Autumn is a fantastic time of the year for photography. Scenes with trees are transformed into seas of red and golden colors. The autumn season is all about moods and emotions so use this photographic opportunity to your advantage and you will produce some truly magical photographs.
Here are some top tips and tricks for capturing amazing autumn photography.
Know When To Go
Planning ahead will help you to capture some amazing images. Autumn is a fantastic time of the year for photography. There is such a variety of photographic opportunities for those who love colorful autumn days. It’s not hard to understand why this is the favorite season of so many photographers.
Autumn is all about moods and emotions so use this to your advantage and you will produce some truly magical photographs. The best times to shoot fall landscapes vary from year to year depending on where you live. In general, though, late September through early November tends to produce the best results for autumn photography. The season ends around Thanksgiving, so by then most of the color has faded from the landscape. Weather forecasts can help to determine when the seasons will change, however keeping an eye on the foliage is your best bet.
Past Peak
You can still take stunning photos of colorful foliage even if the leaves have fallen. There are many opportunities for creative autumn photography landscapes due to the starkness of barren trees. Obviously, the best time to photograph fall colors is when they’re at their peak, however, there will be a few weeks left before winter sets in.
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Location Scouting
It’s a good idea to check out a location before you head out. You can use photo-sharing websites to get ideas of the locations that are available in your areas such as Flickr, 500px, and Instagram. To help in your search, Google Maps is also a great way to explore an area and to find an autumn scene for the best photo opportunities.
Get Out Early
The earlier you get up before sunrise, the better chance you have of capturing the perfect shot, plus there are fewer people around. Sunrise is an ideal time of day to photograph autumn foliage and the beautify of the golden light it produces. It provides a warm glow that helps brighten duller greens and purples. If you have access to a clear view of the horizon, try taking sunrise shots from there. You’re likely to get some great results.
Camera Settings
For the most creative control over your images, you should always shoot in manual mode. If you want the camera to do some of the work, another alternative is to use the aperture priority mode to help you with the depth of field. The camera will be able to take care of the shutter speed for you.
The white balance is important to keep an eye on. Depending on the weather, you may have to adjust it. Experiment with it to see what works best. White balance can be set to cloudy on a sunny day for softer colors. Don’t be afraid to try different settings and see what happens. It’s one of the best ways to see exactly what white balance does.
If you want to keep your shots sharp, use a low ISO. However, if it is a darker day you may need to raise the ISO. Keep in mind that higher ISO’s can cause your images to appear more grainy.
Get Creative With Filters
Filters aren’t just useful for adding effects like haze or blurring backgrounds; they’re great tools for creating unique compositions too. Try shooting with a polarizing filter, graduated neutral density filter, and even UV filters to create different looks. Experiment until you find what works best with your autumn photography images.
Work With The Elements
Autumn is known for its changeable weather. It’s possible for rain, mist, and frost to show up without notice, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take pictures. Many landscape photographers look forward to these pleasant surprises as they allow for unique photos. You don’t need to have sunny weather to produce a beautiful image.
The elements play a huge role in creating dramatic autumn photography. Autumn has such a wide range of color tones and textures, so working with them can really bring something special to your photographs.
An overcast day is an incredible way to capture the saturated colors of leaves in foliage photography. Those powerful tones and colors that aren’t visible under bright sunlight can be brought out thanks to overcast lighting. Sometimes the lack of sunlight produces more moody photographs, plus the soft ambient light will give you a more delicate contrast.
Autumn mornings can be covered with frost from a sudden drop in temperature. It is ideal for blue hour or golden hour autumn images. It’s not just the leaves that look great with frost, it’s the green grass and other foliage that hasn’t seen the harsh cold yet.
Bring A Tripod
When shooting landscapes during autumn foliage season, consider bringing a tripod along. The windy weather makes handheld photography difficult at best. A sturdy tripod allows you to capture sharp shots without having to worry too much about camera shake. If you use a shutter release cable when you use the tripod, it will help to avoid camera shake.
If you don’t have access to a tripod, try setting up your shot somewhere sheltered from strong winds. You may also be able to find some shelter by placing yourself behind a large rock or building. Even just sitting down against a wall can provide good protection from gusts of wind.
Use Reflections
There are some very moving and symmetrical compositions that can be made from the landscape reflected in the water. Look for still water in lakes to capture these reflections. Beautiful abstract reflections can also be made from the vibrant colors of autumn. If you want to hone in on these striking color patterns, use a telephoto zoom lens.
Capture Details
Autumn has its own special beauty, but sometimes it’s hard to get those tiny details right. Use a macro lens to capture the smallest of leaves on your subject. You can also use a slow shutter speed to capture long exposures and to blur moving objects into one another.
You can use closeup techniques to add texture and dimensionality to your photographs. Try placing objects like twigs, rocks, branches, flowers, etc. into your frame. Or experiment with different focal lengths to achieve various effects.
Use A Wide-Angle Lens
Dramatic compositions can be created with a wide-angle lens. Extending the perspective as well as exaggerating scale allows elements to appear further apart.
It’s possible to record everything in sharp focus at f/16 or f/22, because of the large depth of field.
Shoot From Unusual Angles
Don’t be afraid to get a bit dirty. Sometimes it’s necessary to get down there in the mud to get an unusual angle. Lying on your back, muddying up your knees, and scrambling alongside a river are all ways to get a better view of the landscape. Shooting at unusual angles will help you capture creative images with unique perspectives. Just remember to protect your gear!
Find A Good Vantage Point
If you want to take advantage of all the beautiful colors around you, look for places where you have a clear view of the sky above the tree line. The higher you go, the better the light quality will be. Shoot autumn foliage at sunset when there are no shadows cast by trees. This will give you more interesting shapes than if you shoot during the day.
Take Lots Of Shots
Don’t worry about getting every single shot perfect – you don’t need them all. Instead, focus on capturing the essence of this season.
Take An Autumn Landscape Photography Course
Take an Autumn Landscape Photography Course with landscape photographer Justin Reznick. Learn how to capture the beauty of the most colorful season with this collection of shooting and post-processing tips. Justin shares a photo album from locations such as Zion National Park, where the striking fall color and clear skies make for amazing photography and reveals tips for capturing great photos in your own backyard. Learn how to incorporate water for more dynamic images, capture color in reflections, create interesting compositions from fallen leaves, and experiment with wide-angle and telephoto lenses. Plus, find out how to make your fall photos look their best with Adobe Lightroom.
Conclusion
One of the best times to take photos is in autumn. You should try to get out there as often as possible. Perseverance and careful planning are some of the things that make a good photo. By being outside more, you’ll be able to take better pictures of the scenery with the light that you want and at the peak of autumn foliage.
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