In camera sharpening is not as effective as after processing sharpening in the computer. The same goes for adding contrast to the basic camera settings. A well balanced color setting will make it easier to print perfectly. Since digital images are extra sensitive to color balance changes in light, a camera with a custom white balance is a plus. If artifacts show up in the smooth areas of the picture, a software called PureImage will remove the artifacts while preserving the edge sharpness.

When photographing nature subjects, use a smaller f stop like f4.0 or f5.6 in order to insure a good depth of field. Many types of light will produce good pictures, but the tried and true early morning/late afternoon is foolproof. Other successful lighting is shooting into the sun (bracketing is a must), using a sunset as a source and skim lighting. Use any trick to improve the dramatic values: framing the main subject for increasing the apparent depth or darkening the edges to bring attention to the main subject. Emphasize the vastness of a natural feature by including a diminutive figure in the composition or with the use of a super wide angle lens.

Telephoto lenses are often used in nature photography, even for scenic shots. The flattening properties of the telephoto lens compresses distance and plays up fog and mist for an eerie effect. Of course, these long lenses are invaluable when photographing animals in their natural setting.