With cooler temperatures on the way, we should be seeing some fall colors in the next few weeks. The leaves always change earlier in the mountains, so if you get impatient, take a day trip to where the weather is cooler! Fall is a really great time to be outside making photographs. No matter what you have for a camera, you can take some amazing photos simply by following these easy tips.
First, because color is a main feature of your photos, look at the scene mode on your camera. It will have different names, depending on your camera, but find it in the menu and change the color from “normal” to “vivid.” This will increase the saturation and contrast to make the colors “pop.”
Always think about your composition. As you find a place where you want to photograph, before you snap the shutter, look carefully at the scene. If you can, walk all the way around your subject and see how it looks in different lighting patterns. You will be surprised at how different it looks from different angles. While you are at it, look for distracting elements (power lines, etc.) and try to find a place to photograph where distractions will be minimal.
Get in as close as you can. The old saying is still true: “If you don’t like the way your subject looks, get closer.” Fill the entire frame of your viewfinder with your subject. Look at all four corners of your viewfinder to see if there is anything you do not want in your photo. And then, move closer still! Try photographing only part of the scene and see how you like that.
Finally, remember the golden hours of photography: sunrise until about one hour after sunrise, and sunset. The sun is lower in the sky at these times, making more interesting lighting opportunities, and the sun is not so “harsh” as at other times of the day. Especially at sunset, colors seem to be more radiant and vivid. And don’t stay home on a cloudy day! Beautiful photographs can be made on overcast days, too!
So here’s to a happy, colorful fall season!