Techniques For Fall Color Photography

As a Vermont-based photographer, there is no better time of year to be prowling the back roads than late September and early October. In fact, there is no place I would rather be, and I plan my entire schedule around being home for this amazing time of year. If you have never experienced an autumn season in New England, you definitely should add it to your bucket list. For those who can't make the pilgrimage to New England, there are many other fantastic locations throughout the U.S. and abroad for great fall color. No matter where you live or travel this fall season, try these 10 creative techniques for fall color photography to make your best autumn images yet.

8 Comments

Thanks for the article Kurt and all the good comments, especially the extending the shooting hours. Heading up to the Eastern Sierra next week and hoping for some good streamside and Aspen images.

Having just returned from my first trip ever to Vermont to see The Fall foliage, your article and creative techniques really hit the spot Kurt! This is especially true for the close up shots of trees and enclosed landscapes you predominantly use to illustrate the various techniques. The dry Summer & prolonged mild weather capped the anticipated splendor this year, but there were nontheless many photo opportunities, especially of the composition scale you illustrate. No doubt my shots would have been greatly enhanced by conscious application of the techniques you mention, but realizing their value and application after-the-fact has made them really sink in, for use in other places and circumstances…and, hey, why not return to Vermont next Fall…? Loved the place and its people.

Fantastic article, I am totally inspired now!

Fall is one of my most favorite seasons to shoot as well, although I shoot in every season. Great article Kurt. Acadia NP is on the list now.

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I am a little late coming to this article but I suspect the trees in Image 6 are birch not aspen as written. Birch would be much more likely in Acadia Park. Thanks

John, they are aspen. They just look like birch because they are washed out.

Another way of exploring reflections is to try the effects of a polarising filter – sometimes it’s actually more interesting to remove the reflection altogether, to give more of an appearance of things on the surface floating “in mid air” (not really – but it can kind of look like that).