It's mid-October and the sunny days of happy beach snapshots and pastoral woodland panoramas are behind us, but its far from time to pack away your outdoor gear for the year, because chances are that the most beautiful scenes to be photographed are just now unfolding all around you.
To get the most out of your fall photography, try the following simple tips for vivid, attention-grabbing seasonal snaps.
Probably more than any other season, Autumn keeps photographers on their toes. Bright sun, clouds, frost, rain, snow, and wild winds can all strike at anytime and sometimes even all at once, which is why it's critical for a photographer to learn to work with what nature provides, starting with that most fundamental of all elements, light.
Shoot while the sun is shining. When the sun is high in the sky with not a cloud in sight, it isn't the time to try to capture the brooding mood that personifies the season, so stick to the wider pictures that showcase the colors of the landscape as a whole. Nix the close-ups and find yourself a scene. Try putting the trees between you and the sun to really make their leaves glow. But remember, if your background is a bright sky, you may need to compensate with a +1 stop to keep from loosing the fine details of the leaves in underexposure.
Shoot when its overcast. The best part of shooting landscapes in October is that there's no wrong time to snap away. The overcast days that would normally drive a photographer back inside are actually the very best times capture the rich contrasts in foliage color while tinging your compositions with the slight air of melancholy that lends a composition emotional depth. Use the soft light of these days to its best effect by seeking shots in which shadows interact with light, such as leaves under the silhouette of branches. Again, remember to adjust your exposure. If you're a shooting leaves against a shadowy background, dial a -1 stop.
Shoot in the twilight. Sunrise and sunset are the best times of day to shoot outdoors. The light's low angle picks out shadows and emphasizes a myriad of natural textures that not evident in the day's full light. If you know the terrain, stake out a vantage point to maximize your views of the shadows gradually shifting and playing over the ground so that you don't need to relocate right in the middle of the light show. It should also be noted that setting
off the reds and yellows of autumn leaves with a backdrop of the same often has breath-taking results. These sorts of setups are especially effective with a little color enhancement on your part. See the tips on filter use on page 2, as well as photo composition tips for capturing the best autumn photos.