The Mechelse Heide of the Hoge Kempen National Park offers a wealth of opportunities for stunning photos to light up your Instagram feed. Discover below five handy tips for capturing the magic of this magnificent area of natural beauty, using only your smartphone.
Good light is essential for taking great photos with a smartphone or a traditional camera. Use the soft morning (or evening) light to create a warm ambiance for the purple flowers. A smartphone camera will handle this just fine, and will capture the colours of the heath perfectly.
Many smartphones these days have a wide-angle lens, which is perfect for capturing expansive landscapes such as the Mechelse Heide. Switch over to the wide-angle mode, to capture both the purple heather and the surrounding nature. Bear in mind that a wide-angle lens may sometimes cause slight distortion at the edges of the photo, so experiment with different compositions, and see what works best for your picture.
Although smartphones don’t have a specific macro lens, they can take surprisingly good close-up photos. Use the standard lens of your smartphone, and get close to the purple flowers to capture the fine details. Tap on the screen to focus on the desired subject, and experiment with different distances and angles to create interesting compositions.
With a smartphone it’s easy to experiment with different perspectives and compositions, by simply changing your position. Try to photograph close to the ground for a unique birds-eye view of the blooming heathland, or use the height of a nearby hill or tree to capture a panoramic view. Think creatively, and discover new ways to capture the beauty of nature.
Just like with traditional photography, it’s important to consider the weather and your surroundings when taking photos with your smartphone. For example, cloudy skies can add interesting texture to your photos; whereas a clear blue sky forms a beautiful background for purple flowers. Also pay attention to other elements in the surroundings - such as trees, paths and hills - to create interesting compositions.
