, when the face of the landscape may have markedly changed, and visitation is lower. In addition to all the neat activities you can do in a national park, such as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, dog sledding and ice fishing, photographer Rebecca Latson wants to remind you to add photography to those activities. This month's article provides tips and techniques for capturing awesome images as well as prepping yourself and your camera for the elements. 

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Comments

Rebecca, grateful for your time, talents and writings. Looking forward to another year of reading your articles.


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