Fall is one of the most beautiful times of year and photographing it can be a joy. There are so many different types of fall foliage to photograph, and the best place to find it is often just around the corner. Here are just a few ideas to get you started on your autumn photography journey.

Where is the best place to photograph fall foliage?

The best places to photograph fall foliage are always nearby (usually only a few miles) from where you live. The further you travel to get to a park or scenic location, the less likely you are to get great shots – especially if you're on a family vacation or other vacation.

A popular place to photograph fall foliage is The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. It contains plenty of woodlands and has views of the surrounding hills. Another good option is Joppa Flats in Maryland, which is surrounded by picturesque woodlands and farms. Try visiting these locations during golden hour for the best light conditions.

Brown also suggests visiting nearby small towns that have more scenic overlooks and are less crowded. Some of my favorites are Stone Mountain in Georgia and Pawtuckaway State Park in New Hampshire. Stone Mountain has a large, rocky outcropping covered in trees that gives a great view of the surrounding area. Pawtuckaway State Park has lots of open fields for fall foliage photos.

Another great idea for photographing fall foliage is to get off the beaten path and visit an out of the way park or local hiking trail. These places often have better views than popular spots like parks and trails in cities and other tourist destinations. Brown also suggests getting low and close to your foreground subjects. This can give your pictures a unique perspective and create a stronger composition. Make sure you watch out for distracting elements in the background when shooting. For example, if your subject is a tree, make sure there aren't other trees behind it taking up space in the frame.

"Show the subject in its environment."

Many photographers make the mistake of composing their shots in such a way that nothing interesting appears in the photo except the subject itself. A good example of this is the classic portrait of a person sitting in front of a beautiful mountain scene. When looking at this photo, all you can see are the person and the mountain, with nothing particularly interesting in the foreground. Brown suggests pointing the camera down slightly so that the subject is framed by the environment. This can make your photos more interesting and help draw attention to the subject.

Best camera setting to capture autumn foliage is Aperture Priority mode on a DSLR camera. This allows you to set your camera's aperture based on the type of shot you want to create and the lighting conditions in your scene. For example, Anne McKinnell suggests setting your camera to Aperture Priority mode, selecting an aperture of f/8 and a shutter speed of 1/500th second in bright lighting situations. This combination allows you to blur out the background and create an image with strong contrast between the subject and its background.

References

1. 10 Tips for Shooting Autumn Foliage (https://www.nikonusa.com/en/learn-and-explore/a/tips-and-techniques/10-tips-for-shooting-autumn-foliage.html)

2. Photographing Fall Foliage: Prediction Maps, Locations, & Tips (https://enviragallery.com/photograph-fall-foliage/)

3. The 20 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in the United States (https://www.marthastewart.com/2123839/best-destinations-fall-foliage-united-states)

4. Stone Mountain Park (https://discoveratlanta.com/things-to-do/outdoors/stone-mountain-park/)

5. 15 Tips for Photographing Fall Colors (https://www.maxfosterphotography.com/gallery/tips-for-photographing-fall-colors/)

6. How To Take Better Vacation Photos: 15 Composition Tips (https://www.travelawaits.com/2687170/how-to-take-better-vacation-pictures/)

7. Get Low and Aim High – How to Use Low-Angle Photography to Great Effect (https://digital-photography-school.com/get-low-and-aim-high-how-to-use-low-angle-photography-to-great-effect/)

8. Photographing Fall Foliage (https://digital-photography-school.com/photographing-fall-foliage/)