Photo Tips for Shooting Fall Colors

A couple tips for shooting fall colors like my "Below Fern Springs in Fall" shot!

1. Take pictures of the leaves during or after the rain! When leaves are wet, you get a boost of color and saturation. It really brings out the colors nicely. Since it is raining today here in Silicon Valley, I am going to take my camera out!
2. Use a circular polarizer. This helps to reduce the glare and reflections on the wet leaves allowing you get a clearer image.
3. Cloudy day?! Perfect!! Take pictures when it is overcast or cloudy. Too often I see folks taking pictures in harsh midday light that creates shadows and contrast that your camera can't handle and isn't pleasing.
4. Look for a variety of colors and contrast. Oranges, Yellows and Reds in patterns with the brown stems or bark of the trees can work well.
5. Move the camera with a slow shutter speed. You can create some interesting effects while moving the camera while you are shooting with a 1/10 or 1/25th second shutter speed. Check out William Neill's images for beautiful inspiration of what you can create.

If you do take some pictures, feel free to share them here! Hope this helps and gets you to take a few more pictures.

Here are some images from last year shooting in the Eastern Sierra.