Fall Photography Tips from Dennis Glennon
12) Stop at local farms and outdoor markets
Farm stands always have interesting Fall displays and their vegetables are ripe and brilliant with color. Visit any roadside stand, pick up a pumpkin or two, and take some pictures while you're there. Try to stop in at day's end for that nice warm sun glow!
13) Take A Trip to Nowhere
Everyone has unexplored territory only miles from their home. Go north, or west, or in any direction you don't usually explore. Drive around the back roads and country lanes and see what you can find. With a little effort, you will discover many great places to photograph, and have a fun time doing it!
14) Plan a day of Fall Fun!
Go pumpkin picking, apple picking, collect pinecones and colorful leaves, romp through a National or State park! Go to one of the Fall Festivals and enjoy some apple cider and fresh baked pies. Stop in at a local art show and support the artists there. (There is some great artwork at these shows and you usually will not have to pay gallery prices for gallery quality work.) Bring your camera and shoot whatever looks lovely to you.
The important thing to do this season is ENJOY it, while capturing moments on film, rather than making the season a photo assignment. Breath in that crisp autumn air and
if a scene captures your eye, take a picture, If not, who cares!
15) Get Close, Get Even
When taking close ups, pay attention to areas that aren't evenly lit. Colors are deeper in the fall, and so are shadows. Darkened areas expose darker on film, so be certain the scarecrows face is evenly lit or you may only see a portion of it in the final picture.
16) Have A Point!
So many of us get so entranced by the Fall color, that this is what we photograph, rather than USING fall color to emphasize our subject. The color itself should not be the subject. It should not be what you are photographing. An old house surrounded by autumn-leafed trees is an excellent photographic subject. A close-up of the leaves is not. It's boring. Unless you are doing creative, abstract work, there is no reason to photograph just leaves, or even trees for that matter, without putting something ELSE in the picture.
It could be a winding field fence, an animal, a river rock, a rusty old car.... anything,
but have something to focus on. The biggest mistake made in Fall Photography is to emphasize the color rather than using the color to emphasize something else.
Fall color is Nature's way of putting on great jewelry. Just as we wear a pretty bracelet or a handsome watch to compliment a great outfit, (rather than to stand out obnoxiously), we want the crimsons, russets and golds of autumn to accentuate whatever it is we are photographing rather than BE what we are photographing. Put a focal point in your picture and let the Fall color decorate it, not overpower it, and you will create incredibly colorful, interesting and expressive images.
Most importantly, take your camera with you and just go out and have fun. This is the best time of the year to go photographing. Even if you don't get great images, you'll have a great time playing and learning! When winter comes, you will have more time to read about photography, perhaps take a class, and examine your own images and learn from them. Right now, just play! Playing IS learning and Autumn provides us with SUCH great warm light and vivid color. Don't waste it. Get outside and enjoy the Fall!
