Five Essentials for Fall Foliage Photography

Ashuelot River Contrasting Color

Hancock New Hampshire

The early color of autumn is beginning to show and I’m getting excited about my Third Annual Fall Foliage weekend workshop.  As always, it will be over the weekend after the Columbus Day weekend, October 12^th-14^th.  It is impossible to predict the extent and location of the best color, but I already know that the workshop will include a great group of photographers.  We have just a couple of slots still open, but the list is already full of friends from my previous classes and workshops.  Suckers for punishment.  With the season fast arriving, I thought it would be a good time to review a few of the photographic essentials which are especially important when capturing fall foliage.  Here are five things to consider as you get out to enjoy this special time of year.

1) Polarizer

With the possible exception of a camera, a polarizing filter is the essential piece of equipment for fall foliage photography. A polarizer is designed to cut through reflections. Direct sunlight reflecting off most surfaces becomes polarized to a specific angle which can be filtered by rotating the polarizer to block that angle. The degree to which a polarizer can filter out the glare is related to the direction of the light, being most effective when it is at 90 degrees to the subject. On the other hand, when the light is coming from behind or directly in front of the camera, the effect is essentially nonexistent. The filter is great for 

Sometimes you need reflection
No polarizer  

darkening skies, seeing beyond reflection into the depths of lakes and streams, but for fall foliage, its most significant effect is to improve the color saturation of the leaves. It is often noted that the ability of a polarizer to block reflection is one of the few filter effects that cannot be duplicated by digital editing and it is for that reason that it is considered THE essential filter and it is why my polarizer stays on the camera for most of the autumn.

The best approach is to get a polarizing filter and start experimenting and don’t skimp on quality.  A high end, multi-coated glass filter is best.  You will be using it a lot.  

There are just a few additional points about the use of this most essential accessory.

• First, there are two kinds of polarizers, linear and circular. Without descending into a swamp of unnecessary detail, you should know that linear filters can adversely affect your camera's auto-focus or metering. Only use circular filters.
• Given the optimal orientation to the sun, polarizers can dramatically darken a blue sky, and this is often the most 

  

  Polarizer sky gradient

  obvious effect as seen through the viewfinder. Because the polarization effect varies with the angle of the sun, the darkening of the sky can vary dramatically across the sky, especially when wider angle views are used. It can produce an interesting, but unnatural gradient of brightness. One solution is to avoid the use of a polarizer when wide angle views are captured. Another is to stack two images, one with polarization and the other without, and then blend the images to avoid the brightness gradient in the sky. I will often reduce the polarization in these situations, but there are post-processing techniques which can smooth out the brightness gradient. A polarizer should not be used when shooting multi-image panoramas, since the effect will vary from image to image, making smooth blending very difficult.
• By its nature Polarizers require frequent rotation and it is possible to inadvertently unscrew the filter, occasionally leading to a disastrous drop to the ground. Trust me, I know from painful experience. To avoid accidents, I try to rotate the filter only in the clockwise direction, keeping the filter tightly attached.
• Finally, it is important to remember that polarizers reduce exposure by 1 - 2 stops. In low light situation the filter's effect may not be worth the loss of light.

2) Avoid Color Mush/ Zoom in

Nice color, but mush

I must confess that I generally hate pictures of broad hillsides dominated by a chaotic blend of fall colors. No matter how richly saturated, I get a bit dizzy as my eyes have no idea where to go. With fall foliage, the smaller you go, the easier it is to create an image that draws the eye to a strong center of interest. The guidelines of good composition apply equally for small subjects as they do for grand landscapes.

Drawing the eye

 As I drive the autumn backroads, I am always scanning for these small tableaus, or features that draw the eye, usually with a strong single color and contrasting elements. Often a couple of brightly colored leaves can be more dramatic than a whole hillside of reds and golds.  On my way to Harrisville a couple of years ago I saw this simple combination of bright red and gold leaves splashing behind a white birch trunk. All I needed was a simple two image focus stack to get both elements in sharp focus.

A splash of color, Reading Vermont

3) Manage Bright Sunlight

 

Shade and Back-lighting

Despite what visiting city-folk think, we photographers know that bright mid-day sunlight is the worse time to shoot fall foliage. The reflections off the leaves dulls the colors and the high contrast hides much of the foliage in impenetrable shadow.  As I discussed, a polarizer can help, but you can also look for areas of shade to soften the light.  For me, the best approach to bright days is to take advantage of back-lighting or trans-illumination. Capturing light coming through the foliage is like flipping an electric switch.  Even modest early color can appear brilliant.  Looking into the sun, you may also catch a star-burst of light.

Back-lighting on a sunny day

Overcast Light

Cloudy skies, mist and even rain are great times to get out and capture the foliage. The diffuse, soft light eliminates reflections and allows the color to shine through.  Sadly, wind and rain also tend to knock the leaves to the ground, but while it lasts, foul weather is great weather to capture the full beauty of the season.

Overcast Light

A couple of years ago, I was cruising central Vermont for foliage. The weather began bright, but, as is often true, the clouds gathered as the day progressed. As I explore the road through Pomfret I found this old barn engulfed in foliage that was enriched by the soft light. Even in the overcast my polarizer helped to bring out more of the deep colors.

5) Autumn is about more than color

Keene's Farmer's Market

New England Autumn is about much more than the crazy brilliance of our trees. Visitors and natives alike miss most of the best features of the New England autumn by focusing only on the foliage. The season is also defined by the activities that are unique to our harvest time, the sounds and smells as well as the sites of this dramatic, fleeting time of climatic transition. Most of all, the fall is a time to enjoy the people of New England. We are often a quiet, guarded lot, but something about the nip in the air, and the impending winter, can bring out personal interactions that are, almost, cordial.  Take a hike, visit a farm stand, or immerse yourself in the excitement of a harvest festival or craft show.  All these provide great photographic opportunities without a leaf in view.

Hiking the Monadnock-Wantastiquet Trail

I predict that it is going to be a spectacularly beautiful fall foliage season.  It often seems that the brighter the color, the shorter the season lasts, so don’t miss a day.  I hope these tips will help and get in touch soon if you are interested in joining us for the foliage workshop.

Abby and Samantha - A "Few" years ago

Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
www.partridgebrookreflections.com
Jeffn49@myfairpoint.net
603-363-8338

10 of my Favorite Secrets of Photography (Here is the first 5)

 

After publishing over 350 blog articles about all aspects of digital photography, it can be a struggle to come up with fresh topics that I haven’t covered in with nauseating detail in the past.  It has been a lot of words, but as I review many of the articles it becomes apparent that most can be distilled down to one or two key “take away” points.  

Over the last few weeks I have been out shooting in some different and exciting places.  I look forward to sharing many of the resulting images, but, as I continue to experience new surroundings, I thought it would be a good opportunity to reprise a few of my favorite “take always”.  As I began assembling these quick little secrets of photography and link to related articles, the list seemed to grow beyond control.  To get started, here then are just few of my quick take-always, Not necessarily the best, in no particular order and, for those few who read my blog, nothing new, but still worthy of emphasis.

1)   Have something interesting and clear in the foreground on foggy days.

I love the sense of mystery that fog and mist create in an image.  Fog can also enhance a feeling of depth, especially when nearby elements are seen clearly against a soft distant background.  When I approach a foggy scene, my first thought is to find something interesting in the foreground.

 

·       In the Fog

2)   Avoid Infrared pictures of people.

About six years ago I converted my old Canon 20D to shoot infrared.  It opened a whole new way of seeing.  The greens of foliage were transformed to a snowy white and the sky became an Inky black.  It has been great fun exploring the world in an entirely different spectrum of light, but I learned one painful lesson.  Unless your goal is to create zombie portraits, you should avoid using infrared for pictures of people.  Infrared makes skin appear ghostly pale and devoid of life.  Even worse are the eyes which are rendered in a fathomless black.  Leave your infrared camera at home on your wedding shoots.

Demon Gary

 

·       Infrared, Seeing Photography in a Different Light

3)   A picture does not exist until it is in at least three places, at least one off-site.

If disaster can happen, it will! When it comes to your precious images there is nothing more certain.  Computers crash, hard drives fail, and, some day, the cloud may simply blow away.  Any mode of back-up is vulnerable, all will fail, but hopefully not all at once.  I shoot with images saved to two different cards within the camera.  Before I reuse the cards, I make sure

Mom at 7

everything is thoroughly backed up.  At the time of upload, I save the pictures to two separate hard drives, and then archive my favorite processed images to the cloud.  Finally, to protect from fire and flood, I keep a separate archive on a drive in my friends closet.   For my most precious image, those of my family, I get physical prints and hide them from the light in shoe box, just like I did when I was shooting film.

That. Is just my approach.  You can have your own plan.  The important thing is to have a plan!

·       Dead Tree Photo Archiving

4)   Photograph Christmas Lights in the Blue Hour.

Pretty Lights, Black Sky

Pictures of nighttime artificial illumination can be magical at any time of year, but never more warm and exciting as during the holiday season.  I love shooting Christmas lighting and early on I learned one cardinal rule, shoot during the blue hour.  The “Blue Hour”, is that time just before sunrise or after sunset when the sky retains a lovely blue glow, but does not obscure the illumination. Lighting photographed in the full darkness tends to appear as if floating in space without sense ofcontext provided by the underlying scaffolding of the  surrounding, un-illuminated structures. 

Blue Hour, Fresh Snow - Perfect!

 

Because it stands adjacent to the glorious “Golden Hours” of sunrise and sunset, the blue hour is generally unappreciated as a time for photography, but it has its own special magic and never more than when the Christmas lights decorate the night.

·       Getting the Most from Christmas Lights

5)   Get the richest fall foliage colors on overcast days and with a polarizers.

Many people think that the best time to capture the glory of autumn colors is on bright sunny days, but as every photographer knows bright sunlight is the worst time to see into the depth and richness of fall color. Intense sunlight reflects off the glossy foliage and blocks the rich colors underneath.  My favorite time to shoot autumn color is on overcast days when the light is soft and comes from all directions.  It is like a giant soft box.  The light may have a slight blue tint, but that is easy to correct in post.  When I can’t avoid the brilliant light, I look for shade or use a polarizing filter to mute the directional illumination.

·       Enriching Foliage Photography

·       Fall Foliage Photography – The One Essential

Stay tuned for 6-10.

 Jeff Newcomer

partridgebrookreflections.com

603-363-8338

Getting to Know Your New Camera

Indian Pond : Canon 5D Mark IV : Nice Dynamic Range

Sure is Pretty

I have been shooting with my trusty Canon 5D Mark 2 for about 7 years.  Seven years is an eternity for digital technology, but Canon has not been quick with innovation in there 5D series.  I decided not to upgrade when the Mark 3 came out.  I just didn’t feel that the improvements were worth the increased in price.  It was missing many of the features that I was looking for as part of a truly innovative step forward.  I thought that advanced features, such as GPS, WiFi, intervalometer, increased image bracketing, a touch screen with an articulated LCD screen, 7 fps, and 4k video would come quickly, but Canon had stuck with the Mark 3 for years.  Now that the Mark 4 is finally out, with almost all these features and more, I had to breathlessly take the leap.  

Upward : Mark IV

From my early experience with this camera, I am very pleased.  Compared to my Mark 2, the image quality is in another world and the features meet most of what has been on my wish list.  The one disappointment is that the articulated LCD is missing.  Given the ubiquitousness of this feature, it seems an unnecessary omission, but I’m not here to quibble.  I’ll just glory in all the new stuff I get to work with.

Sunset Shore, Spofford NH
Canon 5D Mark IV

It has been awhile since I acquired a new high end camera, and I thought it would be a good time to discuss a few key elements and functions with which to becoming familiar in any a new camera.  Fortunately for me, when compared to my 5D Mark 2, the Mark 4 has a familiar layout of controls.  I don’t have to retrain my muscle memory for many of the essential buttons and dials, but there are still some basic steps required to become familiar with these remarkably capable tools.

The Basics

As soon as you open the box, before the new camera smell fades, and before you take a single shot, there are a few basic steps to get your camera ready to go.

Batteries
Charge the battery and get a second battery to keep charged and ready in your bag at all times.  You should never risk running out of juice in the middle of an important shoot.  There are few electrical outlets in the forest.

Memory
Confirm that you have the right memory card and have extras.  With bigger sensors, image files are getting massive.  Make sure that your cards have sufficient capacity and that they are fast enough to keep up with the pace of your shooting.  Especially with 4k video, only the fastest read speeds will serve.

Filters
Before I take my new camera out into the nasty, dusty, environment, I always take measures to protect my lens.  Sure, new cameras always come with a lens cap, but it has been my experience that you can’t capture many pictures with the cap on.  A simple clear, or UV filter, can provide an extra level of protection

Disaster Avoided

when you are shooting, and I will often order the filter when I order the camera.  Some photographers question the value of placing an additional piece of glass in front of your lovely expensive lens, but for me, this simple protection has avoided disaster on numerousoccasions.  It is shocking how expensive these simple filters can be, but I never skimp on my filters.  Don’t put a piece of cheap plastic in front of your beautiful multi-coated, multi-element glass.  

While we are discussing filters, you might as well add a polarizing filter to your order.  It is THE one essential filter especially for landscape photographers. 

LCD Protection
You can choose to get a piece of plastic or glass to protect the LCD from scratches and cracks.   Just make sure that your touch screen will work through the added layer, and that the screen is clean before you apply the protector.  I never took this precaution on my Mark2 and, after seven years, I do have a few scratches and even one small crack, but nothing that has affected the camera’s function.

·   Struggle with the Camera Strap:
Anything you can do to reduce the risk of dropping your precious baby is definitely worth the effort.  I like to replace the corporate strap with one that is more comfortable, functional and that doesn’t scream to the world that I am packing an expensive, mugger attracting, camera.

·  Camera Bag:

Bagophilia, a Common Affliction

Do I need to say that you should protect your gear in a camera bag that is comfortable to carry and provides easy access to your camera.  I belong to a bag support group which helps me deal with my pile of thirteen bags!  Again it is a good Idea to look for a camera bag that doesn’t LOOK like a camera bag.

·   Add Your Camera to your Insurance

Whether you have separate insurance for your photography business or add your camera equipment to a rider on your household policy, you should not waste any time getting your new camera listed, including the value and serial number.  Stuff happens!

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Ok.  I suppose you actually want to take pictures with your lovely magic maker.  There is a lot to consider as you become acquainted.  Here are just a few suggestions, but it all comes down to, practice, practice, practice. 

Practice, Practice, Practice

Make Lots of Mistakes, Learn from them
and
Read the Damn Manual

 
Most camera manuals have “QUICK START” section which should get you going in a couple of pages.  Don’t expect to get through the full manual in one sitting.  My manual for the Mark 4 is almost 700 pages long.  Most of it is a reference, not a novel and it will be solving my insomnia for months to come.

The first, and the most obvious, point to make is that practice is essential in becoming familiar with your camera’s controls.  Experiment with all of the settings and carefully review the results.  Don’t take a new, untried, camera on an important shoot.  You don’t want all the pictures from that critical family gathering to be hopelessly overexposed and out of focus. 

Foot Photography

I always suggest that you settle onto the couch, enjoy a glass of wine and try all the setting while shooting pictures of your foot.  Fortunately, with digital cameras, the results can be immediately reviewed and corrections made.  Learn how to figure out what went wrong by examining the details from each shot, not only by reviewing the LCD screen, but also by studying the image’s EXIF Data.  The EXIF data is embedded in each image and includes a mass of information, including the f-stop and shutter speed, ISO and file type.  Eventually, you may not want all the image data to show up on the screen after each shot, but while learning, it is essential to have that immediate and specific feedback.

Start by understanding the location and function of the essential controls.

Find the Essential Controls:
Discover what is familiar and what is different from your previous camera.  Even cameras from different manufacturers tend to follow similar schemes.   Find the labeled diagram with all the buttons and dials.  Only a few will be needed to get you started.  It all starts with the shutter.

 

• Shutter(duh)
• Shooting modes (Aperture & Shutter priority, manual),
• ISO 
• Exposure Adjustment
  
  
• Auto Focus
  
  
• Image Types

Once you have found the essential controls it is time to start playing.   Isolate the individual controls and experiment with them one at a time. Resist the urge to run out and shoot randomly.  I know the feeling, but you will get there faster with a systematic approach.

Exposure Control

Add caption

Shooting modes, Aperture and Shutter Priority, Manual, and ISO, all have their effect on exposure, but they also have secondary effects.  These include depth of field, motion capture, sharpness, and noise, that are important to understand during the early exploration of your camera’s features

Exposure,the Basics and More

Know the Secondary Effect

Aperture Priority: Depth of Field
 
 In aperture priority exposure is determined by the size of the opening.  That is simple enough, but you should explore the depth of field with various apertures.  DOF is dependent on the size of the aperture, but it is also affected by the size sensor.  For any f-stop, the DOF is much greater on the tiny sensor of an iPhone than from the ‘full” size sensor of many DSLRs.  

Shutter Priority:  Shake

Slow Shutter : Cotton Candy

Shutter speed directly controls the exposure, but it also affects your ability to capture motion.   The shutter speed’s impact on freezing or blurring motion is obvious, but as you first explore your new camera your question should be, “How fast does the shutter need to be to make it possible to hand-hold a shot”.  Most modern cameras or lenses have some form of shake reduction and a bit of experimentation is needed to determine how slow a shutter speed can be before some form of external stabilization is required.  Of course the “shake limit” is not strictly related to the camera.  It is also dependent on the focal length of the lens, and the amount of coffee you have consumed.  I’m not as stable as I used to be and I keep my monopod or tripod close at hand.

ISO: Noise

Modern cameras have remarkably sensitive sensors that can, with high ISO levels, shoot in low light situations, but, with increased ISO, noise inevitably becomes aproblem.  Again systematic experimentation is necessary to determine how high the ISO can be pushed before the noise becomes unacceptable to your eye.  Larger sensors tend to have less noise at high ISOs, but every camera is different.

ISO Noise Test

Automatic Exposure Schemes

Most camera have an array of choices for evaluating the amount of light reaching the sensor and adjusting the exposure in response.

Different exposure patterns can be selected, including center weighted, spot or various evaluative modes. It takes practice to understand how to select between them, and which works best in different lighting situations.  Evaluative might work well for generally even lighting, while a center weighted mode will be better to deal with the challenges of strong back-lighting.

Auto Focus:

9 point auto Focus : Canon 5D Mark II

Sharp focus is an essential part of capturing a great image, but it is not only about seeing clearly.  The location and depth of clear focus can direct the eye to the important parts of an image and de-emphasize the effect of distracting elements.   

63 focus points : canon 5D Mark IV

Manual focus is functionally simple, but often difficult to nail precisely, especially when viewed through a small, dark viewfinder.  Live view can help zero in on focus, but the ability of auto focus to find and lock on to precise focus is remarkable.  It is a matter of knowing how to give enough direction to the auto focus system so that it knows where you are looking.     

Learn how to activate and hold auto-focus over the desired part of the image.  Most cameras start with the “half press” shutter approach to achieving focus, but you might eventually consider the advantages of “back button focus”.  This typically requires a deep dive into the mysteries of your camera’s menus, but you will find that it can be worth the effort.

Image Types

Images can be recorded in a few different formats, typically Raw, JPG or both.  If possible, RAW is generally the best choice to capture the most amount of image data for eventual editing, but not all camera can shoot in RAW.

Digital File Types

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Practice

That is a very brief look at the first few pages of your massive manual.  It should get you started on an exciting exploration of the incredible capabilities of a modern digital camera.  Don’t be intimidated. To paraphrase a familiar quote, “ 99% of cameras are smarter than 10% of photographers”.   

So just enjoy the journey, and take it page by page.


Jeff Newcomer, NEPG
partridgebrookreflections.com
603-363-8338