How to Take Autumn Photo?
Dear photography lovers; regards, greetings. In these last spring days, when the sun started to watch horizontally, I only had the chance to write about taking photos in autumn, which I had been thinking about from last year. I tried to explain how to take an autumn photo in the midst of the sad leaf fall of autumn, in colorful forests, foggy meadows or a clear lake. For beautiful autumn photos, I have compiled for you which lenses to use, what settings to make, where and how to shoot.
If we want to take an Autumn Photograph, let’s first determine the temporal aspect of the concept of autumn. I think we are talking mostly about October and November of the year. September and October for high altitude areas, and November and December for western and southern regions are the deepest times of autumn. Autumn comes early to the east and late to the south. In general, autumn begins with the color change of the leaves on the trees and ends with their shedding completely.
Taking pictures in autumn is more convenient than other months. There are two reasons for this in particular. The first is the increase in the number of colors in nature, and the second is that it becomes easier to create a composition with the angle of incidence of the sun’s rays. The use of backlight becomes even more important than at other times. In addition, the natural fog caused by the large variation between night and day temperatures is much more in this season than in winter and summer. Therefore, it is more suitable for photographing than in summer or winter.
Preparation for Autumn Photo Shoot
For a photo shoot in the fall, you should definitely plan ahead. The venue should be determined and the departure time should be planned. Otherwise, instead of green, yellow, orange leaves, you can find bare, leafless branches. If a trip will be organized in your city or especially to a location outside the city, preliminary preparation is essential. The choice of subject is as important as the choice of place and time. Forest trees, portrait work or wetland work should be determined in advance and planning should be made accordingly. The planning should also take into account the weather, if there will be undesirable weather, the plan should be open to postponement.
After the plan is made, the equipment should be prepared for the shooting. I listed the equipment that should be in a photographer’s bag in a different article, so I won’t waste time writing it one by one. Our most important equipment for autumn photography will be wide-angle lenses after the camera. Having an ultra-wide-angle lens is obviously a must, as it will be more enjoyable to work mainly in landscapes. Another reason why we want a wide angle is the need for a large depth of field. With a tele lens, it will not be possible to both frame the subject and give sufficient depth of field. If a wide-angle lens is not available, technically, panoramic photography can be tried.
What to Do for Beautiful Autumn Photos
In autumn, as the sun becomes more horizontal, it will produce harsh lateral light. This lateral intense light dominates warmer tones and will bring out colors more. Similarly, backlight compositions should be used in autumn photography. More shadow-color play compositions can be created in backlight. Both lateral light and reverse light are integral light sources of autumn and are very effective.
The natural environment should definitely be used while creating a composition. For example, dozens of species of mushrooms reproduce in the fall. We can use these colorful mushrooms both in macro shots and in compositions that can be an auxiliary element. If these sweet mushrooms are very colorful, they can be used directly as a main item. Fungi coming out from under the leaves or different types of mushrooms grown on tree roots can give different compositions.
Don’t Miss the Morning
The best time to take autumn photos is early in the morning. If there is no fog, the air will be very clean. Already great compositions can be captured if there is fog. In clear weather, colors are more saturated in the morning hours. Nature has just begun to awaken; zoology and vegetation can offer us different topics. Those who want to take autumn photos should get up early. In addition, it will be very useful to arrive at the venue early in the morning in order to use the time efficiently.
Another autumn element is the fog that forms in the morning hours. Fog is a great utility, whether on land or on the water surface. Who can say no to the colorful trees caught in the fog in the forest? Or a photograph of a wild fox emerging from the fog, or a fisherman fishing in a lake in a boat?
Another of the most preferred elements of autumn is large-leaved trees that turn into a colorful fauna. Especially in plane, chestnut and oak forests, it can easily create a composition with this riot of colors. Don’t forget to use the lateral light I just mentioned above to bring out the colors. In these large-leaved forests can sometimes be very interesting single trees. Framing can be done by considering the general texture of the tree or the subjective texture of the leaves. For example, a plane tree in the oak forest will be one of the first to catch the eye in terms of both shape and color.
Meadows and Ponds of Autumn
Another place of autumn is the savanna-grassland, which turns green again after summer and starts to dry again after greening. Grasses grow relatively tall and can change color. Different types of grass on the ground together will make a difference in texture and color. Moreover, if there are domestic or wild animals running around for these grasses, it is inedible. Who can say no to a deer with huge horns grazing on a long meadow in front of a colorful forest in the background?
Another element of autumn is small or large puddles. With its fauna or background reflection in a windless weather, ponds are often preferred in autumn photographs. The mentioned pond can be 2m wide or 200m wide. The important thing is to know how to use it. For example, ponds that form in the forest and have fallen leaves on them.
Autumn Photo with Long Exposure and Using Filters
Streams, which are relatively bouncy in the fall, as well as ponds, are great for long exposures. A waterfall flowing like velvet tulle among colorful forests is the dream of all photographers. nd filter, or narrow aperture can be used for long exposure; A tripod is a must.
It will be useful to use a polarizing (cpl) filter to get the colors of nature more saturated. In addition to saturation, cpl filters will also pick up reflections from water surfaces. It should be noted that they break the light by 1 or 2 stops. if the shutter speed is not sufficient, iso is required for correct exposure. When using a polarizing filter, I recommend that you constantly check your settings for correct exposure, especially in places where light can hardly reach, such as in the forest.
Different Perspectives on Autumn
It will be much more fun to bring different perspectives to the subject in autumn photographs. For example, framing the subject from a height from a hill, or vice versa, photographing the majesty of nature by descending too low to the ground. One of the most marginal points of view is to look down on this riot of colors with drones today.With a vertical view from the top, wonderful photos are taken with the autumn color riot.
Another type where the perspective can be changed is macro shots. If we can get into the essence of the subject, it is certain that we will catch a different view from the naked eye. That’s why a macro lens also works well. If possible, a professional 1:1 Macro lens should be preferred.
As we mentioned above, in autumn, the environment is usually photographed. Landscape photography is more than ideal. But portrait photographers should also ask for their share of the light quality and color riot we mentioned. They can make great backgrounds. Autumn is perfect for going out of the ordinary. While trying simple portraits in a friendly environment, more professional shots can be considered. You can go outside for wedding or special day photos. Whether professional or amateur portrait photography should be tried. In portrait photography, artificial lights can also be used if possible.
The penetration of the sun’s rays through the colorful leaves is also used for different compositions. The point to be noted is the effect created by a small part of the rays. If there is too much light, unwanted situations will occur in the photo and we will not be able to get the ideal photo. The subject either becomes very illuminated and lights up; or remain in the dark. Similarly, keeping the aperture low will be beneficial for both depth of field and light adjustment. Light measurement is also of great importance in such photographs. It will be beneficial to use the medium weighted measurement when necessary along with the general measurement.
Editing Autumn Photos
The last part of the footage is, as always, the numerical edits. It can be used for simple adjustments such as color and contrast, as well as cropping to make the composition clearer. While there is a riot of colors in the environment, it will be enjoyable to increase these colors slightly from the computer and bring them to the fore. Similarly, with a bit of contrast sharpness, the photos become more pleasing. I recommend that people who do not want to make such arrangements, make a shooting setting where the color and contrast are high on the camera before starting the shooting. For example, it would be better to use the vivid shooting gamut rather than standard shooting.
Don’t Give Up the Precaution
Finally, let me end the last spring photography with a warning. It is necessary to be very careful when going on mountain excursions. Parents or close friends should be told about the place and time interval to be visited. The risk of getting lost is too great. The possibility of the phone not shooting should always be in the mind of your photographer friends. Also, there are not only tiny plants and cute animals in wildlife. There are also potentially harmful animal species or poisonous plants, such as bears or wild boars, that can be found in abundance in the countryside. You should be very careful against these species and avoid crossing them. If there is a sign of the animal being in the place, it should be removed from the environment very carefully and urgently.
May your Light be of Quality…
