Q. Why do trees change color in the autumn?
As the days get shorter, trees slow their production of chlorophyll. When this happens, the dominant green color that we usually see in leaves breaks down and other colors that were actually there all along- such as red, gold, and yellow - are revealed.
This process takes only a few short weeks each year. But while it’s going on, it offers an abundance of “photo ops” for professional photographers, amateurs, and hobbyists alike.
Q. Whenever I take fall foliage pictures, they never seem to look the way they did in "real life." How can I make them better?
The best images - regardless of their subject matter -- are superior both artistically and technically.
Artistic Considerations:
Here's where concepts like composition and creativity come into play. These are pretty broad terms, so here are some factors to keep in mind:
- color (bright, muted, complementary; saturation)
- contrast
- scale
- texture (hard, soft, rough, smooth)
- angle
- perspective
- lighting
- simplicity v. complexity
- detail (or lack thereof)
- distance from your subject
- minimizing visual clutter/background
- "through the lens" cropping
- motion (of your subject,of the camera)
- exposure time
- communication (what mood, message do you want to show/tell your viewer?);
and one consideration you'll likely not read elsewhere:
- honoring your subject.
