Photography tips for capturing the spirit of the Buckeye Trail

Seeing the trail through your lens: photography tips for capturing the spirit of the Buckeye Trail

Hiking the Buckeye trail provides a great way to reconnect with nature, find peace, and enjoy what Ohio has to offer. Hiking the trail with a camera can be a whole new experience if you’re open to slowing down, noticing more, and connecting with the landscape in a new way. You start to notice how the light filters through the tree canopy, the way the trail leads your eye into the distance, how others experience the trail, and even the tiny critters on the forest floor.

Photography doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need expensive equipment or a background in art. What matters most is being present, patient, and curious about what’s around you.

Here are a few trail-tested tips to help you capture the Buckeye Trail no matter the time of year, section or condition, let’s dive in!

Chase good light

Working with good light can turn an ordinary scene into something unforgettable. A great time of day to shoot is early morning and late evening, when the sun is low and the light is soft. This is what photographers call “golden hour.” If you’re hiking during mid-day when the sun is out, notice how the light often creates “pools” of light as if filters through the trees that can be fun to use as points of interest in your frame. This light can be harsh, so consider moving people into open shade when making a portrait. Finally, if you live in North East Ohio, you’re probably familiar with overcast days in the winter. This can be a beautiful light and your best friend! Notice how the light seems to wrap itself around objects and faces, providing soft, flattering and less contrast characteristics than full sun.

Keep your frame simple

Simplifying your frame is a great thing to keep in mind. It’s easy to include too much in a photo, especially when the view is stunning. The trick to simplifying is asking yourself, “what’s the most interesting thing in this scene, what is the story?” The texture of a weathered tree? A single hiker in the distance? Once you’ve decided, move your body and camera until the scene pleases your eye, and is balanced. When thinking about composition, the rule of thirds is a great place to start. Simply put, our eyes are naturally drawn to these areas, so think about placing your subject, and the horizon on these lines and their intersections.

Try new perspectives

Changing your perspective is a great way to challenge yourself and reveal the story. Don’t just shoot from eye level, try kneeling, or elevating yourself above the scene. A low angle can make a person look heroic. A high angle can reveal the pattern of switchbacks or the texture of the forest floor. On the trail, perspective is everything, think about the way you generally view the trail and challenge yourself to find a new perspective.

Think big picture to close-up

Shooting tight, medium, and wide can help tell your story. That is, when interested in photographing a scene, try taking a wide photo of the overall scene, then move in closer, then get really close! This is a fun exercise and will help you think about story telling in sequencing. Combine this with #2 and #3 and in time, you’ll discover all kinds of ways to tell a story!

Show the human story

Telling a story through the Buckeye Trail is about more than landscapes. It’s about the people and the experiences that make each hike meaningful. Capture your friends laughing at a trailhead, tying boots, sharing snacks, or studying the map. Think about hands brushing along a tree trunk, or boots kicking up dust, or even your friend running through a spiderweb! These small moments are what draw others in. They show what it feels like to be out there, not just what it looks like.

Honor the trail and its wildlife

A good photographer respects the trail, its creatures, and is an overall good steward. Always follow Leave No Trace principles. Stay on marked paths, avoid trampling vegetation, and pack out what you pack in. If you’re photographing wildlife, keep a respectful distance and let them behave naturally. A quiet moment from afar often makes a more powerful photo than a close one that disturbs the animal. Remember, the goal is to celebrate the trail, not change it.

Learn from every shot

Photography is a lifelong process of noticing, trying, and learning. Review your photos after a hike. What worked? What didn’t? Maybe you caught a great moment, but the light was too flat. Or the light was perfect, but the frame felt cluttered. Both are lessons for next time. Set small challenges for yourself. Capture movement. Focus on texture. Tell a story with three photos instead of one. The more intentional you become, the more your work will stand out. Please remember, not every photo will be perfect, I know mine sure aren’t!

Share what you see

Of course, be sure to share! Sharing your images helps inspire others to get out, explore, and care for Ohio’s wild spaces. If you have photos that capture the trail’s beauty, whether they show a sunrise, a muddy boot, or a quiet moment under the trees, consider submitting them for the BTA’s website or social media. Your view helps tell the larger story of the trail that connects us all.

Ed note: the website team considers all photos posted to the BTA Facebook group for use on the website.

Final thoughts

Photography on the Buckeye Trail is about more than taking pictures. It’s about slowing down, paying attention, and connecting with nature and community. Each photo you make becomes part of a shared story, one that celebrates the simple joy of being outside in Ohio. So next time you’re out on the blue-blazed path, take a breath, look around, and let the moment find you. Then, when it feels right, lift your camera and click.

About the author

Josh Reuck is an outdoor lifestyle and environmental portrait photographer helping brands tell real, human-centered stories. With a background ranging from park ranger to skydiving crew, he’s worked in the field long before he worked in a studio—giving him a natural ability to connect with diverse teams and capture authentic, lived-in moments. Based in Ohio, he partners with outdoor and sustainability-focused companies to create strategic, impactful visual content.