7 Autumn Photography Tips for Capturing the Season

With autumn closing in on the UK, many people are excited for the cosy evenings, crisp weather and falling of the leaves. The vibrant autumn colours come and go so quickly, and keen photographers will be rushing out to capture this breathtaking time of year, which is why we’ve partnered with Antony Willets, Photography Expert at Max Spielmann, who has shared his go-to advice for anyone hoping to capture the best autumn photography before winter arrives.

Our parks in England and South East, South West and Central Scotland are perfectly situated amongst woodlands and autumnal landscapes, ideal for witnessing the stunning auburn colours that adorn the trees at this time of year.

1. Get the lighting just right

“Capturing autumnal colours is all about getting the lighting right, if you really want to emphasise the yellows, oranges, and reds that the season is known for. Just before sunset or just before sunrise, otherwise known as golden hour, is the perfect time to highlight autumnal colours. The golden rays from the sun illuminate the subjects of your photos, blending the autumnal colours with the sunlight and creating some breathtaking images that capture the autumn feel.”

2. Don't overcrowd your photos

“A common mistake that people make is trying to fit too much into their photos, making them feel ‘busy’ and leaving those seeing the pictures unsure what they’re meant to be looking at. You need to be clear on what it is you’re trying to capture, pinpointing either a subject point or a focal point of the shot and planning around it. If there’s a lot you want to capture, then take more photos instead of trying to fit it all into one!”

3. Concentrate on composition

“The most important thing when it comes to shot composition is positioning, and for this you need to know about the rule of thirds. This is where grids come into play, and they help to establish where these thirds are in your frame. Your subjects should be positioned at one or two points where the lines on the grids intersect, leaving the other squares on the grid as empty as possible to make the subject the focus of the shot.

“If positioning your subject centrally, try to make it hit all four corners of the central box but not extend too far past them - you want it to have a strong presence but not feel squashed within the frame. Otherwise, you’ll want your subject to be aligned with one of the vertical lines for perfect framing.”

4. How to photograph different elements of nature

Trees: “One of the most important things to consider when photographing trees is the angle and distance at which you shoot. Getting close and shooting from below can make for some incredibly imposing photographs. If you want to capture the tree as a whole and are standing far away to fit it all into frame, then consider the background of the photo as well. If the tree is the focus, find a position where the background is as empty as possible to limit the number of distractions that could take that focus away.”

Flowers: “When it comes to photographing flowers, it’s all about making them stand out. This could be by making them the sole focus of the shot, getting interesting with your angles and having the flower head against a backdrop of the sky or a tree trunk, or by shooting from above if the flower is pointing upwards or it’s a flowering shrub. Alternatively, you can go for an extreme close-up, aligning the centre of the flower with the centre of the frame to get a stunning photo of the detail in nature.”

Water: “The lighting can make all the difference here, changing not just the colour of the background but the water itself. Where the water is in your frame is also vital. You could position it so the water takes up the entire lower half of your frame to make it look like it goes on forever, or have it meet the sky for a beautiful horizon shot. Another tip is to focus on the reflections in the water if it’s relatively still, which can result in shots that look like you’re capturing some kind of mirror world.”

5. Shooting on iPhone

“The first thing I’d recommend if shooting on an iPhone is go into the camera settings and turn on the grid function. This overlays a grid onto your screen whenever you use the camera app, allowing you to properly frame your shots and use the boxes as a guide. While in your settings, you should also turn off the Auto HDR function, as it changes lighting in a way that many find detracts from the images being taken (though you can still manually turn on HDR while shooting if you wish).

“If you’re using a Pro model iPhone that’s at least a 12, I’d also say it’s worth turning on RAW shooting in the camera app itself. RAW photos are a much higher quality and are the ideal format to shoot in if you’re wanting to edit the photos after the fact, with the trade-off being that the photos have much larger file sizes.”

6. Shooting on camera

“With cameras, it’s hard to say which settings should and shouldn’t be messed about with, as it can change on a case-to-case basis, so my best advice would be to explore the settings and see what works best for you. Most cameras will have an auto setting that will sort everything for you, from exposure and ISO, to white balance and shutter speed. If you have an auto-focus lens, you won’t have to worry about that either, so you can simply point your camera and take the pictures.

“If you'd prefer to shoot in manual mode then following this basic rule will normally steer you in the right direction: the faster your shutter speed, the more light you will need, while slower shutter speeds can work with less light. One thing to keep in mind for shutter speed is the slower it goes, the more potential there is for blur on the image, which is when a tripod would be advantageous to your shots. Think about the time of day you’re shooting and what natural light you have available to help you make the best judgement on this.”

7. Have fun and experiment

“There’s no exact science when it comes to photography so you can truly shoot and edit your photos however you like, be it making things true to life, playing around with colours, or even going full abstract. The best way to learn the settings and how your camera operates is to use it, so don’t worry about every shot being perfect. Spend time playing about with things and enjoying yourself, and that fun and experience will translate over into your photos.”

Autumn is one of the best times to experiment with your photography skills, with so much beautiful nature changing around us. If you’re looking for another challenge with your camera, check out our guide to capturing the sunrise or sunset at this exciting time of year.