Ah yes, Autumn--When Nature Adds Color as It Loses Color

Who does not love autumn, right? You don't have to be a photographer to appreciate nature's "quilt of many colors" this time of year. Some parts of Colorado (and I'm sure other places as well) have even created a name for those of us who like to get out and look at the leaves turning: "Leaf Peepers." 

 Here are some tips to capture those awesome colors the way you remember them: 1) Overcast skies are perfect conditions. The clouds serve as a natural diffuser which makes the colors pop out!  2) On a gray day with dull skies, minimize the amount of sky in your photo  3) Don't just settle for that stunning broad view of the trees, close in and take a few shots on the ground.  4) Depending on where you live, look for what I call the surrealistic juxtaposition of two or three seasons in the same photo! If you really want to get sharp, clear photos, use a tripod or place your camera on a solid object like a fence, car hood, rock, etc.
Here are just a few (low-res) autumn images which I have in my broad collection.

Making the Common Uncommon

Sometimes, with the right lighting, right timing, right composition and visualization, we can turn the common into something more compelling. Take, for example, a simple road on a level horizon and boring power lines, or a tree and a cow trough. Such is what I saw while traveling in northeastern New Mexico.

The lighting was perfect--mid-morning; the sun behind me, with an approaching northern filled with ominous clouds in front of me. The lighting, timing, and weather conditions changed the common to the uncommon. But, as photographic artists, we need to first see the art those conditions create in order to see the created change in dynamics.