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FALL COLORS
In past columns, I've written about capturing the abundance of fall colors on film. Today, I'd like to give you more tips on fall photography as the air chills, the leaves begin to change and colors creep gently southward.
Here's a fall color checklist:
Best film to use: I prefer slide film. If you've never used it before, now's the time to start. Slides have a greater contrast range than color negative films and will produce more vivid, saturated colors. For black and white lovers, fall colors provide an excellent opportunity to obtain full tonal range prints. No matter what your choice of films, use ones with low ASA numbers. You'll get finer grain and your enlargements will be sharp and crisp.
Best days to shoot: Contrary to what you may think, cloudy days are best. Contrast and glare are reduced and colors will appear more vibrant. And don't pass up rainy or foggy days. Moistened autumn leaves after a rain or foggy morning provide good possibilities for your camera. Dark clouds formed by a receding storm also are an excellent backdrop for a stand of brilliant trees. If nature doesn't cooperate, use a spray bottle of water to dampen a grouping of leaves.
Use good composition: Place your main subject off center for a more dynamic appearance in your shot. "Frame" your pictures with overhanging branches and place foreground subjects in the viewfinder. Use roads, fences and streams to your advantage as "lead-in" lines.
Use a small aperture: The smaller the aperture, the greater the depth-of-field meaning everything will appear sharp and in focus in your finished print. For those of you with "program" cameras, use an aperture priority mode with the smallest aperture on your lens. For manual camera users, simply select an aperture/shutter speed combination to maximize depth-of-field.
Which lens to use: Remember that wide angle lenses will give a greater expanse to your shot while a telephoto will "move you in close" to isolate a particular tree or capture a splash of color in a cluster of fallen leaves. A macro lens or close-up filter will enable you to highlight the texture and details of an individual leaf.
Look for other opportunities: Cider mills, football games, Halloween festivities and patches of pumpkins all offer other exciting fall picture possibilities. Keep your eyes open for these and more.
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