Understand the time of Day
Light plays a major role when you are taking pictures outdoors. You cannot change the light, but you can be selective on the time of day and the weather. Most photographers will attempt to make use of “the golden hour”. This is the term that photographer’s use when planning the time of day for their outdoor photoshoot. A basic description of “the golden hour’ is when the light is diffused and evenly balanced. The best time of day is normally just after sunrise and just before sunset. I mention that the second observation to take into consideration is the weather, overcast and cloudy weather is great, as you have the opportunity to shoot any time throughout the day, as the clouds are your diffuser and illuminate overexposed or dappled light. It is the likes of overexposed lighting environments and dappled light that hinders perfect results. It creates challenges and often will require additional camera gear to make good in achieving the best lighting for the shot. So, in essence, a first simple tip is to identify “the golden hour” and to do a weather check before you venture out. One of the most magical seasons of the year is autumn, the days are shorter as we move out of summer, while the landscape and vistas transform in colour. If you are just starting out, and want to make sure that you start on the right foot as an avid and new photographer, my suggestion would be to attend a short practical 121 tailored photography workshop. Now we just need to go out and capture this…
Choosing The Correct Lens for Visual Impact in Autumn
Generally, much outdoor composition is landscape orientated for those photographers who aspire to this kind of framing, make sure you have a decent wide angle lens which is designed for range. Ensure that you have a lens with decent glass for quality results as well as a good f – stop range for your depth of field and detail. Autumn is a time of rustic colour and contrast. A second option, is the zoom or the 50mm prime, this allows for flexibility with the depth of field and the option to be creative with the bokeq. Attending a short outdoor photography workshop is one of the best ways to improve and and understand the importance of a how a lens can make a difference to your photography.
The Advantages of Polarisers
Autumn is a wonderful time of year to experiment with polarisers, both for close ups and landscaped visuals. A polariser is great for enhancing the colours and the contrast, as well as for removing glare and unwanted shine, like after the rain, or when the sun is shining on the water or on snow. Hint… as the polariser will darken the image through the lens, you will either have to up the ISO, slow down the shutter speed, or us a tripod. This is something that takes some practice, so it is important that you understand the settings of your camera before you start investing in polarisers or it could get confusing.
Get used to setting the White Balance on the Camera
It is amazing the difference that white balance makes to your grading. By adjusting the kelvins, you able to warm up or cool down the temperature and enhance the mood you want to achieve in your photograph. Dull sunsets can suddenly “pop” and be expressive, in the same way the rustic autumn feel can be exposed. Hint… the higher the kelvin, the warmer the temperature.
Nothing to do with Photography
As autumn is normally moving towards a change in temperature and weather conditions from the summer months, early mornings and late afternoons may be damp or result in slippery surfaces from the likes of dew, so wear the appropriate shoes to avoid any accidents.