Any tips on photographing woodland?

Far be it for me to advise but what I would try is shooting vertically as well as horizontally with the lower part showing a stream/trail/path, and not so much the top of the trees. You don't tend to walk along in a wood with your head looking upwards. let the eye follow the path etc

Not exactly heavily wooded but maybe some idea anyway. The idea is to encourage the viewer to want to walk along and see what you see further on
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if I may comment without causing offence. If I have I am sorry

those pictures of trees are like looking as a deadstop blank screen of trunks and branches, nothing to catch any interest

I use the same trick when nothing else to look at

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Personally i would want to stand on that bridge and see where the steam goes, but that is just me. Bit out of focus sorry

No doubt this post I will be told it is all wrong but that is how I would do it as you asked

Pleae let me know if this is any help and show the photos
 
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I also really struggle with woodland. I found the best way for me was to look at as many woodland images as I could find (Have a look on 500px, there are some absolutely beautiful images on there) decide what style I liked and try and emulate it. For me, I love the texture in the bark on tree trunks so I tend to look for those.

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Simon
Like that photo of yours. I suppose a lot depends on what you want to capture in a woodland area. Also on your style of photography dictates on what you take.
Even just photographing the base of trees can be interesting and what is around them as in your photo.

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Lighting, conditions and composition are key to successful woodland shots IMO. Mist and first light goes a long way along with lots of practice to improve compositions deciding what works and what doesn't. Time of year plays a role too. I tend to avoid summer months, the undergrowth is overgrown and the greens all the same shade.
 
I'm very inexperienced with Woodland photography. I live in a rural location with many woods and forests nearby though so I'm aiming to go to these more and learn the craft now though. I've only very recently started to dip my toes into woodland photography, not so much by taking photographs but just generally walking through my local woods more.

I think mist really does go together with woodland photography fantastically though. Any time it's misty now I'll drop anything and drive straight to the woods if I can.

Conditions like this...

Misty Glow by Joel Spencer, on Flickr
 
I have a similar problem. Our woods around here are green. Green, green, green. Anybody figured out how to shoot when everything is green?

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Thank you Bazza. I would also suggest watching some Youtubers, Simon Baxter (the earlier stuff) is fantastic.
 
sparker said:
I also really struggle with woodland. I found the best way for me was to look at as many woodland images as I could find (Have a look on 500px, there are some absolutely beautiful images on there) decide what style I liked and try and emulate it. For me, I love the texture in the bark on tree trunks so I tend to look for those.

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Really like this ,our bluebells up here are taking forever to bloom
 
My first though was to ensure you are in a woodland, for example inside a motorway service station never really works as a moody woodland scene, that's it, that’s all I got.......
 
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We are also coming into the hardest part of the year for woodland photography. Once the bluebells have gone it's just green and more GREEN!
 
LeeRatters said:
We are also coming into the hardest part of the year for woodland photography. Once the bluebells have gone it's just green and more GREEN!
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So true, I was out at first light this morning, most of the Bluebells have gone to seed now and it all looked very bland.
 
I would also suggest watching some of Adam Gibbs' YouTube clips... IMHO, his woodland photography is excellent.
 
Thanks all for the replies, useful.

@realspeed: no offence taken at all. Genuinely like to to receive positive criticism and am keen to improve, like everyone here I suspect. I often look for leading lines and like to use paths like you suggest. I like there to be someone/thing on the path for perspective and interest (wife, dog, bear, unicorn etc). I just love the density of the woods, which is why I thought filling the frame may be a good shout. Like I say, I'm struggling to capture what I want to (I think!).

@sparker: I love this image. I love the shallow depth and the detail. Nice shot and good advice. Thanks

@a few of you: yep love it when the light gets mysterious. 'Unfortunately' it's just been wall to wall sunshine recently! I actually really like the greens - so many shades and when they're backlit by the sun it's pretty cool. Tried to grab this by filling the frame with the big tree at the top. I'll definitely have a play in there when the mists come in (which trust me, they will... I live in the Lakes!)

Will check out with YouTube links - thanks :)

Yep, bluebells suffering here too after a few cold days.

Thanks again....

Si
 
I'm the same - I love being in the woodland but find it really hard to capture the essence of it in a photograph. I read somewhere that you should only go to woodland on a cloudy day because of the problems with contrast but I love a sunny day in the woods so I've tried to work with the light rather than struggle to compensate for it and anyway - I love contrast so... Here's one I took yesterday after I found a forgotten diffuser filter in an old camera bag. As you can see, I also try not to be a slave to focus!

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Taken with Nikon D90 + Nikon 50mm AF 1.8D + Hoya Diffuser Filter - 1/125 sec at f/7.1, ISO200
 
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