Fall Photography - Capturing the Season

Fall brings out some of the most vibrant colors of all the season. The red and golden color of leaves on a lush green grass background and a beautiful blue sky is really what fall is all about.

But, how do you capture all of these colors to make a great image?

Here are a few starting points that will help you this fall.

Shoot during the golden hours. Autumn colors really pop at the end of the day right before sunset when the light is golden. The sunset accentuates the reds and golds in the leaves.

Use a polarizing filter. The filter does a fantastic job with the saturation of colors. It is also useful when capturing a true blue sky. The filter will also decrease fog that you often get this time of the year as well as decreasing the glare you get when the sun shines on leaves.



Photograph on overcast days. Most people keep inside during a gloomy fall day, but gloomy days can actually be the best days to photograph during the fall. Overcast days create a mood that is different than sunny days and the vibrant colors pop on a neutral background.

Look for contrasts. Think about how to frame your shots in a way that colors contrast with one another. Imagine red leaves on green grass or golden leaves on a blue sky, even water.

Adjust your white balance. Take your settings off Auto mode and make your colors warm up by increasing the color temperature a bit. You can also select a ‘cloudy' setting on your camera if it has the option.

Turn down the exposure. If you slightly underexpose your shots slightly you'll get deeper saturation. However, keep in mind much of your digital shots can always be tweaked on your computer afterward.