10 Ways To Capture Autumn

Hone your camera skills for the most photogenic season of the year, with Jon Adams and Andrew James

- Jon Adams and Andrew James

1 CANOPY COLOUR

Capture the vibrant hues of the season from an unusual perspective

HOW TO GET THE SHOT With a wide-angle lens, lie back and shoot up to get an interesting perspective on a familiar scene. Fit a circular polariser to intensify sky and foliage colour, and arrange your composition so the trees lean in towards the centre.

Focus about a third up a trunk and set an aperture such as f/11 to provide sharpness throughout the frame.

Autumn can come and go in the blink of an eye, so it pays to be prepared with ideas and inspiration for when the trees turn golden and your breath starts to mist the air.

This is the season that has inspired artists and poets for centuries – and with the help of your camera, you can squeeze every warm hue, every texture and more than a modicum of mellow fruitfulness from autumn’s constantly changing conditions.

As the days gets shorter, the best light for shooting, both early and late in the day, arrives at a more civilised hour. The rich, verdant landscapes of summer are replaced by earthier tones and, as the trees lose their leaves, more interesting structural shapes come back into view to simplify your compositions. Late autumn storms are perfect for the intrepid landscape photographer who seeks dramatic conditions. But if you’re less keen on unpredictable weather, the season’s bounty of colourful fallen leaves can be taken indoors for some interesting projects.

So autumn really is the perfect season to get creative with and hone your photo skills…