It's that time of year again where your social media feed turns different shades of red, yellow and orange. Fall is here and with the change in season comes the inevitable Fall foliage pictures plastered all over IG and Facebook. If you are considering taking some fall photos his year, here are some tips that will help your capture Fall photos that stand out from all the rest.
Plan Accordingly
Understanding where and when to capture Fall photos is the most important step in the whole process. Unlike Summer, Spring and Winter where nature tends to stay consistent for longer periods of time, Fall foliage tends to turn quick and then is gone. You will need to do your homework and figure out when peak foliage is in your area. There are many foliage maps online that will give you a visual view of when peak Fall foliage occurs.
For example, in my home state of Maryland, you will see that around October 23rd is peak Fall foliage. If I was to go a hour or so north into Pennsylvania around the same time, I would be past peak foliage. You can see on the map, some states are large enough, or have higher elevations in certain areas, that can cause varying stages of foliage. Similarly, knowing where you are going to be going is important too. As we see above, different geographical areas will be in different stages of foliage throughout October and November. But, even in your local area, it is important to go to the right spots. Most all trees will turn color and drop their leaves. However, there are some trees that are more visually appealing than others. Junk or trash trees are the scraggly looking ones you see growing randomly on the side of the highway or in abandoned areas. While their leaves do turn colors, they are not as visually appealing as hardwoods, like Maples and Oaks. Hardwood trees are the best trees for Fall foliage. They produce many bright shades shades of orange, red and yellow.
Large, more established hardwoods are found in many historic areas. Many old, scenic towns will have these types of trees growing in them. These are the spots you want to visit during peak Fall foliage. Not only will you be able to capture the beautiful Fall foliage of various hardwoods, but your will be able to incorporate old town charm into your photos. Locations that are planned out or landscaped are also areas of opportunity. Parks, golf courses, venues, farm land, office parks and schools are areas worth checking out. Most have some type of landscaping that will typically include hardwoods or other visually appealing trees or shrubs.
Find a Subject
One of my earliest mistakes of Fall photography was not establishing a clear subject. Consider the following two pictures:
In the first picture, we see a bunch of trees surrounding a path through the woods. In this example, you could say that that path is the main focal point and therefore the subject of the shot. But, in my opinion, it is a fairly weak subject. In fact, I would make the argument that it is part of the scene and not a subject at all. In this example, there is nothing for the viewers eyes to be drawn to. It is unclear what the intent of this shot is suppose to show. You could also make the case that the tree in foreground left is the subject. It is the largest tree in frame and closest to us. Now the viewer is confused. Is the path or the tree the subject? What am I suppose to be looking at? Did I lock the door before I left the house today?
In picture two, we see a power pole flanked by trees on either side and brush in the foreground. The viewer is immediately drawn to the pole in the center of the frame. Despite it not being the most interesting subject, it is clear that the power pole is the subject. The viewer is drawn to view around the pole, starting in the center and outward to the edge of the frame. This type of image, with a clear subject, is more visually appealing. You want your viewers to be drawn immediately to a clear subject and then allow them to explore around the scene. This process is more visually stimulating and easier on the ole noggin.
Of course, like with any creative endeavor, feel free to break this rule and shoot whatever you think is photo worthy. There are other techniques, like using layers or symmetry to create visually appealing images. But, having a clearly defined subject in your images is a easy way to get a great shot.
Watch your Edits
If you spend some time on your town or cities Facebook group during Fall, you will most likely come across a few examples of Fall pictures where the photographer took too many liberties with the saturation slider. Don't be that photographer! Its ok if you need to tweak the saturation or vibrance a bit. Maybe alter the hue or luminance a tad. But don't get too crazy. Remember: Time and Location. Doing a little bit of pre-photo planning will help you be in the right place at the right time so that you don't need to over edit your image. An unedited photo taken during Golden Hour and Peak Foliage is going to look much better than a over edited photo in midday sun during patchy or partial foliage. Plan your shoot!
Like with any type of photo editing, you don't want to overdo it. Minimal edits and color changes will go a long way. For Fall photos, tweaking the saturation, hue and luminance of your reds, oranges and yellows, will give your images a nice pop of color. Beyond that, stick with other basic edits, like adjusting exposure, correcting white balance and maybe doing some light color grading. Also, make sure your trees are straight and upright by using the transform tool.
Have Fun
Fall foliage is only around for a short amount of time. Proper planning, finding a subject and not over editing will give you great results. But most importantly, have fun and be sure to get plenty of shots. After all, Winter is right around the corner.
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