Cover photo by Amo
The term “autumn-like” carries a certain ambiguity and elusive charm. This very ambiguity creates room for photographic expression, allowing for the freedom to unleash your creativity.
In this article, we’ll explore how to find and express autumnal subjects through three perspectives: “color,” “light,” and “everyday moments.”
Photo by tskktskk
Capturing Autumn Through Colors and Textures
The key to capturing the essence of autumn lies in its “colors” and “textures.” Deep hues like red, yellow, brown, and burnt umber are found in leaves, nuts, and fallen foliage. Additionally, subjects with slightly dry textures, such as withering grass, golden ginkgo leaves, and pampas grass, evoke a strong sense of autumn.
Photo by kai_2020
Adjusting the white balance to emphasize color contrasts or softening the image by reducing contrast are also effective techniques for expression.
Autumn’s Time Painted by Light and Shadow
Autumn is a season when sunlight becomes softer and the angle of light shifts. Use the slanted light of morning and evening to cast shadows on your subjects for a dramatic effect, or shoot backlit leaves to highlight the transparency of autumn foliage.
Photo by 20RyanKino24
For example, try framing a ginkgo tree-lined path from a low angle, capturing a sunlit trail of fallen leaves, or blurring leaves in the foreground to reveal the scenery beyond. These approaches can convey the flow of time in autumn.
Snapping Everyday Moments with an “Autumn Feel”
The essence of autumn isn’t limited to distant landscapes—it can also be found in everyday life. For instance, hands cracking open chestnuts, a coffee cup placed beside a book, warm light streaming through a window, or small insects and fallen leaves. Capturing these small motifs as “autumnal hints” can create quiet, evocative images that remind viewers of the season.
Photo by yuya4four
Additionally, keeping your composition simple while emphasizing the contrast between negative space and your subject can be highly effective.
Even in familiar scenes, there’s bound to be an “autumn” that moves your heart.
The ongoing photo contest “Trace of Autumn” invites submissions under the theme “Signs of Autumn.”
Take a closer look at your everyday surroundings, and you’ll find subtle traces of the season breathing quietly around you.
Capture the autumnal moments you discover through your unique perspective and preserve them in photographs.
