Fall in Napa Valley

For the travel photographer, fall colors can come in an infinite variety of colors and landscapes depending on where you happen to be at any given time.

Growing up in Michigan, fall colors meant forests full of maples and oaks proudly displaying their brilliant orange, red, and yellow hues.  However, I’ve learned that each of our nation’s regions have their own distinct and colorful display.

Regardless of where you happen to be in the fall, here are a few tips to help you capture great fall photographs.

5 Tips for Great Fall Photographs

1. Shoot your photographs in the early morning, or late afternoon light.  You will find the light much softer; which will allow for rich, vibrant colors.
2. Don’t place your subjects in the center of the photograph.  Professional photographers rely on “the rule of thirds” when they are composing their photographs in the viewfinder.  When a subject is placed dead center in the photograph, it leaves no room for the eye to travel in the photograph.  It’s highly likely that your camera has a “rule of thirds” grid that you can turn on to help you compose your photographs.  Turn it on, and try it out!
3. Get up high.  Find the area’s most popular scenic view and capture a long range view of fall’s color.
4. Get in close.  Many times, a stunningly beautiful fall composition can be accomplished by focusing your camera on a particular fall subject, up close.  Also, when you get in close, use a shallow depth of field to put the background out of focus to create what photographers call bokeh.  The results are often spectacular.
5. If available, look for water.   There is hardly anything more beautiful than fall colors reflecting off a lake, stream, or river.

Fall in Sedona, Arizona

Fall on the California coast

Perhaps the most important tip of all is this: just get out there and shoot a lot of photographs.  You are certain to capture something that you will be very proud of.

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