Picturing Fall

October presents powerful possibilities for nature photographers, especially for lovers of color. It’s now that summer finally surrenders to fall foliage: throughout so much of the country, leaves flare into a display of oranges, reds, and yellows. These vivid displays can make photos as crisp as the fall air, but unfortunately, sometimes difficult conditions can stifle our images. 

Perhaps you’ve conquered a high mountain peak and want to snap a shot of the view below, but you’re shooting in the middle of the day. Harsh sunlight might wash out the colors of your photo, destroying its most important component. To avoid this, try shooting your scene during golden hours, where the soft light will really bring out those oranges, reds, and yellows. If this isn’t an option, as when you have to get down from a mountain before dark, consider purchasing a neutral density filter to mitigate the harshness of the sunlight and a polarizing filter to create more contrast. One last technique that can achieve great results—although it requires more post-processing—is shooting multiple exposures of the same scene with your camera attached to a tripod. Then you can combine all of these scenes into one stunning high-dynamic range photo in post.

Fall photographers all need one thing: reliable straps for our cameras. If you’re hiking a rocky traverse, you can’t have a strap that becomes unhooked from your camera or breaks. And, however you enjoy fall, from leisurely walks to difficult hikes, you need something comfortable. Whether you’re shooting long exposures of the beautiful Columbia River Gorge or capturing vistas from the peaks of the White mountains, adventuring in the Ozarks or leaf peeping in Wisconsin’s upper peninsula, our straps will provide you with the security and comfort to give you both peace of mind and a more pleasant experience. We recommend you check out our magnus and centurion neck straps before you head out on your next fall trek!