Autumn, Oh Glorious Autumn!
08th October 2021
Blog entry by Adrian Hendroff
"The trees are in their autumn beauty
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky"
- William Butler Yeats
If you ask any outdoor photographer what the favourite time of year is for mood, drama, colours and quality of light, you’ll probably be told it’s the autumn. Yep, it’s that time of year when there's a bit of a bite in the air. The atmosphere can be magic; there’s something uniquely special about the quality of light that you won't find at any other time of the year. The golden hour becomes more manageable and you'll also often find beautiful textures, moody clouds, longer shadows and an explosion of colour. During its peak, the leaves that make up its deciduous woodland turn a rich gold, brown, orange and yellows. Mist is also not uncommon as well as beautiful reflections on the lake on calm days. You might get a chance to see the rivers and waterfalls in full flow, while fallen leaves add plenty of colour to the woodland floor. What more can you ask for?
In this blog, we’re going to give you some tips on how to get the best out of this much-loved season. However, before we do, we’d like to invite you to our one-day autumn photography workshop in Wicklow and/or Tollymore. Let us do all the planning and get you all the images that you've always wanted in their vibrant autumn colour! These workshops are very popular and places are limited, so make sure you book your spot early!
An autumn scene in Wicklow. Image (c) Adrian Hendroff
Back to the tips (you’ll get a few more at the workshop).
1. Location, Location, Location
Knowing an area intimately will definitely work to your favour. So do a bit of planning beforehand, either by scouting an area or looking up Google or tourism websites for the best locations and the peak time for foliage colours. Photography sharing sites like Instagram, 500px and Flickr are also good bets, look up the relevant hashtags and local photographers. If you’d like to take the pressure off yourself, join a photography workshop, such as the one offered here, and let the experts do the work.
2. Zoom Up Close And Personal
Less Is More. In some cases, it helps to strip away the chaos and clutter from the big picture and highlighting just the smaller scenes. For example, this can be a single deciduous tree in a dark forest that is just catching the light. Or it can be a cluster of deciduous trees growing in the middle of a coniferous forest. You can also look at abstract images of autumn foliage, such as a red maple leaf in a water puddle, or a macro image of mushrooms growing on the forest floor surrounded by fallen leaves. It’s all about taking your time; so go for a wander and look for anything that gives contrast or stands out. Unclutter all the distracting elements and focus on the details – a telephoto lens (100-400mm) will really help.
3. Let There Be Light … Or Not
When it comes to autumn photography, sunlight during the day isn’t a key component, especially in the woodland. An overcast day works better as this will give light that isn’t as harsh and more evenly spread. The golden autumn colours contrast really well with the silver-grey sky; and even better still if there is some lingering mist or fog. If a shaft of sunlight breaks through the forest canopy you can try underexposing the scene, keeping the corners of the frame dark and leaving only a deciduous tree in focus for example. The only time when light might be useful is during the golden hours when the sun is still low on the horizon. With clear skies, look out for any shafts of light poking through the trees; if it is coming from the sides it'd be good. Be quick, flexible and move with the changing light – for example if you spot the sun poking out through some tree branches, set your aperture to f/14 or more to get that starburst effect.
A telephoto composition of fog layers down in a valley. Image (c) Adrian Hendroff
4. Mist/Fog Ain’t So Bad
Misty or foggy conditions in the autumn is a photographer’s dream. Head to a deciduous forest if that is the case or get to an elevated viewpoint above the mist or fog. In the woodland, such conditions add to the atmosphere, mood and mystery of the scene – regardless of the time of day. You’ll get muted colours, dark silhouettes and contrasting layers. Your images will take on a different dimension and you’ll get a satisfying depth-of-field.
5. Get High
It always helps to get to an elevated area and look down on the ‘bigger picture’. This can be above a forested valley, a cliff edge or up on a hill. Such vantage points increases your shooting options: go wide if you’re at the right place over the golden hour to mix in the colourful sky with bright autumn colours; or use your telephoto zoom to pick out more detailed compositions, restricting your composition to only certain elements of the scene like a group or line of trees. You never know, you might find a single deciduous tree surrounded by a clump of evergreen conifers. Mist or fog down in a valley also presents surreal conditions when shooting from an elevated viewpoint.
6. Create A Natural Frame
Get creative and use the colourful autumn leaves as a natural frame for either all or part of your composition. You can also use branches, trees or any natural elements in order to frame your background subject. If your intention is to have everything in focus, check your image after shooting. If it’s not, you will have to use focus-stacking techniques.
Use the gazebo as a natural frame. Image (c) Adrian Hendroff
7. Look Up
If you’re in a woodland, always look up to see if there are any interesting compositions. Large sessile oak trees with a network of branches are the best ones - you’ll need a wide-angle lens to take in the entire crown of oak branches in all its glory.
8. Leading Lines
Paths and lanes make great leading lines, and if these are flanked by colourful autumnal trees, it’s a dream! The monotone road adds contrast to the scene and if there’s any mist or fog you’re in for a sure winner!
"The trees are in their autumn beauty
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky"
- William Butler Yeats
If you ask any outdoor photographer what the favourite time of year is for mood, drama, colours and quality of light, you’ll probably be told it’s the autumn. Yep, it’s that time of year when there's a bit of a bite in the air. The atmosphere can be magic; there’s something uniquely special about the quality of light that you won't find at any other time of the year. The golden hour becomes more manageable and you'll also often find beautiful textures, moody clouds, longer shadows and an explosion of colour. During its peak, the leaves that make up its deciduous woodland turn a rich gold, brown, orange and yellows. Mist is also not uncommon as well as beautiful reflections on the lake on calm days. You might get a chance to see the rivers and waterfalls in full flow, while fallen leaves add plenty of colour to the woodland floor. What more can you ask for?
In this blog, we’re going to give you some tips on how to get the best out of this much-loved season. However, before we do, we’d like to invite you to our one-day autumn photography workshop in Wicklow and/or Tollymore. Let us do all the planning and get you all the images that you've always wanted in their vibrant autumn colour! These workshops are very popular and places are limited, so make sure you book your spot early!
An autumn scene in Wicklow. Image (c) Adrian Hendroff
Back to the tips (you’ll get a few more at the workshop).
1. Location, Location, Location
Knowing an area intimately will definitely work to your favour. So do a bit of planning beforehand, either by scouting an area or looking up Google or tourism websites for the best locations and the peak time for foliage colours. Photography sharing sites like Instagram, 500px and Flickr are also good bets, look up the relevant hashtags and local photographers. If you’d like to take the pressure off yourself, join a photography workshop, such as the one offered here, and let the experts do the work.
2. Zoom Up Close And Personal
Less Is More. In some cases, it helps to strip away the chaos and clutter from the big picture and highlighting just the smaller scenes. For example, this can be a single deciduous tree in a dark forest that is just catching the light. Or it can be a cluster of deciduous trees growing in the middle of a coniferous forest. You can also look at abstract images of autumn foliage, such as a red maple leaf in a water puddle, or a macro image of mushrooms growing on the forest floor surrounded by fallen leaves. It’s all about taking your time; so go for a wander and look for anything that gives contrast or stands out. Unclutter all the distracting elements and focus on the details – a telephoto lens (100-400mm) will really help.
3. Let There Be Light … Or Not
When it comes to autumn photography, sunlight during the day isn’t a key component, especially in the woodland. An overcast day works better as this will give light that isn’t as harsh and more evenly spread. The golden autumn colours contrast really well with the silver-grey sky; and even better still if there is some lingering mist or fog. If a shaft of sunlight breaks through the forest canopy you can try underexposing the scene, keeping the corners of the frame dark and leaving only a deciduous tree in focus for example. The only time when light might be useful is during the golden hours when the sun is still low on the horizon. With clear skies, look out for any shafts of light poking through the trees; if it is coming from the sides it'd be good. Be quick, flexible and move with the changing light – for example if you spot the sun poking out through some tree branches, set your aperture to f/14 or more to get that starburst effect.
A telephoto composition of fog layers down in a valley. Image (c) Adrian Hendroff
4. Mist/Fog Ain’t So Bad
Misty or foggy conditions in the autumn is a photographer’s dream. Head to a deciduous forest if that is the case or get to an elevated viewpoint above the mist or fog. In the woodland, such conditions add to the atmosphere, mood and mystery of the scene – regardless of the time of day. You’ll get muted colours, dark silhouettes and contrasting layers. Your images will take on a different dimension and you’ll get a satisfying depth-of-field.
5. Get High
It always helps to get to an elevated area and look down on the ‘bigger picture’. This can be above a forested valley, a cliff edge or up on a hill. Such vantage points increases your shooting options: go wide if you’re at the right place over the golden hour to mix in the colourful sky with bright autumn colours; or use your telephoto zoom to pick out more detailed compositions, restricting your composition to only certain elements of the scene like a group or line of trees. You never know, you might find a single deciduous tree surrounded by a clump of evergreen conifers. Mist or fog down in a valley also presents surreal conditions when shooting from an elevated viewpoint.
6. Create A Natural Frame
Get creative and use the colourful autumn leaves as a natural frame for either all or part of your composition. You can also use branches, trees or any natural elements in order to frame your background subject. If your intention is to have everything in focus, check your image after shooting. If it’s not, you will have to use focus-stacking techniques.
Use the gazebo as a natural frame. Image (c) Adrian Hendroff
7. Look Up
If you’re in a woodland, always look up to see if there are any interesting compositions. Large sessile oak trees with a network of branches are the best ones - you’ll need a wide-angle lens to take in the entire crown of oak branches in all its glory.
8. Leading Lines
Paths and lanes make great leading lines, and if these are flanked by colourful autumnal trees, it’s a dream! The monotone road adds contrast to the scene and if there’s any mist or fog you’re in for a sure winner!