Comments on: Photographers: What are your fall foliage tips? http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:56:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Photography http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-13235 Photography Fri, 20 Feb 2009 12:03:00 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-13235 I like the way u have caught the leafs. My advice is to just keep shooting so you become familar with your camera and all it's settings. i would also encourage you to shoot manually so that you understand how to have control over the pictures you take. another tip is to try using more natural light - shoot outside or by windows. the biggest mistake amatures make is using flash a lot. making flash look good is one of the hardest things to master! especially since the built in flashes on cameras are usually horrible. if you do use the flash, a trick to make it look more natural is to tape a piece of wax paper or white plastic bag, over it. it will diffuse the flash and soften the picture. good luck! I like the way u have caught the leafs. My advice is to just keep shooting so you become familar with your camera and all it’s settings. i would also encourage you to shoot manually so that you understand how to have control over the pictures you take. another tip is to try using more natural light – shoot outside or by windows. the biggest mistake amatures make is using flash a lot. making flash look good is one of the hardest things to master! especially since the built in flashes on cameras are usually horrible. if you do use the flash, a trick to make it look more natural is to tape a piece of wax paper or white plastic bag, over it. it will diffuse the flash and soften the picture. good luck!

]]> By: kit http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6531 kit Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:37:38 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6531 Hi Christopher! It is my favorite time of year for photos also. Last fall I took 2 weeks during October to drive around Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York. It was awesome! My vote is for Vermont's color, since there are more maples there, and the colors are outstanding.<br><br>My tip is, you have to get up and be at your site before the sun rises. I know this is not for the light hearted, but, the most interesting photos I have taken have all been at this time of day. Naturally, you have to scout the place out beforehand, and maybe on that Saturday or Sunday a.m., you make it a point to be adventurous, and just do it. You will be enamoured with the world, so please try it if you haven't before. The angles of the sun can be very striking. <br>Thanks, and happy photographing. Hi Christopher! It is my favorite time of year for photos also. Last fall I took 2 weeks during October to drive around Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York. It was awesome! My vote is for Vermont's color, since there are more maples there, and the colors are outstanding.

My tip is, you have to get up and be at your site before the sun rises. I know this is not for the light hearted, but, the most interesting photos I have taken have all been at this time of day. Naturally, you have to scout the place out beforehand, and maybe on that Saturday or Sunday a.m., you make it a point to be adventurous, and just do it. You will be enamoured with the world, so please try it if you haven't before. The angles of the sun can be very striking.
Thanks, and happy photographing.

]]> By: beckymccray http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6532 beckymccray Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:46:49 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6532 Chris, I just went through your fall foliage pics on Flickr, and could follow your experimentation. Excellent shots! You're doing great work with the light, and with getting up close to capture the detail. <br><br>Fall colors come in such large scale, one trick I've used is to focus in on the small scale, and finding a central focus of interest. Letting a few leaves tell the story of the whole scene. <br><br>Here's one of my better shots, with backlight playing an important role: <br><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1987358260/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1987358260/</a><br><br>Keep shooting! Chris, I just went through your fall foliage pics on Flickr, and could follow your experimentation. Excellent shots! You're doing great work with the light, and with getting up close to capture the detail.

Fall colors come in such large scale, one trick I've used is to focus in on the small scale, and finding a central focus of interest. Letting a few leaves tell the story of the whole scene.

Here's one of my better shots, with backlight playing an important role:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1987358260/

Keep shooting!

]]> By: kit http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2810 kit Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:37:38 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2810 Hi Christopher! It is my favorite time of year for photos also. Last fall I took 2 weeks during October to drive around Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York. It was awesome! My vote is for Vermont's color, since there are more maples there, and the colors are outstanding.<br><br>My tip is, you have to get up and be at your site before the sun rises. I know this is not for the light hearted, but, the most interesting photos I have taken have all been at this time of day. Naturally, you have to scout the place out beforehand, and maybe on that Saturday or Sunday a.m., you make it a point to be adventurous, and just do it. You will be enamoured with the world, so please try it if you haven't before. The angles of the sun can be very striking. <br>Thanks, and happy photographing. Hi Christopher! It is my favorite time of year for photos also. Last fall I took 2 weeks during October to drive around Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and New York. It was awesome! My vote is for Vermont's color, since there are more maples there, and the colors are outstanding.

My tip is, you have to get up and be at your site before the sun rises. I know this is not for the light hearted, but, the most interesting photos I have taken have all been at this time of day. Naturally, you have to scout the place out beforehand, and maybe on that Saturday or Sunday a.m., you make it a point to be adventurous, and just do it. You will be enamoured with the world, so please try it if you haven't before. The angles of the sun can be very striking.
Thanks, and happy photographing.

]]> By: Becky McCray http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2809 Becky McCray Sat, 04 Oct 2008 17:46:49 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2809 Chris, I just went through your fall foliage pics on Flickr, and could follow your experimentation. Excellent shots! You're doing great work with the light, and with getting up close to capture the detail. <br><br>Fall colors come in such large scale, one trick I've used is to focus in on the small scale, and finding a central focus of interest. Letting a few leaves tell the story of the whole scene. <br><br>Here's one of my better shots, with backlight playing an important role: <br><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1987358260/" rel="nofollow">http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1987358260/</a><br><br>Keep shooting! Chris, I just went through your fall foliage pics on Flickr, and could follow your experimentation. Excellent shots! You're doing great work with the light, and with getting up close to capture the detail.

Fall colors come in such large scale, one trick I've used is to focus in on the small scale, and finding a central focus of interest. Letting a few leaves tell the story of the whole scene.

Here's one of my better shots, with backlight playing an important role:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjmccray/1987358260/

Keep shooting!

]]> By: Marko http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6533 Marko Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:35:43 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6533 Hi Chris - Nice shot.<br><br>My tip would be to pay close attention to the brightness level of the fall scene. <br>A direct shaft of light on the leaves for example will likely blow out the highlights in the leaves. But those same leaves on a cloudy day will have a MUCH richer colour. <br>DSLR's are notorious for blowing out the highlights so it's much easier to shoot at a time of reduced brightness (shade - cloudy day - around sunrise/sunset etc.)<br><br>Hope that helps,<br><br>Marko Hi Chris – Nice shot.

My tip would be to pay close attention to the brightness level of the fall scene.
A direct shaft of light on the leaves for example will likely blow out the highlights in the leaves. But those same leaves on a cloudy day will have a MUCH richer colour.
DSLR's are notorious for blowing out the highlights so it's much easier to shoot at a time of reduced brightness (shade – cloudy day – around sunrise/sunset etc.)

Hope that helps,

Marko

]]> By: Patrick Prothe http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6534 Patrick Prothe Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:28:29 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6534 Equipment is so refined these days that it's easy to take a technically correct picture. It's not so much what gear you have, but operating it like you drive a car (i.e. the technical aspects are automatic). <br><br>What I believe is important is being at observation - slowing down, looking for the picture within the picture. Capture the "scene" then look for the details that tell the story and capture the mood. Look at the landscape from the perspective of the leaf lying on the ground. Beyond expressing what you 'see' try both selective focus and incredible depth of field.<br><br>I once took an amazing workshop with Jay Maisel (<a href="http://www.jaymaisel.com" rel="nofollow">www.jaymaisel.com</a>), one of the foremost 'color' photographers around, and a couple of points he imparted are:<br><br>- Pay attention to the corners of the frame and the center will take care of itself<br>- Take a picture in color that makes absolutely no sense in black and white<br><br>Enjoy - Fall is also my favorite time of year . . .<br><br>Patrick Equipment is so refined these days that it's easy to take a technically correct picture. It's not so much what gear you have, but operating it like you drive a car (i.e. the technical aspects are automatic).

What I believe is important is being at observation – slowing down, looking for the picture within the picture. Capture the “scene” then look for the details that tell the story and capture the mood. Look at the landscape from the perspective of the leaf lying on the ground. Beyond expressing what you 'see' try both selective focus and incredible depth of field.

I once took an amazing workshop with Jay Maisel (http://www.jaymaisel.com), one of the foremost 'color' photographers around, and a couple of points he imparted are:

- Pay attention to the corners of the frame and the center will take care of itself
- Take a picture in color that makes absolutely no sense in black and white

Enjoy – Fall is also my favorite time of year . . .

Patrick

]]> By: Dan | framesmedia http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6535 Dan | framesmedia Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:35:36 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-6535 I'd echo Morgan's comment above to choose dawn or dusk. Shadows are great compositional tools. <br>I'd the ditch the flash, unless it's pitch dark. Make good use of the natural/available light. <br>Study fall photographs that interests you. Observe how the image is composed. The goal is not to copy-paste the exact composition (unless you want to), but to get a rough guideline. Observe the direction of light. <br>A tripod will come in handy. <br><br><a href="http://tinyurl.com/54zt9o" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/54zt9o</a> I'd echo Morgan's comment above to choose dawn or dusk. Shadows are great compositional tools.
I'd the ditch the flash, unless it's pitch dark. Make good use of the natural/available light.
Study fall photographs that interests you. Observe how the image is composed. The goal is not to copy-paste the exact composition (unless you want to), but to get a rough guideline. Observe the direction of light.
A tripod will come in handy.

http://tinyurl.com/54zt9o

]]> By: Marko http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2808 Marko Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:35:43 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2808 Hi Chris - Nice shot.<br><br>My tip would be to pay close attention to the brightness level of the fall scene. <br>A direct shaft of light on the leaves for example will likely blow out the highlights in the leaves. But those same leaves on a cloudy day will have a MUCH richer colour. <br>DSLR's are notorious for blowing out the highlights so it's much easier to shoot at a time of reduced brightness (shade - cloudy day - around sunrise/sunset etc.)<br><br>Hope that helps,<br><br>Marko Hi Chris – Nice shot.

My tip would be to pay close attention to the brightness level of the fall scene.
A direct shaft of light on the leaves for example will likely blow out the highlights in the leaves. But those same leaves on a cloudy day will have a MUCH richer colour.
DSLR's are notorious for blowing out the highlights so it's much easier to shoot at a time of reduced brightness (shade – cloudy day – around sunrise/sunset etc.)

Hope that helps,

Marko

]]> By: Patrick Prothe http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2807 Patrick Prothe Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:28:29 +0000 http://www.christopherspenn.com/2008/09/30/photographers-what-are-your-fall-foliage-tips/#comment-2807 Equipment is so refined these days that it's easy to take a technically correct picture. It's not so much what gear you have, but operating it like you drive a car (i.e. the technical aspects are automatic). <br><br>What I believe is important is being at observation - slowing down, looking for the picture within the picture. Capture the "scene" then look for the details that tell the story and capture the mood. Look at the landscape from the perspective of the leaf lying on the ground. Beyond expressing what you 'see' try both selective focus and incredible depth of field.<br><br>I once took an amazing workshop with Jay Maisel (<a href="http://www.jaymaisel.com" rel="nofollow">www.jaymaisel.com</a>), one of the foremost 'color' photographers around, and a couple of points he imparted are:<br><br>- Pay attention to the corners of the frame and the center will take care of itself<br>- Take a picture in color that makes absolutely no sense in black and white<br><br>Enjoy - Fall is also my favorite time of year . . .<br><br>Patrick Equipment is so refined these days that it's easy to take a technically correct picture. It's not so much what gear you have, but operating it like you drive a car (i.e. the technical aspects are automatic).

What I believe is important is being at observation – slowing down, looking for the picture within the picture. Capture the “scene” then look for the details that tell the story and capture the mood. Look at the landscape from the perspective of the leaf lying on the ground. Beyond expressing what you 'see' try both selective focus and incredible depth of field.

I once took an amazing workshop with Jay Maisel (http://www.jaymaisel.com), one of the foremost 'color' photographers around, and a couple of points he imparted are:

- Pay attention to the corners of the frame and the center will take care of itself
- Take a picture in color that makes absolutely no sense in black and white

Enjoy – Fall is also my favorite time of year . . .

Patrick

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