Photographing the autumnal colors is one of the most unique experiences for any photographer.
The level of illumination recorded by your camera, commonly known as exposure in photography, can be simply described as the quantity of light captured by your camera`s sensor.
For many reasons, photographing autumn foliage is one of the favorite topics of many photographers, including myself.
Ordinarily I plot an Iceland photographic expedition for September, and in October, I image the autumn where I live, in Pennsylvania.
There are many elements in autumn photography, however when we depict the foliage 🍂 and fallen leaves, color is, without doubt, the most essential component.
Capturing the fall colors, you can add depth, atmosphere, and make your autumn photographs more vivid.
It is true that the peak colors last only a few days, but that is precisely what makes autumn photography so distinctive.
To make the most of your autumn photography experience, I’d like to share some of the best tips for photographing the fall season:
Table of Contents
1. Plan your fall photography trip during the color peak
Autumn does not occur everywhere or at the same time.
In many Northern Hemisphere areas and some Southern Hemisphere places, you can enjoy fall photography with varying intensity depending on latitude and location elevation.
In areas at a higher latitude and elevation, you can capture pictures of fall earlier, so make sure you do your own research to plan when is the best time to go.
The peak fall colors may begin or end somewhat earlier or later relying on temperatures and rainfall, but generally happens around the equivalent time each year.
Best time to photograph the fall
Below are some examples of the best time to photograph the cascade in different locations around the world:
- Arctic Tundra (Alaska, Northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland…): It’s the initial place photographers can take fall shots in the Northern Hemisphere. The peak season generally occurs from late August to Mid-September.
- Tall mountains (Canadian Rockies, Colorado mountains, Glacier National Park): In the Rocky Mountains, autumn commonly occurs from mid-September to early October.
- Northeastern US (Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire): This region of the US likely offers some of the best opportunities to photograph changing fall foliage. The peak season generally runs from late September to early October.
- East Coast of USA (Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland): Depending on the year, you may photograph colors and fallen leaves from mid to late October.
- European mountains(Dolomites): Fall photography in Europe occurs a bit later than in most of the US, usually from late October to early November.
- Japan/ South Swamps(Florida/Texas): Fall is probably the most well-liked season in Japan. It’s also an exciting time to visit the Southwest swamps. Plan your fall shots for mid-November.
- The Patagonia region is generally one of the first places each year where you can capture images of autumn leaves, typically from late April to early May.
In some locations, you can also find official reports on foliage color, like this Maine foliage report. These reports prove very helpful for planning your trip during the finest possible period.
There exist numerous other astounding areas around the world to photograph the period of autumn; be certain to go to them at the perfect time- that’s the most essential autumn photography suggestion!
2. Take pictures in the fall during the best hours of light
Additional tips for capturing fall colors is to try photographing during the best hours of light, primarily during the golden hour.
If the sun is high overhead when photographing changing fall foliage, you`ll have increased contrast and the vibrant colors will be diminished by the bright sunlight.
If you’re capturing autumnal forests, you’ll usually find the best lighting at twilight, but you can also find fascinating lighting, even when the sun is over the trees, in forests with abundant greenery.
Overcast and rainy days are also perfect for photographing waterfalls and autumn forests; the light is softer, and the water usually makes the fall colors stand out.
3. Photograph the fall leaves by getting closer to the ground
One of the ideal autumn photographic ideas is to capture not just the seasonal color of the trees, but also the color on the ground when conducting autumn foliage photography.
Focusing closely on locations with vibrant autumn foliage allows one to capture leafy backdrops for scenic fall photos showcasing seasonal colors in the foreground.
4. Take your telephoto lens to shoot fall photography details
The photography season when fall colors are showing also offers interesting scenes to photograph from a distance, especially when trees are demonstrating different colors during fall.
By making use of your telephoto lens you can capture photos of the diversity of autumnal hues, or isolate trees and other subjects in your images.
Using a telephoto lens to compress the image frame and position the key subject ahead of an scenic backdrop showcasing autumnal hues or contrast can be a clever idea for nature photography during this season.
5. Use a polarizer, the best filter for fall photography
A polarizing filter proves best for capturing images of autumn, particularly in woodlands and waterfalls.
Using a polarizer for fall photography will eliminate unwanted reflections while adding contrast and natural saturation to the fall colors.
Additionally, the polarizer will decrease some light intake, so you can lower your time the shutter is opento capture motion in some places, such as rivers or streams.
Circular Polarizer filter. f/11, ISO 100, 1,6 sec.
A polarizer is attached to my camera lens 90% of when photographing autumn forests. This device is useful for blocking reflected light as discussed in the linked resource.
6. Prepare your ND filters for shooting waterfalls
The autumn photography season is also one of the best times for shooting waterfalls.
To achieve a smooth appearance in fall water photos when there is abundant light, you may need a neutral density filter to decrease the light levels and will want to slow your camera`s shutter speed.
If photographing at dusk, you can narrow your aperture to f13 – f16, but if there is more light, you will require a 3-stop or 6-stop ND filter.
ND 6 stops filter + Circular Polarizer filter. f/11, ISO 100, before shot 1/5 sec., after shot 30 sec.
Additional details regarding the foremost lens accessories for photography can be found in this text discussing highly rated camera lens filters.
7. Get a pair of waders, the best fall photography outfit
When first photographing autumn foliage, my boots would constantly become wet and muddy. Now I always wear waders if capturing autumn forests or areas with water and mud.
You will feel more at ease, and they will allow you to enter the water to seize the perfect composition for your autumn forest photographs. You can check our guide to photographic arrangementhere.
There are some pricey professional waders, but with a pair like this one, you’ll be fine.
8. Add some warmth to your fall images
In fall photography, your images can take on a more engaging mood and feel simply by adding some warmth.
You can complete this in two alternative ways:
- On camera: Manually set your camera`s white balance setting to a warmer color temperature.
- During the editing/processing: Alter the general temperature of the image.
9. don’t forget to LOOK AT THE SKY
A practical fall photography suggestion is to observe the sky.
We’re used to capturing from a normal viewpoint, but during this season, the trees are the protagonists, and there are other creative ways for photographing the fall foliage from a different viewpoint.
The bestautumn photography advice to capture this type of shot is to use a wide-angle lens. Place yourself in the center of a group of trees and point your camera upward toward the sky.
10. Edit and process your fall images
My last fall photography suggestion is to edit and process your raw files.
Even with some basic editing, you can balance the exposure of your image, make some elementary adjustments in your composition, and enhance the fall colors.
One of my preferred tools in Lightroom for editing and processing autumn photographs is the HSL panel.
Using this adjustment, you can alter the hue, saturation, and lightness of each individual color, transforming the yellow into a more reddish hue or increasing the saturation solely in the red colors.
The goal is to increase the vibrancy and saturation in just the autumn colors and not across the entire image.
Make the most of these fall photography tips!
As evident, autumn photography ranks amongst the most thrilling and rewarding types of photography.
There’s also a small beach located out front with a private boat ramp for those who bring their own boats or kayaks.
Once the color is present, you’ll have the proper gear and understand the optimum techniques to photograph the fall hues as clarified above. You’ll be fully prepared to seize breathtaking images of the fall time!
