Hi everyone, it’s Polly Rae, here to give you some tips and ideas on photographing fall foliage, although these tips can be applied to photographing any greenery, at any time of the year. Regardless of what camera you use or your skill level, it is possible to capture some interesting photos of foliage.
Tourist spots, scenic routes, parks and wilderness areas are all popular spots for photographing the outdoors, capturing the beauty of the fall foliage, but there are a few other areas you might not think of. I don’t generally carry my DSLR around with me but I almost always have my iPhone or my small mirrorless Sony camera in my pocket or purse. But if I am purposely going on a photo walk, the DSLR comes with me. Here are some additional ideas of where you might find some interesting fall foliage to photograph:
- Higher elevation areas offer stunning views, looking down over treetops.
- Many stores and businesses hire landscape companies so their property may have some lovely groupings of bushes and plants.
- Alleys can have long gravel or paved lanes bordered with foliage.
- Public libraries and schools often have some well maintained properties.
I like to grab my camera and walk around my neighborhood, greeting my neighbors as I take photos. These prickle bushes grow behind our home, creeping up and under the fence, necessitating constant weeding to maintain the overgrowth. Taking the photo from this perspective shows our home and I will create a layout, journaling about how these bushes irritate us but also provide some privacy from the school yard behind us.
Don’t wait for the perfect weather, utilize it to your advantage. If the sun is shining, look for some shady areas, capture the sun filtering through the foliage or get up close and take some macro shots or shoot from above, looking downwards, to eliminate the washed out sky. If it is raining, protect your camera, but go out and have fun capturing raindrops, wet leaves. This bush in my garden still has water droplets from the recent rain.
If you are photographing amidst trees and tall foliage, try getting under and shooting outwards towards the sky, as I did for this leaf shot. Change your plane of angle, shoot above, below, at eye level; each will give a different perspective, a different look.
I like macro shots, capturing the texture and grain of foliage. This wet leaf had a rich, deep, vibrant color after the rainfall.
If you haven’t photographed fall foliage before, I hope you are inspired to do so. Get outdoors, get some fresh air and enjoy the colors and textures of fall. If you scrapbook layouts with your fabulous fall photos, be sure to check out the store with it’s multitude of fall themed kits. Check them out here.
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