Acadia National Park – Maine
Foliage Photography Tips for great pictures
Filters
For digital there is really only one “must have” filter to bring along for great fall foliage pictures – a polarizer. A polarizer creates dramatic fall foliage pictures by darkening the sky, increasing contrast and deepening colors and removing the sheen from the leaves. Most other filter effects such as, enhancing reds and oranges, sepia and graduated effects can be easily created in Photoshop. Your standard protective UV filter should be removed before putting your polarizer on – never stack filters. Also, don’t forget to remove your polarizer when you move back inside as it reduces light by one to two f-stops.
A second type of filter is an enhancing filter which does just what the name implies – enhances – especially the bright primary colors of autumn (reds, oranges and browns). A third filter is a Color / Neutral Graduated filter which utilizes a color (or gray) that gradually diminishes from dark to light across the filter. These filters are often used to deepen the sky or to balance the exposure between foreground and background, which helps you keep the sky blue rather than blown out.
Tips
- Nothing takes away from foliage more than a bright white overcast sky. In these situations, try to reduce the amount of sky in your images.
- Dramatic storm clouds of autumn thunderstorms interspersed with blue sky make a stunning backdrop for the brilliant colors of fall especially when the vivid colors are brought out with a polarizer.
- Use a tripod for the sharpest possible image to allow an ISO of 100 or 200 and use a remote release or self timer to prevent motion when pressing the shutter.
- Colors are warmer and can be more dramatic closer to sunrise and sunset. The 1 hour before and after both sunrise and sunset are considered by many to be the “magic hours” where you get an amazing quality of light.
- Experiment, take lots of pictures and above all have fun!
- Since your shooting more with your digital camera, be sure to edit down before showing off your work to family and friends
Fall Foliage Websites
Fall Foliage Hotlines – click on a state below
New Jersey
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mid to late October
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Connecticut
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Late Sep - mid October
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Maine
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Early Sep - mid October
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Massachusetts
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October
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New Hampshire
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Late Sep - mid October
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New York
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Late Sep - late Oct
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Pennsylvania
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Early October
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Vermont
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Early Sep-Late October
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Virginia
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Sep - Late Nov
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Delaware
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Late October
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Maryland
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Late Sep Late October
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Rhode Island
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Late Sep - mid October
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