Photographing Spring Landscapes with Canon Explorer of Light Erin Babnik

As snowmelt and fresh rainstorms signal the end of winter, rivers swell and waterfalls begin to gush. Cascades and falls of every size become especially impressive during the peak flows of spring. Gradually nature wakes up and spring greens emerge, offering a great variety of photogenic subjects. It's a magic time to explore below the timberline and beyond. To find signs of the season wherever they might be, which of course includes flowers. From deserts to coasts, spring's most colorful treasures await anyone with the curiosity to find them and the willingness to get creative with a camera. Flowers are notoriously fickle subjects that force you to think fast and keep moving as they respond to the sun, opening or closing their petals and changing which direction they face, all while spring winds cause them to bob and sway. Once you find a spring scene you love, you need to decide how you want to photograph it. And one of the most important decisions you'll make is choosing a lens. Here are some of my favorite lenses for creating spring images. This lens is so in its element right now. At the wide end there's the RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM lens. Its small size and useful range are why I pack this lens more often than not. Even wider is the RF 10-20mm F4L IS STM lens. Both of these wide angle lenses are excellent for when you want to get really close to your subject, and both create beautiful sun stars, which is great for photographing flowers because of how luminous they look in backlight. Keep in mind taller flowers will move more in the wind, so when you get really close with a wide angle lens, compose with shorter flowers in the foreground and wait for lulls in the wind so you can freeze motion more easily. Wide angle lenses are also ideal for photographing waterfalls, allowing you to take in more of the falls themselves or more of their surroundings. Of course wet environments require caution, so be sure to have absorbent lens wipes handy. Next up, the RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens is a versatile option to get creative with shooting through close subjects, or for taking it all in with a more classic view standing further away. Lastly, there is the RF 100-500mm lens. Its incredible range is perfect for photographing a variety of scenes from one position, as light brings spring greens to life. Spring's marvels are unpredictable and always fleeting, so get out early, stay out late, be prepared for whatever the season might have in store, and most of all, remember to have fun.