For a landscape photographer, autumn photography is literally the golden time of the year…and red…and orange. Nothing is quite as colourful as the myriad of colours in the changing plants and foliage. Combine that with an early morning walk in the brisk air, maybe some mist, with peace and tranquility and you have what i consider to be an almost perfect recipe for life.
Just add coffee. And a camera, of course.
Not to mention, sunrises and sunsets are starting to be at way more sociable hours….which in itself, is both a blessing and a curse. If it’s easier for you, then it’s easier for everyone else.
Follow Autumn Colours: Fall Foliage Map
The challenge can be, though, to not overwhelm, not capture everything in the scene. Composition is just as important now with what to leave out as with what to put in…including the colours. Not only can composition be difficult, if you are at a well known spot or location there will likely be crowds to contend with – the crowds that like to be in the scene rather than stand back and capture it.
If you have a local spot then it’s easy to get there early and often. When travelling or visiting somewhere further afield, planning and luck take more of a hand. It may be possible to plan for 2 days at each spot you wish to photograph, but if it isn’t, then it pays to do your homework. Search pictures on the internet, look for gps coordinates, look at maps, sunrise times, weather forecasts and figure out where you need to be and at what time. then work back to when you’d need to crawl out of bed to make that happen. You may have a chance to scout the location a few hours or the day before – this is definitely time well spent, especially if you may be arriving in the dark!
It’s not just the colours, but the textures and how the light brings that out too in autumn photography. Scenes may change rapidly depending upon the light or weather, so remember, if shooting digital (as most will be these days) pixels are free – that is to say, it costs only space on your card to take as many shots as you can and in that bunch may be the photo that’s the one when you review them later on, a photo you may not have even considered taking.
Don’t forget to look down as well – leaves on the ground and patterns of fallen logs and trees, not to mention plant life such as mushrooms; reflections in puddles or on ponds and lakes. The bold colours and high contrast also plays well for those that do ICM (intentional camera movement) – not something Mrs Faceless or i do but other photographers i have shot with produce some really interesting images.
So if you’re going out on an autumn photography adventure to capture the wonderful colours here are a few tips
- wear appropriate clothes
- research your location
- take food and drink
- look for sun rays and sun stars
- search for mushrooms and seasonal plants
- hunt for water and reflections
- look up, down, left, right and behind you…constantly
- hope for mist or fog – check weather conditions and dew points
- avoid the sky or super bright light which will distract from the composition
- don’t forget your polariser and nd filters
Finally, take your time and, most of all, enjoy yourself…