Tips for Taking Outstanding Fall Foliage Photographs
August 27, 2004 — Award-winning New Hampshire based photographer Lynne Guimond Findlay answers common questions and shares tips to help โleaf peepersโ capture the colors of autumn.
Q. Why do trees change color in the autumn?
A. As the days get shorter, trees slow their production of chlorophyll. The dominant green color that we usually see in leaves breaks down. As this happens, other colors that were actually there all along- such as red, gold, and yellow โ” are revealed.
This process takes only a few short weeks each year. But while it’s going on, it offers an abundance of โphoto opsโ for professional photographers and hobbyists alike.
Q. My fall foliage pictures never look the way they did in, Cheap Bean Bags, “real lifeโ. How can I make them better?
A. The best images โ” whether they’re landscapes, portraits, abstracts, events, etc.
– are superior both artistically and technically.
On the technical side, lackluster image quality usually results from:
– equipment malfunction (or using inappropriate equipment for your particular situation), — processing mishaps, and/or — user error (Are your hands steady? Are you shooting directly into sunlight?)
The type of camera you use affects picture quality, as does the type of film you select, and the processing/developing methods you use.
Your local photo dealer can provide valuable guidance on making the most of the equipment you have, as well as suggest any additional gear you may find useful.
If you think your final prints don’t match the quality of the images that you carefully shot, all is not lost. Take your negatives, Cheap Bean Bags, or digital files to a custom photo lab and explain what you were hoping to see. They can adjust by hand the colors, contrast, and exposure levels, Cheap Bean Bags, of your shots.
You will pay a nominal premium for this service, but the quality is worth it and they can frequently salvage your valuable images.
Finally, study images you like โ” yours or someone else’s — and try to figure out what makes them โworkโ. Is it a clever angle? Unusual lighting? The Internet is a valuable source of high-quality fall photographs: view a number of them before you head out.
Keep these images in mind when you’re composing your next shots.
Q. On which days should I take my fall foliage pictures?
A. The best time to photograph fall foliage is when leaves are at their “peak”. At this point, most of the leaves have changed color, but they have not begun to fall from the trees yet.
However, weather conditions (such as rain, wind, cold, and/or unseasonably warmth) can dramatically affect, Cheap Bean Bags, how quickly trees change colors in any given year.
Consequently, it’s difficult to predict exactly when foliage will peak in this autumn.
If you’ve mistimed your trip, take a drive in another direction. You may be pleasantly surprised to find peak, Cheap Bean Bags, color only 20-30 or so miles away.
To avoid the biggest crowds, visit on a weekday. And if your schedule allows it, shoot for two or more, Cheap Bean Bags, days. This makes it easier to take pictures at different times of day and, Cheap Bean Bags, in different parts of the state.
(It also allows you to do other, Cheap Bean Bags, things besides just take pictures.)
If it rains, don’t despair. You can always shoot colorful “abstracts” through your vehicle’s windshield — or out a barn door — while keeping dry inside. Once it stops raining, the air is very fresh and clean, and you can get some spectacularly clear images. Take close-ups of leaves with raindrops clinging to themโฆ and watch for a rainbow!
Q.
What is the best time of, Cheap Bean Bags, day to take foliage photos?
A. Sunrise and early morning are popular times. But if you just can’t get yourself up that early, other times of day work well, too. For example, the late afternoon sun — just before sunset — can add a lovely golden cast to your landscapes and portraits.
Avoid taking pictures in the middle of the day under a bright sun.
Shadows are harsher at this time and lens flare (those bright circles of light that you sometimes see on your photographs) can be a problem. Sunsets can be lovely, too; try creating silhouettes by placing subjects between your camera and the sun.
Q. Which particular places will give me the best photos?
A. Your travel agent, AAA office, local chambers of commerce, and Travel and Tourism Bureaus can all provide advice.
There are numerous picturesque sites and no matter where you go, you’ll find interesting pictures just waiting, Cheap Bean Bags, to be taken.
Don’t concentrate on just the mountains or rural areas: you can get some very interesting shots in the cities and seacoast area, too.
Q. Do I need a professional-quality camera to get โpostcard-perfectโ photos?
A. Absolutely not.
Photographers invest in โthe tools of their tradeโ because they offer better optics, interchangeable lenses, durability, reliability, etc.
But it’s possible to get decent results — outside, under optimal shooting conditions — with something as basic as a disposable camera. (You may want to consider one of the new disposal digital cameras that provide image previews and allow you to delete photos that you don’t like.)
Obviously, the better equipment you have, the more consistent your results will be. But as long as you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your camera — and shoot accordingly — your chances for success are vastly improved.
Q. Is a digital or film-based camera better to use?
A. Both types of cameras have their fans and detractors, Cheap Bean Bags, . In the end, your decision, Cheap Bean Bags, is largely dependent on features, convenience, and budget. Used properly, both types of cameras are capable of producing superior images.
Q. Will I need to bring along a tripod or any other special equipment?
A. The need to a tripod or other stabilizing device is dependant on several factors – including your subject, available light, camera settings, and the speed of film that you are using.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to take the majority of your shots with a tripod and/or with a self-timer, even if the exposure time is relatively quick. These help minimize camera shake and other user errors that could affect image quality.
Tripods (and monopods) are not the only stabilization devices you can use. Photographers frequently use bean bags to help ensure a crisp shot. Roll down your car window, carefully balance the bean bag on the window opening, lean your camera against the bean bag and shoot away! (Don’t have a bean bag? Just purchase a bag of cooking beans from the grocery store.
)
If all else fails, lean against a door opening, fence, car, or stone wall (anything solid that isn’t moving at the time.)
Q: Will I need to use any special filters to showcase the bright colors of autumn?
A. Obviously, if you are, Cheap Bean Bags, using a disposable or โpoint and shootโ camera, your choices are limited. (Although some photographers swear by placing a pair of polarized sunglasses in front of the lens as a makeshift polarizing filter.
)
On the other hand, if you are using an SLR camera or another camera that allows you to attach and swap out filters, your choices are greater. For instance, polarizing filters can accentuate and darken a blue sky and bring out clouds. (Consider a โwarm toneโ one.) If leaves are past peak, a red-enhancing filter could prove useful, to liven up all the โrustโ colors.
Q.
What else I should keep in mind?
A. –Avoid “non-photographs”: images that may have color in them, but no discernable composition or subject. Fall color is a feature of autumn landscape photos: rarely is it a subject in and of itself.
–You’ll get the best possible compositions, Cheap Bean Bags, when you emphasize, simplify, — and perhaps isolate — a specific subject. Get up close and personal.
–When, Cheap Bean Bags, you find a good subject, take several different pictures at various angles.
–Look, Cheap Bean Bags, at things from an unusual angle. Toss leaves into the air and shoot them as they waft to the ground.
–Eliminate or minimize distracting elements: utility lines, trash cans, etc.
–Go off the “tourist path”: go where the locals go and see what the locals see.
–Edit ruthlessly. Don’t expect every photo to look like a postcard. Take chances and don’t be afraid to break “the rules”: film is cheap.
A superior photograph combines technical brilliance with creative composition. By following these tips, you’re well on your way to some memorable fall foliage shots.
Lynne Guimond Findlay (www.freewebs.com/lgfindlay) is a member of the NH Society of Photographic Artists and is represented by the Sharon Arts Center (Peterborough, NH).
Source: free-articles
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