My Guide to Autumn Landscape Photography
Its that time of year again when the temperature drops, the sun gets lower, and the leaves start to change - all bringing with it a beautiful time for landscape photography here in the UK, so I thought I’d put this blog together as my guide to autumn landscape photography.
During this time of change, I absolutely love to get outside and document the ever-changing season’s beauty as much as I can. The best autumn photographs can often come from capturing the vibrant colours at their peak or seeking out the fungi on the woodland floor. but there’s also so much more to appreciate about the season itself, from the changing light that creates a magical atmosphere to the moody storms and the ethereal misty mornings that evoke a sense of wonder, showing off the landscape in a new way. So, lets get started!
Firstly, embrace bad weather conditions – the weather will not always be in your favour at this time of year so be adaptable to the conditions and no matter the weather, just go out! Rain adds a depth and vibrancy to the colours in the foliage and overcast days can really accentuate the colour too. Also go places you are familiar with and know will be looking pretty, but visit some new places too! Basically just get outside and explore as much as you can!
I make sure I have a well-rounded selection of varied lens choices for any type of landscape photography, ranging from a 14mm wide-angle lens to a versatile 55-200mm zoom lens. Depending on the specific composition and unique perspective you want to achieve—whether it's for creating compressed scenes, capturing abstracts, focusing on intriguing patterns and textures, or perhaps even decluttering the visual chaos—having the right lens is essential. Additionally, I often use a macro lens to capture intricate details and delicate subjects, like the fascinating textures of mushrooms. For stable and precise shots, I rely on my 3 Legged Thing Bucky tripod, nice and lightweight to carry around, also a tiny low-level tripod that I can fit inside my camera bag, which allows me to frame up shots near the ground. Sometimes I’m shooting handheld but to have these options with me can be particularly handy for shooting in darker wooded areas. The Fujifilm XT-5 is my camera of choice, known for its weather-sealed design that performs well in changeable conditions. Its tilt-out screen proves to be immensely useful for capturing low-level shots, especially when photographing mushrooms and other ground-level subjects. A couple of essential filters are a polariser and an ND. Using a polariser can significantly enhance the colours in your photographs while helping to reduce glare on the surface of water. Additionally, using an ND filter is essential for achieving beautiful long exposure shots, allowing you to capture the smooth, flowing movement of water over time.
This time of year, looking for interesting subjects and compositions can be all about the art of noticing. The fungi start appearing on the woodland floor all around and its so much fun seeking them out! My favourite lens for some really interesting perspectives is the Fujifilm 30mm macro. I like to get down in the dirt with them, really show off their character, up close and with the surrounding landscape too!
I’m always looking for interesting compostions, using the light to help me. Wooded areas can be quite a messy place to be when looking for a simple frame - so try looking for leading lines or vanishing points, again using the light to guide you can be really helpful!
As always the best time of day is sunrise. Use the golden light just after sunrise to your advantage, as it creeps up in the sky and you can observe how it moves through the woodland. Also due to the colder nights and damper weather, its a sure sign for mist in certain places. The art of observing what the season brings is pure magic!
So, happy autumn photography season everyone, have a good one!
Happy shooting,
Emily
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