[Photography] 10 Tips for Gorgeous Interior Photography

The post 10 Tips for Gorgeous Interior Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sean McCormack.

Anyone can run around with a camera and shoot an interior – but if you want to capture well-lit, sharp, beautifully composed interior images, you’ll need to use certain techniques.

In this article, I discuss the ins and outs of interior photography, including:

• How to keep your exposures looking bright and detailed
• Where to stand for good results
• How to avoid perspective distortion in your shots
• Much more!

So if you’re ready to capture amazing images for that real-estate listing, website portfolio, or simply because you think interiors look cool, then let’s get started!

1. Use a tripod

Yes, it’s basic advice. But if you want to capture sharp interior photos that are also well exposed and feature limited noise, you must use a tripod.

Some beginners are tempted to just walk around and shoot handheld. But when relying on such an approach, you’ll need to boost your ISO or lower your shutter speed, which will create noise or blur, respectively. A tripod, on the other hand, will keep your shots sharp and free of noise, even if you use slower shutter speeds!

Note: Using a tripod will slow down your shooting process, and you initially might find the deliberate pace frustrating. But deliberation can be a good thing; in my experience, it makes you really concentrate on the shot. As you set up your camera on the tripod, you can check around the frame for stray cables or clutter, and you can really dial in that composition before you hit the shutter button.

2. Try working with Live View (or an electronic viewfinder)

If you’re using a DSLR, I highly recommend checking each shot on your camera’s LCD before hitting the shutter button, which is where Live View comes in handy. It’ll let you preview the image in advance, and you won’t have to waste time capturing test shots in order to carefully dial in the exposure.

If you’re using a mirrorless camera, you can shoot via the camera LCD, but most mirrorless models – especially the higher-end models – do come with an electronic viewfinder. It’s basically a Live View mode, except that you use it by looking through the camera’s viewfinder (rather than at the back of the screen).

It’s worth noting that shooting via Live View and shooting via the electronic viewfinder offer two very different experiences, so even if you own a mirrorless camera with an EVF, I’d recommend trying out both options. You never know which you’ll prefer!

3. Go wide (but not too wide)

A wide-angle lens works great for most interior photography situations; it makes rooms look spacious (generally a good thing!), and it also helps communicate the layout of the place.

However, you don’t want to overdo it. Shooting from one corner so you can fit the other three corners into the shot just looks wrong.

As for specific focal-length recommendations: Anything in the 16-24mm range on a full-frame camera works great, though you will need to make slight adjustments depending on the type of interiors you’re shooting.

One more tip: You don’t need to show everything. Our eyes and brain will fill in gaps, so including half a cabinet and the pillows section of a bed looks fine.

4. Use one- or two-point perspective

While there are an infinite number of interior photo compositions, you can use one-point perspective and two-point perspective to guide your work.

A one-point perspective involves shooting so the sensor plane is parallel to a wall. It’s a great way to set the scene, and it can show various walls leading toward a point in the distance, like this:

A two-point perspective angle involves shooting into a corner (rather than against a flat wall):

It’s a nice way to show lots of details and emphasize the cohesiveness of a room. Note that the corner doesn’t need to be centered in the frame; just don’t try to show three walls!

5. Shoot from standing height

One of the biggest struggles interior photographers face is perspective distortion, which comes into play whenever you tilt your camera up or down (i.e., so the lens is no longer parallel to the floor).

Now, you can handle perspective distortion by using a tilt-shift lens, but these can be pretty expensive. Another option is to correct distortion in post-processing, but you’ll be forced to crop in from the corners (and you’ll lose pixels in the process).

That’s why I recommend simply avoiding distortion in the field. Shoot from standing height, point your camera straight forward, and capture distortion-free shots!

6. Use a bubble level

Many cameras come with an electronic level – and if yours does include this, then make sure you use it!

But if your camera doesn’t feature a built-in level (or if the built-in level only works for the horizon line), then I’d encourage you to purchase a hot shoe bubble level. This will simply mount on top of your camera, and it’ll let you level the camera very precisely (both up and down and side to side).

Keeping your shots straight will help prevent distortion (discussed in the previous tip!). It’ll also keep the walls straight, and it’ll prevent you from needing to do lots of leveling in post-processing.

7. Bracket, bracket, bracket!

When shooting interiors, you’ll often be faced with a huge range of light in the room – thanks to a mix of shadowy corners, artificial light, and window light. And this wide dynamic range is often more than your camera can capture in one shot, even if your exposure is absolutely spot on.

So what do you do? Bracket! I’d recommend capturing a normal exposure, a shot that’s two stops underexposed, and a shot that’s two stops overexposed. If you’re dealing with an extreme scenario or you want to show the view outside a window, you’ll want to bracket further (to four stops underexposed and four stops overexposed).

Then, when you get back home, you can blend the images together using a program such as Lightroom. The process is quick and painless, plus it can save you a lot of frustration, so I encourage you to bracket whenever you have the time.

8. Use fill flash

Some interior photographers prefer to use natural light and just bracket like crazy – but if you want to bracket less and you don’t mind working with an external flash, then why not try a bounce technique?

The idea here is to expose for the brighter areas in the scene, then aim a flash at the ceiling and the walls behind you. The flash will bounce around the room and lessen the shadows in front of you; as a consequence, you won’t be faced with a huge dynamic range, and you’ll be able to shoot without needing to bracket.

Note that you can use the bounce technique by mounting a speedlight to your camera, but it works well off-camera, too. You can use a light stand, or you can just hold the flash in your left hand when you fire the camera shutter with your right.

Check out this first photo, which was taken without fill flash:

Then look at this next photo:

Notice the brighter cabinet and brighter bed spread? The difference is subtle, but it’s present, and it really does matter!

9. Go vertical for magazines

These days, most interior images are viewed on the internet. It’s caused a shift toward horizontal images, which fit well on computer monitors.

However, print magazines are still out there, not to mention smartphones, which do far better with vertical shots.

So don’t be afraid to go vertical! Verticals usually look best when they let the eye fill in gaps, so make use of composition to show hints of the room:

10. Do a bit of post-processing magic

As an interior photographer, you should always get as much right in camera as possible. Carefully set your exposures, make sure you nail focus, choose excellent compositions – but then, when you head back home, you should still edit your RAW files to make them look their best.

In particular, you’ll want to adjust your white balance for a natural look, and you’ll want to make sure the viewer can see plenty of detail throughout the frame, so don’t be afraid to tweak the exposure.

Most interior photographers like to reduce the highlights and boost the shadows to offer the viewer even more tonal detail, though it’s important that you also reduce the blacks to ensure that you don’t lose too much contrast. A little Clarity (if you use Lightroom) can also help!

Finally, make sure you apply the necessary perspective distortion corrections. If the walls appear to bend, people will notice, if only subsconsciously. Lightroom’s Auto distortion-correction option generally works great, but you can also use a program such as Photoshop if you want to make more granular adjustments.

Interior photography tips: final words

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful – and that you’re now excited to head out with your camera and capture some gorgeous interior shots.

Just remember the techniques I shared above, and your images are bound to turn out great!

Now over to you:

Do you have any additional interior photo tips that I missed? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 10 Tips for Gorgeous Interior Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sean McCormack.

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[Photography] Tripod vs Monopod: Which Should You Use?

The post Tripod vs Monopod: Which Should You Use? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Daniel.

Tripods and monopods are popular camera accessories designed to keep your camera and lens stable. But while both products have their benefits, they’re not identical – and they also come with several major (but different) drawbacks.

In this article, I share everything you need to know about tripods vs monopods. I discuss their advantages, their disadvantages, and I explain which one is the better choice for your needs.

Let’s dive right in!

What is a tripod?

Pretty much every photographer, from beginner to professional, has seen a tripod; it’s a three-legged accessory that supports camera rigs.

With your camera mounted to a tripod, you’re free to walk around, investigate different compositions, even leave the scene and come back – though as I explain below, the primary benefit of a tripod is its stability, which allows you to eliminate camera shake and create stunning long-exposure images.

Note that tripods vary widely in terms of maximum and minimum height, sturdiness, and weight. You can grab lightweight tabletop tripods that can literally fit in a purse, and you can also purchase huge carbon fiber tripods that are cumbersome to carry but are rock-solid in the field.

What is a monopod?

A monopod, as the name suggests, is like a tripod, except it has only one leg:

You might think of a monopod as a walking stick for your camera. It’ll support a camera rig, it’ll improve stability, but it won’t stand on its own. As you can probably imagine, this comes with various drawbacks – discussed in detail below – but also several major advantages, including greater speed and flexibility.

Like tripods, different monopods offer different levels of sturdiness, heights, and weights.

Tripod vs monopod: tripod benefits

Many professional photographers prefer tripods over monopods, for two key reasons:

1. Tripods are far more stable

While a monopod can reduce camera shake – leading to sharper photos, especially in low-light scenarios – a sturdy tripod can eliminate camera shake completely.

With a tripod, you can capture long-exposure landscape photos that feature a mix of tack-sharp detail and motion blur (due to moving water and clouds). That’s why tripods are heavily favored by landscape photographers and astrophotographers; without a tripod, their long-exposure shots would be soft throughout, and though a monopod might somewhat reduce this softness, it just isn’t stable enough to get pro-level results.

Tripods are also favored by product and still-life photographers. Often, these photographers need to focus stack (i.e., capture several identical images with different focus points), and a sturdy tripod is essential for maintaining the camera position as they fire off multiple shots.

2. Tripods force you to slow down

Most photographers don’t really think about this, but tripods are slow to set up. And while this can be a drawback (see below!) it can also be a benefit.

The extra effort that goes into tripod setup forces you to really think about each composition and whether it’s genuinely worth pursuing. And as you set up the tripod, you may notice other composition opportunities that you wouldn’t have considered had you been working with a (much faster) monopod.

Tripod vs monopod: tripod drawbacks

Tripods are invaluable photographic accessories, yet they come with plenty of difficulties. Here are a few key downsides to consider:

1. Tripods are expensive

There are a lot of cheap tripods on the market. Unfortunately, these products tend to be very low quality, which means that they’re often very difficult to use and they won’t keep your camera steady in most (if not all) cases.

Good, sturdy tripods that are capable of capturing long-exposure images often cost a pretty penny. Many photographers purchase tripod legs and the tripod head separately; depending on your desired stability, portability, and features, expect to pay $500+ for a satisfactory model.

2. Tripods are cumbersome and inconvenient

Nearly every tripod ever made – regardless of the price – has been far more cumbersome than a standard monopod. (The exception is tabletop tripods, though these are limited in their functionality.)

Tripods are heavier than monopods, which means that you may start to feel fatigued or even frustrated carrying one around all day. They’re also more difficult to pack in a camera bag or a suitcase, and when fully extended, they can get in the way (which is why tripods can often cause problems when used along busy city sidewalks, for instance, and why tripods are often banned from museums and other popular attractions).

3. Tripods are slow

I know, I know; in the previous section, I claimed that the slow, deliberate tripod approach was beneficial! And that’s true – it can be helpful – but in certain situations, it can also be a drawback.

For instance, if you’re photographing from the bleachers at a football game, every time you change position, you’ll need to fold up your tripod legs. Then, once you’ve found your new spot, you’ll need to get set up again, during which you may miss out on some key images.

In other words, when you’re working in a fast-paced scenario, a monopod is likely the better accessory to have; it’ll keep your camera sturdy, but it won’t take precious seconds to set up and take down and set up again.

Tripod vs monopod: monopod benefits

Tripods might be the more popular option, but monopods certainly have their place. Here’s why:

1. Monopods are faster and more flexible

Sports photographers love to use monopods. You can set up a monopod in seconds, and once your camera is mounted to the monopod head, you’ll never have to take it off.

Action is happening at the far end of the field? No problem! Just grab your entire rig and sprint into position. Because monopods are so much slimmer than tripods, you won’t have to worry about hitting pedestrians or other photographers along the way.

And because monopods are so much lighter than tripods, they’re easy to carry around without getting tired. In fact, a monopod will prevent fatigue by supporting your heavy lenses.

2. Good monopods cost less

As I explained above, tripods can be very pricey, especially if you’re looking for a model that can handle difficult outdoor scenarios.

But a solid monopod costs nowhere near as much. You can grab a very nice monopod for around $100 – one that you can use in plenty of situations – though you’ll generally need to buy a head separately, so do bear that in mind before purchasing.

Tripod vs monopod: monopod drawbacks

Monopods come with one major disadvantage:

1. A monopod won’t keep your camera rock-steady

Monopods are great, and they certainly allow you to shoot for long hours without arm fatigue and lower your shutter speed while capturing sharp photos.

But a monopod, no matter the quality, won’t keep your camera completely steady. You can’t use a monopod to capture a 10-second long-exposure shot, which is the reason landscape photographers (and other long-exposure fine-art photographers) almost never use them.

Tripod vs monopod: which should you choose?

Tripods and monopods both offer lots of support for your camera, and they both have their place in a photographer’s toolkit. However, there are a handful of scenarios where a monopod is better than a tripod or vice versa.

Specifically, I recommend purchasing a monopod if:

• You often shoot in fast-paced scenarios where speed is key
• You work with long lenses and want to give your arms a break
• You need a bit of extra stability but aren’t looking to capture long-exposure shots
• You work in low-light scenarios and want to be able to marginally lower your shutter speed without issue

On the other hand, I’d encourage you to buy a tripod if:

• You want to capture long-exposure images of landscapes, cityscapes, or the night sky
• You don’t mind working at a slower pace
• You’re willing to spend significant money for a quality product
• You need to capture multiple images with identical framing

Tripod vs monopod: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know the benefits and drawbacks of tripods and monopods – and you’re hopefully ready to make a purchase.

Remember that tripods and monopods are both excellent pieces of equipment. The key is to figure out what you want to shoot, then make your purchase accordingly.

Now over to you:

Which do you plan to use, a tripod or a monopod? Have you tried either option before? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Note: This article was updated by Jaymes Dempsey in September 2023.

The post Tripod vs Monopod: Which Should You Use? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Daniel.

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[Photography] dPS Bi-Weekly Photo Challenge – The Games We Play

The post dPS Bi-Weekly Photo Challenge – The Games We Play appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

From Hats to Games… Some great hats over the last two weeks – well done.

This week your challenge is #dPSBoardGames #dPSWeeklyChallenge – Please don’t forget to include these hashtags wherever you post.

Games, board games, Chess, Checkers, Backgammon etc… I had kids Monopoly and Scrabble handy. Photographing boardgames is a good chance to work on your details and composition of photographing smaller things.

These assignments are to help you work on some aspect of your photography, if not a technical aspect, a way to make you think about photographing a new thing that you may not have tried before. While this may upset some who dip into photos they’ve already taken, this week we do NOT want to see images that aren’t taken specifically for this challenge – I’m not going to ask for EXIF, but please don’t share images that aren’t photographed between the 29th of September and the 13th of October.

Make sure you include the hashtags #dPSWeeklyChallenge and #dPSBoardGames in your post, here in the comments or over on social media. You can tag us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter!

Find all of our previous weekly challenges here.

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favourite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images in the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

The post dPS Bi-Weekly Photo Challenge – The Games We Play appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Sime.

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[Photography] 12 Tips for Beautiful Fall Landscape Photography

The post 12 Tips for Beautiful Fall Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dusty Doddridge.

Want to capture the gorgeous hues and moody tones of fall? While creating stunning autumn landscape photos might seem difficult, it’s actually pretty easy – once you know a few tricks.

As an experienced fall landscape photographer, I’ve spent plenty of time in search of those elusive fall photos. I’ve made lots of mistakes, but I’ve also had a lot of success, and in this article, I aim to show you how it’s done.

Specifically, I share 12 practical tips for creating beautiful fall landscape photography. I’ll cover:

• The perfect lens choice to emphasize patterns in foliage
• The best fall landscape settings for gorgeous results
• My favorite type of autumn landscape light
• Much more!

So if you’re ready to head out into the field and start taking some jaw-dropping shots of your own, then let’s dive right in, starting with:

1. Check the fall foliage forecast

The best fall landscape photos tend to be captured when the colors are at their peak; that way, blazing reds, smoldering oranges, and sunny yellows can be incorporated into image compositions.

Unfortunately, peak colors rarely last for more than a week or two. If you don’t time your outings carefully, you may arrive on location only to find that the trees have not yet changed – or worse, that you’ve missed all the action.

That’s where fall foliage forecasts come in handy. Simply do a quick Google search for “fall foliage predictor in [location],” then see what you can find. Chances are a foliage forecast exists for your area (and if it doesn’t, a forecast probably exists for an area nearby).

Remember, however: The more specific the foliage forecast, the better. Fall color timing can be dramatically different as you change your elevation or latitude; you don’t want to use foliage predictions for New York City to determine the fall colors in London!

One more tip: If you’re busy during peak foliage times, it’s often still worth scheduling a trip. Sure, it’s harder to get gorgeous shots when the fall foliage is patchy, but it’s not impossible. If the fall colors have come and gone, try to convey a sense of the impending winter by capturing a few lone leaves on a tree. And if you’re out shooting a week or two before peak colors, use the few brightly colored trees as focal points in an otherwise green forest.

2. Head out when the weather is bad

Most landscape photography is done during the golden and blue hours, when you have relatively good weather and beautiful ethereal light (maybe complemented by a few clouds).

But autumn landscape photography is a whole different ball game. You can capture nice shots illuminated by stunning golden hour light, but you can often create the moodiest, most autumn-esque shots if you shoot when the sky is blanketed by thick clouds. The overcast light will add a sense of loneliness, it will help bring out subject detail, and (major bonus!) it’ll enhance the fall colors.

If you shoot on overcast days and you like the results, consider taking your moody landscape photography a step further. Take your camera out on rainy days or – if you’re lucky enough to get them in the autumn – snowy days. Just make sure you bring adequate protection for your gear. I recommend a simple rain sleeve, which you can grab off Amazon. Though if you’re in a pinch, you can always use a trash bag plus some rubber bands.

Bottom line: Rain and snow combined with fall colors look amazing. While the shooting process can be a bit uncomfortable, it’ll all be worth it in the end.

3. Use a telephoto lens

Autumn leaves, trees, and forests look so beautiful that it’s often tempting to whip out that wide-angle lens and capture the entire scene.

But while a wide-angle lens can work for fall photography, it’s often nice to go in the opposite direction and shoot with a longer focal length. A 70-200mm or a 55-200mm lens is ideal, though you can also shoot with a 100-400mm lens or even one of those monster 150-600mm options. (Primes work, too, but they’ll limit your flexibility, especially if you’re shooting from roadside overlooks.)

You see, a longer lens can really help simplify the scene and make the shot about more than just the colors. A telephoto focal length lets you emphasize patterns in the leaves, plus it’ll compress the scene to create a beautiful wall of trees.

You can also use the longer focal length to highlight intimate details of a forest interior. Look for patterns, then hunt for the part of the scene where the pattern breaks and include it in your composition. Consider also adding negative space to help isolate your subject. Empty sky works great for this, though you can also create negative space with forest floors or motionless ponds.

4. Use a wide aperture to isolate the subject

Often, photographers shoot autumn landscape photography at narrow apertures, such as f/8 and beyond. And when you’re capturing images full of sweeping vistas or intricate patterns, a narrow aperture makes sense.

However, you can also create unique fall shots with a wide aperture. Set your lens to f/2.8 or f/5.6, then get in close and isolate your subject from its surroundings. You can get a shot like this:

Here, the foreground tree leaves are sharp, while the background becomes a pleasing, slightly colorful blur.

Ultimately, a wide aperture creates visual contrast between the sharp subject and the soft, abstract background. This also adds tension between the real and the unreal, providing you with an image that’s more dynamic and expressive.

While you can always shoot lone trees against colorful leaves, try experimenting with different subjects and backgrounds. Get creative with your choices. Pay close attention to your subject, and make sure you have enough depth of field to keep its key features sharp; it often pays to check the LCD preview after you’ve taken a shot just to be sure.

5. Mix foreground and background elements

My previous autumn landscape tip encouraged you to use wide apertures and isolate individual elements. That approach certainly works well – but it’s also worth trying the opposite strategy, where you seek out broader scenes, then use a wider lens to capture everything.

If you’re traveling in a mountainous area, you may be able to find scenic overlooks, which work great for this type of shot. I’d also recommend looking for a combination of interesting background and foreground elements; that way, you can use the foreground element to draw the viewer into the scene, anchor the composition, and even lead the eye toward the beautiful surroundings.

For the best results, start with a nice background, such as a stand of aspen trees or a beautiful maple tree overlooking a river. Then look for compelling foreground subjects. Mossy rocks, fallen leaves, and even rocks can work great. The key is to choose an item that complements the background but is also interesting in its own right.

You’ll need to use a wide-angle lens (the wider, the better) to include the entire scene in your composition. You should also narrow your aperture to at least f/8 (and probably f/11, f/13, or even f/16) to keep the entire scene sharp. (As I discuss below, a tripod can also be handy in these scenarios!)

6. Use a tripod (and watch your shutter speed)

If you’re planning to create autumn landscape photos using a wide aperture, you can often get away with handheld shooting – but in general, the best approach is to mount your camera on a tripod right from the beginning.

You see, since fall landscape photography is often done on cloudy (and even rainy) days, the light tends to be pretty limited. Therefore, if you want to capture a decent exposure, you’ll need to either use a wide aperture, a high ISO, or a slow shutter speed.

As I mentioned above, a wide aperture can work, but it’s not always the right way to go. If you want to keep your entire shot sharp, an f/2.8 or f/4 aperture won’t get you enough depth of field. And while a high ISO will boost the exposure, it’ll also introduce unpleasant noise.

Your best option, then, is to lower the shutter speed. This will stop you from handholding your shots, but it’ll let you use a narrow aperture, and a low ISO and get a good exposure – all at the same time. With a sturdy tripod, dropping the shutter speed to 1/60s, 1/30s, or even 1s shouldn’t be an issue, though you’ll need to be careful if you head out on windy days.

In particular, you’ll need to pay attention to leaf movement – if your shutter speed is too slow and the wind is blowing hard enough, you’ll end up with motion blur. And while a little motion blur isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it’ll reduce the overall appearance of sharpness, so just be careful and only drop your shutter speed as needed.

7. Look for patterns and textures

Fall color photos tend to start with, well, color. It’s what generally draws you to the scene in the first place, after all.

However, the best fall landscape shots merely use color as a jumping-off point.

In other words, they include color, but the color doesn’t carry the image. Instead, the composition relies on color plus patterns and textures to hold the viewer’s interest.

Many fall scenes do have plenty of interesting patterns and textures to work with, so moving beyond color isn’t especially difficult. Simply find some reds, yellows, and oranges that you like – then think about other compositional elements you can incorporate into the shot.

For the photo below, I used a combination of yellow color, forest floor texture, and tree repetition to create an eye-catching result:

8. Bring out that macro lens

Photographing larger fall landscapes is great, but if you want to make your shots more unique, consider bringing a macro lens in your camera bag. Then, once you’re done shooting with your telephoto and wide-angle lenses, you can whip out that macro glass, mount it on your camera, and spend some time hunting for those beautiful autumn details.

(If you don’t own a macro lens and you don’t want to buy one, that’s okay! Just bring along a close-focusing lens in the 50-105mm range, like a 50mm f/1.8.)

Forests and fields offer plenty of stunning macro subjects. You can shoot:

• Lone flowers against a fall foliage backdrop
• Leaves on the ends of branches
• Fallen leaves on front lawns
• Spider webs covered in dew
• So much more!

Honestly, macro photography can get very addicting, very fast. And fall is an amazing time to dive into the genre!

9. Experiment with intentional camera movement

Intentional camera movement (ICM) involves deliberately moving your camera during a long exposure to create abstract effects like this:

And thanks to the beautiful colors, fall is a great time to try it out.

First, find some nice colors and trees. If possible, ensure there’s contrast between the tree trunks and the autumn leaves (note the white trees and orange leaves in the photo above).

Then switch your camera over to Manual or Shutter Priority mode. Make sure your shutter speed is around 1/30s or longer.

Finally, focus on the leaves, then move your camera as you release the shutter!

Note that intentional camera movement is very hit-and-miss, so don’t be discouraged if your first shots don’t turn out as great as you hoped. Definitely experiment with moving your camera in different directions (I recommend vertical movement, but you can try horizontal or even diagonal). Also, experiment with different shutter speeds and the pace of moving your camera until you find the right amount of blur.

10. Look for elements that contrast with the fall color

Fall colors are usually bright and have textures and patterns. To really take your photos to the next level, find nice colors – but be sure to contrast them with darker elements. That way, you can create dramatic tension.

Look at the image displayed below. It features some nice, bright, well-lit trees, but they’re juxtaposed with a dark, shadowy rock face:

And it’s that contrast, that drama, that elevates the shot.

Of course, dark rocks aren’t the only contrasting element you can use in your photos. You can include sun/shade contrast (where your subject is lit by the sun but the background is in shade), you can contrast fall colors with dark water, or you can contrast bright fall colors with darker, browning fall colors (the opportunities are endless!).

11. Don’t forget to look up

The interior of a forest can be an amazing place to shoot the fall colors, but it’s often difficult to find a pleasing composition. Sometimes, you just can’t isolate individual elements and you can’t find interesting patterns. You might be ready to throw in the towel, but I’d recommend you try something else:

Look up and explore the canopy.

This works best on sunny days; images that contrast fall colors with a deep blue sky can be really pleasing.

You generally want to keep the trees sharp from foreground to background, so don’t forget to use smaller apertures like f/22. Also, if you shoot through the forest toward the sun, a narrow aperture will create a stunning starburst effect.

12. Carefully process each photo

When you’re out shooting autumn landscapes, you should always do your best to nail the shot in-camera.

But you should also make sure that you carefully review your images when you get back home – and then post-process your best files.

Why? For one, RAW files are designed to be edited. Unprocessed RAW files tend to look pretty flat and bland, whereas processed files can look far more colorful and contrasty (closer to how you saw the scene at the time).

For instance, most RAW files look better with a bit of boosted contrast and extra saturation. I’d also encourage you to remove chromatic aberration, do a bit of sharpening, and make sure the exposure and white balance both look good.

Once you’ve handled the basics, you can stop, or you can use processing to take your photos to the next level. A subtly applied vignette, for instance, will focus the viewer on the main subject. Color grading can create atmosphere and mood. Dodging and burning can add three-dimensionality.

At the end of the day, you have to decide how much editing you’re willing to do. But many landscape photographers apply some serious processing to each and every image they share (and the results are often breathtaking).

Fall landscape photography tips: final words

Hopefully, these tips will help you make the most of your time photographing the amazing colors of the fall season.

And if you found these autumn landscape photography tips helpful, print out the article and take it with you into the field; that way, you can slow down, think through your compositions, and return home with some compelling photographs.

Now over to you:

Do you have any fall landscape photography tips to share? Which of these tips was your favorite? Share your thoughts – and photos! – in the comments below.

Note: This article was updated in September 2023 by Jaymes Dempsey.

Table of contents

Landscape Photography

• GENERAL
  • The dPS Ultimate Guide to Landscape Photography
  • 10 Most Common Mistakes in Landscape Photography – and How to Overcome Them
  • Responsibilities of Landscape Photographers
• PREPARATION
  • How to Find and Photograph Wild Landscapes for Epic Images
  • The Three Dangers of Landscape Photography
  • How to Plan the Perfect Landscape Photo
  • How to Find the Best Locations for Landscape Photography
  • The Importance of Scouting for Landscape Photographers
  • Why Goal Planning Is the Key to Growing as a Landscape Photographer
  • What is Your Favorite Landscape Location?
  • 8 Tips to Avoid Crowds at Popular Landscape Locations
• SETTINGS
  • 5 Tips for Setting the Focus in Your Landscape Photography
  • Understanding Aperture and Landscape Photography – Why F16 Isn’t the Only Choice
  • Guide to Creative White Balance for Landscape Photography
  • How a Short Versus Long Exposure Will Affect Your Landscape Images
  • How to Get Super Sharp Landscape Photography Images
  • Getting Landscapes Sharp: Hyperfocal Distances and Aperture Selection
  • The Best ISO for Landscape Photography (in Every Situation)
  • 5 Reasons To Should Shoot Your Landscape Images in RAW
  • How to Work with Different Shutter Speeds for Landscape Photography
• LIGHTING
  • Tips for Using Flash to Enhance Outdoor Nature and Landscape Photography
  • Landscape Photography: It’s All About the Light
  • How to Improve Your Landscape Photography By Understanding Portrait Lighting
  • Painting with Light in the Landscape
• COMPOSITION
  • Aspect Ratios in Landscape Photography
  • 6 Tips for Capturing Dramatic Skies in your Landscape Photography
  • How to Use Leading Lines Effectively in Landscape Photography
  • 10 Landscape Composition Techniques for Breathtaking Photos (2021)
  • 3 Reasons to Shoot Vertical Aspect Landscapes and 6 Tips on How to Shoot Them
  • How to Use Juxtaposition for More Compelling Landscape Photography
  • Using Layers and Foreground Interest for Better Landscape Photography
  • Include The Foreground For Dramatic Landscapes
  • How to Photograph a Minimalist Landscape
  • 5 Framing Tricks to Help You Capture Better Landscape Photos
  • How to Use Balance in Your Landscape Photography Composition
  • 5 Good Reasons to Add People into Your Landscape Photography
  • Include Clouds In Your Landscapes
  • Landscape Photography and the Human Element
  • How to Add a Sense of Scale to Your Landscape Photos
  • How to Solve 5 Composition Conundrums Faced by Landscape Photographers
  • The S-Curve: A Landscape Photography Composition Technique
  • Using Water to Lighten Landscape Photos
• GEAR
  • 5 Quick Reasons to Use the Nifty Fifty for Landscape Photography
  • Using Graduated Neutral Density Filters for Landscape Photography
  • How to Use Neutral Density Filters to Make Better Landscape Photos
  • How to Use Wide-angle Lenses for Landscape Photography
  • Tips for Shooting Landscapes With a Telephoto Lens
  • Six Tips For Using Filters to Improve Your Landscape Photos
  • 5 Tips for Using a Tripod in Landscape Photography
  • Six Situations Where Tripods are Essential for Landscape Photographers
  • Wide Angle Versus Telephoto Lenses for Beautiful Landscape Photography
  • 10 Essential Pieces of Landscape Photography Gear
  • Why you Need a Telephoto Zoom Lens for Landscape Photography
  • Circular Polarizers Versus Graduated Neutral Density Filters for Landscape Photography
  • Comparison – HDR Versus Graduated Neutral Density Filters for Landscape Photography
  • Polarizing and Neutral Density Filters: Essentials for Landscape Photography
  • Why I Always Use an L-Plate Bracket for Landscape Photography
  • Why I Switched From LEE Filters to Formatt-Hitech for Landscape Photography
  • Review of the Venus Laowa 15mm F/4 Wide Angle Lens for Landscape Photographers
  • Which Landscape Photography Camera Should You Buy? [video]
  • Essential Accessories for Landscape Photography
  • How to Choose the Right Tripod for Landscape Photography
• ADVANCED GUIDES
  • 10 Tips for Photographing Wide-Angle Landscapes
  • 8 Tips for Fall Landscape Photography

    • 1. Check the fall foliage forecast
    • 2. Head out when the weather is bad
    • 3. Use a telephoto lens
    • 4. Use a wide aperture to isolate the subject
    • 5. Mix foreground and background elements
    • 6. Use a tripod (and watch your shutter speed)
    • 7. Look for patterns and textures
    • 8. Bring out that macro lens
    • 9. Experiment with intentional camera movement
    • 10. Look for elements that contrast with the fall color
    • 11. Don’t forget to look up
    • 12. Carefully process each photo
    • Fall landscape photography tips: final words
    • 1. Check the fall foliage forecast
    • 2. Head out when the weather is bad
    • 3. Use a telephoto lens
    • 4. Use a wide aperture to isolate the subject
    • 5. Mix foreground and background elements
    • 6. Use a tripod (and watch your shutter speed)
    • 7. Look for patterns and textures
    • 8. Bring out that macro lens
    • 9. Experiment with intentional camera movement
    • 10. Look for elements that contrast with the fall color
    • 11. Don’t forget to look up
    • 12. Carefully process each photo
    • Fall landscape photography tips: final words
  • 5 Tips for Better Winter Landscape Photography
  • 5 Ways to Create Dramatic Landscape Photos at Midday
  • How to Shoot Landscapes at Sunset
  • Tips for Shooting Landscape Photography Towards the Sun
  • 8 Steps to Great Long Exposure Landscape Photography
  • 15 Tips for Low Light Landscape Photography
  • The Night Sky In Landscape Photography
  • How to Make Storytelling Landscape Photos – 4 Steps
  • A Day At The Beach: Photographing Seaside Landscapes
  • Tips for Winter Landscape Photography on the Prairie
  • Landscape Photography – Shooting the Same Location Through the Seasons
  • 3 Tips to Take Better Landscape Photos Regardless of the Weather
  • Time for Landscape – Weather and Landscape Photography
  • Tips for Landscape Photography in Exotic Places
  • Putting You Into Your Landscape Photography
  • 5 Ways to Capture More Diverse Landscape Photos
  • 5 Tips to Discover Intimate vs. Grand Landscape & Nature Photography
  • Photographing Starry Skies for Nocturnal Landscape Without Breaking the Bank
• CREATIVE TECHNIQUES
  • How to Take Creative Landscape Shots Using Intentional Camera Movement
  • How to Convert a Camera to Infrared for Black and White Landscape Photography
  • Tips for Making Dramatic Black and White Landscape Photos
  • 6 Ideas for More Creative Landscape Photography
  • How to Create Glass Ball Landscapes – 6 Techniques
  • How to Get Landscapes Sharp with Focus Stacking
  • How to do Landscape Panoramic Photography
• POST-PROCESSING
  • 5 Easy Steps to Exposure Blending for High Contrast Landscapes
  • A Super Simple Way to Make Landscape Photos POP Using Lightroom
  • Making the Best Use of HDR in Landscape Photography
  • Landscape Editing Techniques for Fine Art Photography Using Lightroom
  • How to Use Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop to Make Your Landscape Images Pop
  • Editing Gently: 3 Tips for Processing Realistic Landscape Photos
  • The Power of Post-processing for Landscape Photography
  • How to Use Neutral Tones to Craft Realistic Edits for Landscape Photos
  • Top 5 Nik Collection Filters to Improve Your Landscape Photos
  • How to Edit Landscape and Nature Photos with the Lightroom Gradient Tool and Range Mask Features
  • Lightroom Quick Post-Processing Tips for Landscape Photography
  • Tips for Processing Winter Landscapes in Lightroom
  • How to Use the Lightroom HSL Panel for Landscape Photo Editing
  • How to Process a Black and White Landscape Photo Using Lightroom
  • How to Give Your Landscape Photos Extra Punch in One Easy Step
  • Tips For Editing the Colors in Landscape Photos Using Lightroom (video)
  • Tips for Processing Landscape Photos – from Basic Edits to Artistic Interpretation
  • 5 Tips For Mastering Contrast In Your Landscape Photos (video)
  • Using the Lightroom Adjustment Brush to add Dimension to a Landscape Photo
  • OPINION: Why Photoshop is Ruining Landscape Photography
• INSPIRATION
  • An Interview With Landscape Photography Legend Art Wolfe – Part 1
  • 27 Black and White Landscape Images
  • A Collection of Stunning Landscape Photographs
  • 9 Striking Landscapes That Break the ‘Rules’
  • These Inspiring Landscape Photographers will Make You Want to Take Better Photos

The post 12 Tips for Beautiful Fall Landscape Photography appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Dusty Doddridge.

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