FOCUS YOUR FALL PORTFOLIO

WORK WITH A THEME TO CREATE A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF IMAGES

When autumn photography season approaches, I start to anticipate making new photographs. I have some ideas to share that may help you develop an excellent portfolio for the fall season. I have found it useful, for myself and for teaching my students, to think about creating a story line, or clear thematic focus. Consider what specific locations or aspects of autumn inspire you the most. The location could be your backyard, a nearby park or reserve, or a travel location where you can spend at least a few days to explore the area fully. A favorite aspect might include colorful reflections or the patterns of fallen leaves. This approach of specialization will help distinguish your autumn images from other photographers’ work.

Two key elements needed for your selection of an autumn theme are passion for the subject and easy access during the season. Passion is a must-have ingredient for creative, insightful imagery. Repeated access to your location will build your knowledge of the light, weather, and seasonal changes, helping you find the best conditions for making great photographs.

Instead of trophy hunting for singular, spectacular scenic images, I like to explore around for quiet images, ones that don’t shout too loud. In Yosemite, for example, I often find exciting details on the forest floor, in river reflections, or on cliff faces. Finding unique images often involves photographing small sections of the landscape rather than the wide views. However, even though I usually focus on intimate details, that doesn’t mean I will avoid those epic, rare events where weather and/or light explode with drama and energy.

I have included some examples here from a recent season in Yosemite Valley. On one dramatic morning, an amazing confluence of peak autumn color and morning mist rising off a frosted meadow unfolded before my student and me. We started out photographing from one excellent vantage point, then raced to where the sun was directly behind the extraordinary tree pictured in the opening image of this essay, where we witnessed sunbeams bursting through the graceful branches. Knowing that the mist would burn off soon, we worked rapidly to find the best camera position for him to block the rising sun with the tree’s limbs. Even though the lens was shaded, the high contrast and rapidly changing situation called for bracketing exposures to ensure a full range of data was captured. The end result, for both of us, were top portfolio “keepers.” The images portray the symbolism of “a new day,” and “light shining through the darkness.”

But just as exciting to me were several quiet Yosemite images I photographed that fall. In my opinion, quiet intensity in an image can endure and engage the viewer for longer. With subtle imagery comes a depth that can be enjoyed more over time.

When I pull together a group of photographs, such as from that autumn, I edit the collection by looking for the highest and most consistent quality, as well as for a balance of scale, light, weather, and subject matter. I might use a few wide-angle views to set the context of the portfolio as Yosemite Valley. However, my main focus would be my intimate landscapes, such as the river with tree reflections, or leaves floating through autumn-colored river reflections, as shown in the photograph Maple Leaves Along the Merced River. When you see the selected images as a group, such as in an exhibit or online gallery, they should create a visual story, a personal exploration, a creative viewpoint.

What light is best for autumn photography? When I look through my favorite fall images, I see that I’ve favored two main types of light. The soft, even lighting of an overcast day, especially a rainy one, is prime light for forest scenes. Generally, the even tonalities make it easier to see the strong colors and details of leaves and branches of most forest scenes.

I captured Autumn Forest during a soft rainfall in Maine’s Baxter State Park. I used my 4x5 camera and a 4x5 film back adapted for a 2:1 panoramic format. The colors were saturated and vibrant throughout the forest, but I selected this section of woods because there was an especially good variety of color as well as strong graphic shapes.

Maple Leaves Along the Merced River | Yosemite National Park, California | 2016

Autumn Forest | Baxter State Park, Maine | 1995

I made full-framed exposures as well as panoramic ones like this one. Although pleased with both, I especially liked how the rhythm of color and design is portrayed in the narrow format. The key quality in this photograph for me is the soft lighting provided by the rainstorm. That the leaves were wet and many of them had fallen to the forest floor adds impact to the image. The hanging and fallen leaves blend somewhat in the composition, and this ambiguity gives the viewer pause to look more closely.

Another favorite lighting condition for me is backlighting. When light comes from behind colorful leaves, the glow can be magical. The best times to find good backlight are early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low in the sky. Although aiming your camera toward the sun can be a challenge, you can get great results with a little extra care. Lens flare can be a problem, so watch for that in the viewfinder. When inside the forest, the simplest solution for flare is to use tree shadows to block the sun. The trees can become strongly silhouetted, the leaves brilliant, and the issue of flare eliminated.

The photograph Kings Pond with Morning Mist was made at sunrise. My wife and I drove off from our motel in predawn darkness into the Green Mountains, hoping for great light and autumn color at this pond we had spotted the day before. In spite of the fact that I had no clue exactly when sunrise was or where the sun would rise, a little luck goes a long way. A nighttime rainstorm was just clearing at dawn, and the fog lifted to reveal this glorious scene.

The wide scope of this scene required my 90mm lens (about 24mm focal length on a 35mm full-frame format) on my 4x5 camera. I aimed the camera just far enough away from the sun to avoid direct sunlight, shaded my lens carefully, and photographed quickly in the rapidly changing light.

When you plan your next autumn’s field sessions, think about the lighting conditions and about what thematic project you could develop or add to. Think about what you want to say with your images. Your unique viewpoint will be better revealed, and the concept behind the photographs will heighten your portfolio’s impact.

Kings Pond with Morning Mist | Green Mountain National Forest, Vermont | 1991

Oak Tree and Ice | Yosemite National Park, California | 2004