Remember that first wildflower of spring you saw on your last hike? Or that scenic mountain sunset from the top of the ridge? If the answer is no, then maybe a camera should be an essential part of your hiking gear. Taking great outdoor and nature photos does not have to be hard. With a few simple tips from a photography expert you can capture all your outdoor adventure memories so they will last a lifetime.

Meet Lynn Willis.

Growing up in East Tennessee, Lynn discovered photography at an early age using his father’s old camera. His parents also instilled a love for the outdoors in Lynn during summer trips to the National Parks of the West, which included a climbing trip to Yosemite. Today Lynn combines his love for the outdoors and photography into a portfolio that spans from the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Himalayas. Lynn’s award winning work has been published in such magazines as Rock & Ice, Climbing, Urban Climber, Paraglider International and Blue Ridge Outdoors. His work has also been featured in Ray’s Weather calendars.

Lynn has won awards in the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition and National Geographic Adventure magazine. He now makes his home in the mountains of Western North Carolina where he believes our diversity of seasons make for well-rounded photo opportunities. His work can be viewed at his website www.lynnwillis.com. Lynn offers some outdoor photography tips so we all can take outdoor pictures like a pro.

What season of the year is best to get outside and take great photos? The answer is every season. They each offer unique opportunities for photography. In spring you have the chance to see landscapes fresh from winter, returning birds, newborn animals and bright spring colors. Summer is the time for family vacations, outdoor activities and Farmers Markets. Fall offer colorful foliage, pumpkin patches and deep blue skies. Even during winter great pictures can be taken of snow covered scenes and dormant trees. Each season if different, but some basic photography tips can be used all year long.

When taking a picture use the rule of thirds. This rule divides the photo frame into three equal parts both vertically and horizontally making nine equal quadrants. When shooting a picture keep the subject away from dead center and have elements in the picture that will lead your eye into the picture towards the main subject. If you are taking a shot of a wide mountain vista, put an interesting object in the foreground of the picture, such as a boulder, tree or person. Or maybe a shot of a lone tree branch against the blue sky. The branch will lead your eye into the picture.

Bright sunny days don’t always make the best pictures. Cloudy, overcast and foggy days can also make for interesting compositions. The overcast will lessen the harshness of the shadows and increase the color saturation. A good time of day to be out taking pictures is during what photographers call the “magic hour.” This is the early morning just before and after sunrise and late afternoon/early evening when the shadows are long and the light is less harsh. Another trick is to use a polarizing filter on your camera lens. It will cut the glare on shiny surfaces and provide better color saturation, increase contrast and make the blue sky a deeper blue.

Some other adventure photography tips Lynn shares with us are:

When shooting people in foreign lands, smile a lot and allow time for them to warm up to you. Then bring out the camera.

A shower cap works as a decent and cheap camera cover for light rain. A pack cover is ideal for your camera bag when on an outing.

A bean bag works good as a tripod for a summit shot- better than trying to balance the camera on some rocks.

On longer trips, take extra batteries and many cards. Better to have more cards of smaller capacity than one card with lots of room for data, in case of corruption.

A mono pod is more ideal than a lightweight tripod when venturing on a long trip in the wilderness.

When photographing sports, try to let the action unfold naturally and anticipate the next move before it happens.

Try to capture the image from different angles.

If you want to remember your next Take It Outside adventure, toss a camera in your backpack and take some pictures. Lynn’s final piece of advice on taking great outdoor pictures is “Have fun, make prints and share them!” If you need some inspiration on outdoor and adventure photography check out Lynn Willis’ website at www.lynnwillis.com. Visit your local outdoor outfitter for all the gear and advice you will need to Take It Outside. Send your questions, comments or suggestions or some of your latest outdoor pictures to takeitoutside@live.com.