Camera College

The complete guide to modern photography

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Photograph the flaming hues of autumn

Ignore the Christmas songs: autumn is the most wonderful time of the year (to get out and about with your camera). Here's how to make the most of it...

Autumn is arguably the best season to enjoy outdoor photography. Unlike in the summer, the light from the sun is low and full of character – and you don’t tend to have the extremes of weather and battery-sapping temperatures that can put an end to winter photography. Unless you’re gunning for wildlife or extreme close-ups, then you don’t need any specialist kit either. You can take fantastic photographs with any camera and any lens, although as we’ll see, there are some tricks and techniques that can help you to capture images that exceed your expectations. We all might have to work a little harder to find foliage in full seasonal splendour, though. Following this year’s scorching summer temperatures, many trees have been shedding their leaves early. The ‘false autumn’, as it’s become known, means that many younger trees don’t look in their best condition right now – although older trees, with their deeper roots, still have much to offer the photographer who’s looking to record the colours of the season.

The key to capturing the seasonal hues at their best is, of course, waiting for the right light – although you can’t afford to wait too long, as a passing storm will quickly strip trees of their leaves. It’s possible to take great pictures in any light; you just have to choose the subject according to the conditions you have to work with.