Any advice for taking a photograph in a forest?

[Scatterbrain]

I'm going out this afternoon to take a photograph in a forest. I'm thinking low down, lots of trees, dappled sunlight shining through the leaves.

I'm struggling to decide on appropriate settings to use as there will be a ot of shade as well as patches of bright light.

I haven't really done much in the way of nature/landscape photogaphy so far, but this is for a course assignment (with a deadline this week) so I could do with getting it right today.

Any advice?

Scatterbrain

[Elmo]

Well if I told you how to set things up then your shots would look like mine, and I doubt that is what you want. So I will say use lots of different setting. Different lenses for different perspectives. Maybe a little underexposure.

And most of all do not forget to look UP.

[Scatterbrain]

Thanks Elmo. LOL, you're right. I just need to experiment

[HockeyFan]

The great thing is that the average person isn't going to be able to say it's not a good photo. They weren't there. You were. You'll know if the results were good. With other photographers, it's mostly an issue of asking questions (both ways) and figuring how based on technique, what to do better in the future, or what post processing might be done to improve things.

[Major_Small]

My only suggestion is prepare to meter dynamically. The lighting definitely depends on what you're shooting and where it is, not to mention that unless it's a clear blue day, your lighting will change from cloud cover. You'll be surprised how fast a well-lit scene can turn pretty dark.

Also, watch for painful things. Depending on your part of the world, you've got to pay attention to animals and vegetation. On my last trek, the worst I had to deal with was thorny brush, a predatory animal stalking me, (I was clearly in his territory, taking pictures of the remains of his last meal), and about a ton and a half of mosquitoes. Also, depending on where you are, and what season it is, watch out for other humans. It'd be a shame to get an arrow through your face because you didn't realize it was bow-hunting season for deer, and were unknowingly encroaching on a hunter's territory without clearly marking yourself as a human.