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Autumn is a truly wonderful time of year to be a
photographer. With all of the intense color, it seems you
need only point your camera in some random direction and you
will come up with a great shot. But is it really that easy?
Like with any other nature photography, it takes more than
just a beautiful scene to make a great shot. Here are some
tips to make sure you optimize your fall foliage
photography:
Use a polarizer
A polarizer will help remove color-robbing glare
from fall foliage, especially if the foliage is wet. On a
sunny day, a polarizer can help darken and intensify the
blue sky, which will create a powerful contrast with yellow
and red leaves. When photographing fall foliage on wet
rocks, a polarizer will not only intensify the color of the
leaves, but will darken the rocks, creating more contrast.
Maple leaves, Shenandoah
National Park, Virginia
Reflect
Create
unique images by photographing fall color reflected in water.
This technique works best if the foliage is sunlit, whereas
the water and any rocks in the water are in shadow. Setting
your white balance to Daylight (approximately 5000k) will
leave a cool, bluish tone in the shadow areas.
Saranac Lake Reflections,
Adirondack State Park, New York
Control your image
Autumn is a
great time to exert some creative control. Gather leaves and
place them in your scene, arranging them as your inner muse
dictates.
Fallen leaves
Just because the leaves have fallen off the trees
doesn't mean your job is done. When fallen leaves carpet the
forest floor, you can make some great images. Look for
scenes where the leaf drop has been particularly intense.
Mill Creek Falls,
Pennsylvania
Autumn still lifes
Keep an eye out for intimate shots that show
the beauty of autumn. Fallen leaves mixed with forest growth
or decaying logs work very well.
Maple leaves and peeling
bark, Dolly Sods, West Virginia
Use longer lenses for isolated
scenics
Isolate portions of the autumn landscape for
dramatic effect. Use short to medium telephoto lenses to
focus on a pleasing pattern or a particularly vivid splash
of fall color.
Last light, White
Mountains, New Hampshire
Don't forget about grand
landscapes!
Intense fall color can render even iconic landscapes
in an unique way. Wait for the foliage to be particularly
intense before shooting the scene. Experiment with different
light to get the shot you want.
Blackwater Canyon, West Virginia
Use light to your advantage
Overcast
skies are great when shooting still lifes and scenes of
waterfalls cascading through fall color. If you really want
the fall color to shine, try shooting at sunrise or sunset,
or when leaves are backlit.
Pohick Bay, Potomac River, Virginia
Peak at the right moment
The key to truly successful fall foliage photography
is to be there when the color is at its peak. Using websites
that monitor fall foliage progression can be helpful, but
remember that foliage "spotters" used by these websites
might not accurately portray current conditions. Return as
often as you can to your favorite spots during the fall
season, to make sure you don't miss the best color. |
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