Top Tips for Autumn Photography

Photography by me, Kat Hannon

Somehow, we have made it to Autumn. It seems like Summer has only just begun, and yet, here we are, packing away our sun hats and denim shorts for another year. Despite the lack of sunny days and trips to the beach, Autumn is actually one of my favourite seasons.

At this time of year, there is always so much to look forward to, from Halloween with my two little girls, to Bonfire Night with sparklers & sticky toffee apples and from Christmas Day to New Year’s Eve! There is just non-stop excitement between September and December, and I am personally all for it.

Although we all love the Summertime here in the UK, for many photographers, Summer is one of the more boring seasons; this is because the sunny days make our images a little too overexposed and lack variety of colour. However, there are a few perks to Summer photography…

Of course, every season can be made beautiful when viewed through the lens of a camera, but Autumn is definitely on another level.

Any season that sees a lot of change in terms of nature is always more interesting when creating an aesthetic image. In Autumn, we see the leaves turn from green to red and the misty mornings set in to create an atmospheric horizon; this is, by far, the best time of the year to whip out your camera

Think About Your Subject

So, every photographer has a preference on what they like to photograph; whether it’s landscapes, portraits, architecture, fashion, headshots, editorials or products. For me, it would probably be products & portraits which is why I mostly work in commercial photography.

 However, it’s always a good idea to step out of your comfort zone no matter what industry you are working in; regarding photography, Autumn is the perfect time to try out some new subjects for your work. If you have been glued to fashion editorial shoots or portraiture, why not experiment with some serene landscape shots or close ups of nature?

All artwork relating to Autumn often depicts period-dramaesque landscapes and stormy skies, so try something new and head to the beach or the forest to capture the contrasting colours of the season. If you don’t fancy connecting with nature, you could always try your hand at street photography in a more urban area; Autumn in a big city is always a site to behold

Let Nature Do Your Editing

Every photographer, amateur or professional, likes to do a little editing now and again. Whether it’s a filter on your phone or a light touch up in Photoshop, we are all guilty of going overboard to get rid of those pesky spots or adjust the lighting and contrast.

Having said that, it is possible to over-edit an image. With a season with as many colours as Autumn, you may want to ease off the blemish tool and make the natural scenery or backdrop work for you. If you a photographing a seascape, for instance, head to the beach at a time when the light is soft (either very early morning or evening) and set up the perfect shot with your tripod.

This also applies to outdoor portrait photography; if your model is standing among a forest of pine trees, let the daylight blur out their blemishes for a more authentic look. Enhancing your images with a filter or style can often take away from the natural beauty that is sitting right in front of you. If you over process your images, they can end up looking rather artificial and fake, and why would you want that when you are trying to capture something real? In Autumn, the best thing you can do is let nature do your editing for you.

Macro Photography

So, if you’re new to photography, you might not know what macro photography is, but the clue is in the name. Basically, macro photography uses a lens that makes tiny things look bigger and better. For example, if you wanted to photograph a little ladybird on a leaf, you would use the macro lens to zoom in and focus on every minuscule detail.

Given that there are so many changes in nature during Autumn, it gives you the perfect opportunity to capture a flower in bloom or a snail in the rain.

All the small things that we tend to miss in our everyday lives can be brought into our world with the switching of a lens and the click of a button.

Although we did say no editing, you are allowed to do a little touch up of these images to make them look a tad sharper, bringing them to life. Invite the micro creatures into our macro world and see what happens

Don’t Hate On The Rain

Don’t hate on the rain…trust me on this.

 If you live in the UK, you will know that we get A LOT of rain, but we aren’t always that happy about it. Most of us dream of endless sunshine and warmer weather, but the rain isn’t so bad, especially for the budding photographer.

The sun can be great for getting the right light in your photographs, sure, but it isn’t particularly interesting to look at. Rain can be light, heavy, swirly, loud and a myriad of other things; It can create droplets on flower petals and grey storm clouds in the sky.

 This means that there are a thousand ways you can incorporate it into your photography. Reflections are something that photographers also love to use. With an abundance of puddles, wet surfaces and raindrops, you can easily depict a blurred out face in a window or a street sign on the pavement.

The Autumn weather can convey so many different moods, leaving your images looking varied, vivid and dramatic.

This should go without saying, but make sure you get you wear weather appropriate clothing when you go out on a shoot; if you are comfortable and warm in your woolly bobble hat and waterproof jacket, you can enjoy the beautiful changes in the scenery and use the weather to your advantage.

If you are looking for a photographer to creatively direct a project or shoot you are planning, please feel free to get in touch with me at contact@kathannon.com or fill out the contact form on my website.