5 Tips for Magical Autumn Photos

1st September 2016

Autumn is the most photogenic time of the year. It’s a wonderful time to go for a walk and enjoy the glorious colours – and make sure you take your camera with you!

Although autumn doesn’t ‘officially’ start until September 22nd, the leaves might start to change colour before then if the weather stays warm. There’s a relatively short window of a few weeks when the autumn colours are at their most intense. If you want to make the most of it, check out these top tips.

1. Photograph at Sunrise or Sunset.

The first and last hours of sunlight are known as ‘magic hours’ to photographers. In autumn, the soft, golden light of sunrise and sunset will really bring out the beautiful reds, oranges and browns in your photographs.

2. Use a Tripod.

Tripods are the best way to get a good shot every time, steadying your camera so you don’t have to worry about shutter speed. When you’re shooting at sunrise and sunset, or when it’s misty out, this is especially useful, avoiding any blurriness in your images.

3. Watch your White Balance.

Your camera’s white balance setting might not do justice to the warm tones of autumn. Without a little ‘tweaking’, your photos could look too cold. Although you can always correct this later with Photoshop, it’s worth playing around with your white balance settings – ‘Cloudy’ or ‘Sunny’ often works best.

4. Shoot on a Grey Day.

You don’t need bright sunlight to capture great autumn photos. Autumn colours are saturated, and they actually stand out best on a grey day when they aren’t competing with yellow-orange sunlight.

5. Play with Lighting.

Use backlighting to capture the full detail of autumn leaves and give them a luminous glow. Whether you’re shooting individual leaves or a whole forest canopy, the light behind the leaves will cause your camera to underexpose the photograph and capture those brilliant colours.

Visit Argos in Garden Square Shopping Centre to pick up all the camera essentials you need this autumn.