{"id":63127,"date":"2015-10-22T08:48:54","date_gmt":"2015-10-22T07:48:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amateurphotographer.co.uk\/?p=63127"},"modified":"2015-10-22T08:50:19","modified_gmt":"2015-10-22T07:50:19","slug":"14-autumn-photography-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/technique\/landscape_photography-technique\/14-autumn-photography-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Autumn photography tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Need some tips for getting the most out of your Autumn photography. We asked a range of experts for their best advice.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Jeremy Walker<\/h2>\n\"Jeremy<\/a>\n

Jeremy is an award-winning photographer specialising in high-quality landscape and location photography around the world for use by advertising, design and corporate clients. www.jeremywalker.co.uk<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

1. Autumn panoramas<\/h3>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Autumn<\/a>\t\t\t

If you ensure your chosen scene fits the panoramic format, an autumnal panorama will look stunning.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

Shooting panoramas allows you to visualise the world slightly differently, without the constraints of the viewfinder rectangle. This is a great advantage when shooting landscapes, but particularly useful when capturing autumnal images like woodland interiors or rolling banks of mist and fog.<\/p>\n

The first and most important consideration for a panorama is whether the subject suits the format. If you\u2019re not used to visualising a panoramic image, cut a 3:1 ratio aperture in a piece of black card and use this at arm\u2019s length as a visual guide. You\u2019ll soon learn what will and won\u2019t work and how certain subject matter will fit into the panorama format. The key is to have the right subject matter for the format to work.<\/p>\n

While some cameras with a high pixel count mean you can crop a single frame and still have a decent file size, if you lack pixels you can stitch three frames together to create an image with an approximate image ratio of 3:1. The trick is not to use too wideangle a lens, no wider than 35mm, and shoot three frames horizontally, overlapping each frame by 30%. Also shoot in manual to avoid the exposure shifting.<\/p>\n

In Photoshop go to File>Automate>Photomerge and select \u2018Cylindrical\u2019, then click OK. Photoshop will create a panorama, which you need to flatten in the Layers tab. It\u2019s a simple technique with which to start and, once you\u2019ve shot a few panoramas, is one that will become second nature.<\/p>\n

2. Autumn still lifes<\/h3>\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\"Sutumn<\/a>\t\t\t

Gourds make for a great autumnal still life, but remember to keep it simple.<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n

You don\u2019t have to be a creative genius with complicated studio lighting to shoot a still life. Anything from a single leaf placed on an appropriate background, to plants and props carefully arranged on a bench in the back garden and lit with nothing but daylight and a reflector, can make a great shot.<\/p>\n

Having access to lighting is always going to be an advantage, but it isn\u2019t an essential \u2013 a single flashgun or even a torch will do a good job. However, there\u2019s no better light source than the sun, even on a cloudy day. Cloud can be used to good advantage, as it will give a soft, low-contrast, shadowless light source.<\/p>\n

Autumnal still lifes can encompass a whole range of subjects \u2013 not just golden leaves. Fruit and vegetables make excellent subjects, as do the various nuts and hedgerow berries prevalent at this time of year. But keep it simple. Take one main item and build around it, and try not to include the entire garden!<\/p>\n

3. Patterns and textures<\/h3>\n

Shooting autumn landscapes on a misty morning is a landscape photographer\u2019s holy grail and I still get a buzz from seeing backlit mist floating across a landscape. However, the reality on most mornings is that the mist hasn\u2019t formed or it\u2019s not where you want it to be. So instead of looking for the grand view, try looking for the \u2018micro landscape\u2019 \u2013 a detail, texture or pattern.<\/p>\n\n\t\t