Fall Color Photography – Where’s The Light?
Successful fall color photography starts with planning around leaf changes. One of the many online interactive fall color maps can be a good starting point. After scouting your location, there’s another key factor to consider.
Where and how the color happens is dependent upon elevation and temperature. No two years are ever the same. The higher mountains of the west begin in mid-September. Eastern hardwoods follow in October. The lower red-rock country of the southwest typically begins in early November.
Once you’ve settled on a destination and found that grove of trees, the next step is to understand the light. It may seem that vibrant reds or yellows will be faithfully reproduced by your sensor at any time. However, understanding the quality of light can help guarantee your success.
Using backlight or sidelight when the sun is low on the horizon and illuminates the leaves from behind creates a wonderful warm glow, especially when set against a dark background.
Softlight is another great light source (illustrated above) that occurs when the sky is overcast and acts like a giant studio softbox. Under these conditions, it doesn’t matter what time of day you’re shooting. The shadows are eliminated resulting in uniform light that both reduces the contrast while intensifying the colors.
So when the scene presents itself, consider the light along with the framing, and don’t be too quick to trip the shutter. A slight change in position and a little patience can often make the difference between a good image and a great one.
©Russ Bishop/All Rights Reserved
