By Russell Burden
Digital Photo Academy Photographer
Nature’s arboreal fireworks don’t last long so use the following tips to assist you in getting great pictures of fall color.
1. Details: Don’t overlook details that appear everywhere. Spend an entire session using nothing but your macro lens. Force yourself to go beyond the obvious gorgeous tree or rolling hillside of color. Find the fallen leaf that sits atop a stone in the river and make an intimate portrait.
2. Equipment: Be sure to use a polarizer when you photograph fall color. If there is glare on the leaves, the polarizing effect will remove it and let the colors of the leaves appear more saturated.
3. Contrasting color: Colors found on opposite sides of a color wheel are great to incorporate into a composition. If you’re familiar with the color wheel, blue and yellow are opposites. Crisp clear blue sky days of autumn integrated with the fall color of yellow — it doesn’t get much better.
4. Sweet light: Regardless of the subject matter you shoot, the time of day at which it’s photographed is critical. The quality of light at sunrise and sunset provides a rich and warm tone, its angle is low on the horizon raking the subject with magnificent sidelight, and there’s a softness that can’t be had at any other time of day.
5. Bring the family: Fall is a great time to create a family portrait. The backgrounds are colorful and provide warm and welcome settings.