Nature Photography Gear for Beginners
- Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Rain Gear
- Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Camera Backpack
- Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Camera Clip
- Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Lens Filters
- Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Camera Cleaning Kit
- Final Thoughts on Gear for Nature Photography
- Other Recommended Photography Gear
- The Benefits of Investing in a Quality Tripod for Your Photography
- Which of These Vanguard Camera Bags is Best for Your Needs?
- Tripods and Monopods
- Binoculars
- Extra Batteries and a Power Bank
- Spare Memory Cards
- Portable SSD Hard Drive
- What is the Best Camera and Lens for Landscape Photography?
- The Best Photography Gear for Traveling Light
Photo by Pyrosky via iStock
Nature photography is a fun and fulfilling hobby that allows you to capture beautiful photos while spending quality time in the great outdoors. However, we understand that figuring out what gear you need and what you don’t when first starting can be overwhelming and challenging.
That’s why we built this guide to nature photography gear for beginners! To make your life easier and improve the quality of your images from the get-go. For this article, we will assume you already have the basics (camera, lens, and tripod) and instead will focus on other essential products that might not initially come to your mind.
With that said, we cover everything from gear that will keep you and your camera dry to ways to carry your equipment to a cleaning kit and more. So, whether you want to shoot landscapes, wildlife, or macro photography, we will help you build a nature photography camera kit that rivals the pros.
Now, it’s time to jump in and discover our top five pieces of must-own gear for beginning nature photographers!
Table of Contents
Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Rain Gear
The weather outdoors is extremely unpredictable. That’s why you must always have a way to keep yourself, your camera, and all your nature photography gear dry when the weather takes a turn for the worst. With that in mind, our favorite solution is, without a doubt, the GoShelter wearable canopy.
It’s an innovative new product that will keep you dry, protect your gear, and improve your productivity when photographing nature. The GoShelter features a hands-free design, so you can dedicate all your time and attention to your camera, not fumbling around with an umbrella. Additionally, it’s wind/abrasion resistant, has generous space for a backpack, and is lightweight and collapsable. What more could you want?!
And if you order using our PT1Umbrella coupon code, you can save $15!
Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Camera Backpack
Another essential piece of nature photography gear is a good camera backpack. They are better for nature photography than shoulder and messenger bags because they are more comfortable to wear for extended periods and can hold more gear. When shopping for a camera backpack, things to look for are size, comfort, material, and accessibility.
One of the most popular backpacks for nature photography currently on the market is the Lowepro Flipside Trek BP 450 AW. It’s a comfortable and spacious photography backpack specifically designed for hiking and outdoor adventures. Moreover, it has tons of storage space inside and outside, a breathable back, a padded hip belt, and a weatherproof cover.
Learn More:
Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Camera Clip
We shot landscapes and wildlife photography for years, and one of our biggest complaints was that we couldn’t find a comfortable and convenient way to carry our cameras outside our backpacks. That all changed when we got our hands on the Peak Design Capture Clip a few years back.
It’s a game-changing product and an absolute must-own piece of nature photography gear for beginners. It attaches to one of your backpack's shoulder straps (or a belt), securely holds all different-sized cameras, and provides instant access to your camera. Furthermore, it comes in both black and silver.
Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Lens Filters
Lens filters are another part of our nature photography kit we never leave the house without. They are important because they protect your lenses from scratches, dust, fingerprints, etc., and allow you to work outside in various lighting conditions. The three most common types of lens filters are UV filters, polarizer filters, and Neutral Density (ND) filters.
This 3-piece lens filter kit by K&F Concept is the perfect starter pack for new photographers. It includes all three previously mentioned filter types, and you can select the correct filter thread size for your lens. Also, all the filters are made from optical glass, which leads to better quality photos and videos than plastic.
Nature Photography Gear for Beginners: Camera Cleaning Kit
Lastly, you should always have at least a basic camera cleaning kit with you when shooting in nature. There are endless ways to get your camera and lens dirty when outside (dust, sand, rain, moisture, snow, etc.), and being able to clean your equipment when this happens is imperative. Otherwise, the quality of your content will suffer.
Our go-to recommendation is the professional camera cleaning kit by Altura Photo. It comes with sensor cleaning swabs, cleaning spray, two microfiber cloths, a lens brush, a lens cleaning pen, an air blower, tissue papers, and a carrying case. With this kit, you can keep your camera, sensor, and lenses in tip-top shape no matter what nature throws your way!
Final Thoughts on Gear for Nature Photography
Photo by Sam De Nike via iStock
While the best way to improve the quality of your images when first getting started is to practice and spend time behind your camera, investing in the right nature photography gear also goes a long way. And the five items we shared above are the perfect place to start when putting together a camera kit for nature photography!
As a bonus, here’s a list of more nature photography gear for beginners that can help take your skills to the next level:
