Steven Bourelle Digital Arts

In Part 1 of this article I talked about photographing fall colors as if the colors weren’t even there. Instead of making the colors the subject of the image, you compose the image with other elements and then use the colorful trees to enhance the scene by showing them in their natural environment. In this post I’m going to talk about using the colors as the subject of the picture and how composition stills plays the most important role. I’ll also talk a little about lighting and how it can be used to enhance the colors.

Obviously there are times when you want to shoot fall colors and have their brilliance as the subject of the picture. We need to remember that composition is still important though. I try to find elements within the colors to help enhance the image, like tree trunks, a branch or even a single tree trunk. A curving tree trunk works great as a compositional element to help draw the eye through the scene. It also adds contrast to the image, making the colors of the leaves look nicer than they would by themselves.

Sometimes the sky can be an interesting element too. Some nice clouds in a deep blue sky will make the colors pop. Be careful with the sky; too much sky will take away from the colors. You want to make sure that most of the frame is filled with color and only a little bit is sky is showing. Another thing to think about when adding some sky to the picture is the tree line. Try to compose the image so the tree line works together with the sky and any clouds that might be there.

One more technique is to use the colors themselves as compositional elements. If there are multiple colors such as yellows, greens, oranges and reds, try composing in such a way that the colors work together. Use the colors like you’d use a boulder or a tree in a landscape image. Use them to help move the eye through the scene.

Now for a couple lighting tips. Personally, I prefer to shoot fall colors on cloudy days. The colors tend to pop more and you don’t have to deal with the contrast caused by bright leaves and shadows. Cloudy days are great for shooting within a grove of trees. You can really capture the beauty of the whole grove.

One thing to remember when shooting on cloudy days is to keep the sky out of the picture. On a cloudy day the sky is most likely going to show up as a washed out white in the image. Not only does that dull the colors, but it just doesn’t look good. So keep the scene below the horizon. If you feel the sky needs to be in the shot, then keep it as small as you can. Another thing to watch out for is your shutter speed. It’s going to be a lot slower on a cloudy day. If there’s a breeze blowing, and most fall days there is, then you need to adjust your shutter speed accordingly. To me there’s nothing more annoying than having a couple of blurred leaves in an otherwise sharp picture.

Fall colors on sunny days can be amazing, but capturing them can be a challenge. Some trees, like the cottonwood, really pop in the bright sun, others can actually look dull. The aspen looks amazing when back lit, but looks flat and colorless when the sun is in front of it. On the other hand the same aspen is beautiful when the sun hits it at an angle. You really need to walk around the tree to find the best colors. 

I love shooting back lit fall colors. The contrast between the bright leaves and the dark shadows can make some very dramatic images. Standing under a tree and shooting up through the branches is an awesome way of showing fall colors at their brightest. When doing this make the tree your partner. Use it’s branches and it’s trunk to hide the sun behind. Remember your composition and use those dark branches as elements in it. Also watch out for sun flare. Even with the sun behind a branch sun flare can still sneak through.

If you’re trying for back lit landscapes, it can be quite a challenge. One thing to remember, have something besides a lens hood to shade your lens. I always have a hat on, so most of the time I use it to shade my lens.  I also carry with me a very high tech piece of black poster board. I cut the poster board into an 8×10 piece and then folded it into quarters. It fits nicely in my bag and works great to shade your lens. Believe it or not, I’ve used this same piece for about 10 years now. Though as I look at it right now, it might need replaced this year.

Fall is the greatest time of year to me. I’m at my most creative in the fall and I feel that some of my greatest images have been made then. The techniques I’ve gone over in this two part series are techniques that I use all the time in my photography. I’ve learned them over many years and through lots of trial and error. Hopefully I’ve shared them with you in such a way that you can take them into the field and use them to create more memorable fall images.

Read Part 1 of This Article

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