It’s not the camera that will make you a better nature photographer and set your photos apart. Neither is it the lens, nor even Photoshop. It is knowledge that makes the difference, and these nature apps will give you a huge step up in that area.

5

Seek

With Seek, you can identify almost any animal or plant. All you have to do is take a picture and upload it; the app will give you information about what’s in the photo. While it may not seem like a big deal with Google Lens and Visual Look Up available on our phones, Seek is focused on giving you comprehensive information about plants and animals.

For example, the app provides complete taxonomy information, including the scientific name, class, family, and so on. Although I don’t have to know these details, I appreciate that I can use the opportunity to learn about the natural world. Then when I see a similar species, I can connect the dots with its similarities.

The app also shows the range, seasonality, availability nearby, and any similar species. As a macro and bird photographer, I find this very handy since I can get all the relevant details in one place. There’s no need to go back to Google to look for further information, which saves time and lets me focus more on my photography.

The challenges and badges also encourage you to get out and learn more about the creatures around you. I’m impressed with how Seek feeds my love for learning.

Download: Seek for iOS | Android (Free)

4

Merlin Bird ID

If I had to credit one factor that considerably improved my bird photography, it’d be Merlin. It’s mind-blowing, because I always thought my 120-frames-per-second camera and the 1.4x teleconverter would make the difference. Not to mention that Merlin is completely free, while I’ve spent hundreds and even thousands of dollars on my gear.

Merlin is a super-simple app that the whole family can enjoy; it uses sound recognition to help you identify nearby birds. Just start recording audio once you’re in a park, natural area, or trail. The app will listen to the sounds and list all the birds nearby. When you hear a particular bird, the app will flash its name. So you can learn to identify bird sounds in real time.

If you go to the same location multiple times, you’re sure to become an expert birder as the bird sounds become instantly familiar. Before using the app, I was shooting without any cues. Even with a guidebook in hand, it was a frustrating experience. But Merlin makes birding and bird photography accessible and enjoyable.

Along with identification, you can also explore the birds in your area by learning their range, seasonality, and rarity. It would have taken years for me to learn all this on my own through research and experience. So if you’re a newbie bird photographer, get this app first before buying any other camera gear.

Download: Merlin Bird ID iOS | Android (Free)

3

AllTrails

Unlike the above two apps, AllTrails didn’t give me groundbreaking new information. Instead, it helps me avoid getting lost on the trail. Before it, I’d often get caught up photographing something while my group moved ahead. It’d be a nerve-wracking few minutes until I found them or saw a trail marker.

With AllTrails, I like to check the trail beforehand and start it on the app right before hiking the trail. Now, I’m no longer worried about going alone on a trail or losing my way. I know exactly where I am all the time. That peace of mind allows me to pause and focus on the gorgeous nature around me.

What’s more, the app lets you explore additional trails, or join another trail and take a different route. I can also specifically search for wildflowers or animal-specific trails. The app’s community aspect is helpful, letting you check reviews and photos.

Going to a remote location without a mobile network? No worries. The premium version, AllTrails+, lets you download the trail map for offline use. I don’t have the plus version, but it’s nice to have the option if you need the upgrade.

Download: AllTrails for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

2

eBird

eBird is a citizen science app where all users add their bird sightings to a database. Scientists then use this information for research. You can create checklists and keep track of all the birds you’ve seen. In addition to making lists, I use it to find birding hotspots nearby.

After using Merlin, I didn’t feel the need for another birding app. But I was puzzled by the bird photographers I met on the trails, who would often be rushing to see a rare bird someone spotted in the area. The birding community may be small, but I was still curious how they always seemed to know the latest sightings. Enter eBird’s rare bird alert.

As soon as someone adds a rare bird in a particular location to their checklist, you’ll get an alert. Then, you drop everything you’re doing, rush to the spot, and hunt—figuratively speaking— for that elusive bird.

Bird photography is a slow and mindful process for me, and I like to keep it that way. So I don’t want to get caught up in the competition to find the rare bird, but I like the interest and conversation eBird brings. Even though I’ve happily turned off the notification now, I still check the rare birds page to be aware of what’s happening in the community.

Download: eBird for iOS | Android (Free)

1

iNaturalist

iNaturalist is the mother of all nature apps and needs no introduction. As someone living in a new country, I relied heavily on iNaturalist to understand the creatures in my new home. Without the app, I would’ve been completely lost—or lost interest altogether. (This was way before the introduction of the Seek app.)

The latest version features AI-powered tools to make your learning even more enjoyable. Along with identifying species, the new iNaturalist gives a confidence percentage. It identified my Baltimore Oriole photo with a confidence rating of 79%. I’m sure of the species, but iNaturalist probably gave that value because of the foliage in front.

The app also has a community discussion section where others can add their expertise. Someone once gave a mini-lesson on the difference between a muskrat and a beaver, right in the comments.

This particular feature, with multiple layers of checks, is invaluable to me because the apps are not always right. I once added the wrong name to an organism that an app misidentified. Somebody pointed that out during an exhibition in an art gallery, which was embarrassing.

Related

The 8 Best Apps to Identify Anything Using Your Phone’s Camera

These image recognition apps let you identify coins, plants, products, and more with your Android or iPhone camera.

All your observations are saved on iNaturalist; you can refer to them anytime. Also, you can search for animals and plants in any geographic location on the map. There are also challenges you can participate in.

If you want a no-frills, reliable app to learn about the natural world, nothing can beat iNaturalist.

Download: iNaturalist for iOS | Android (Free)

As a new photographer, it’s easy to believe that you need a million different pieces of equipment to get great results. There are many skills to learn, from cameras and lenses to lighting and composition. All these are essential, but intimate knowledge of your subjects is the key to portraying them well.

So go ahead and download one (or more!) of these apps to learn more about nature and improve your photography at the same time.