HOW TO SHOOT THE MAGIC OF AUTUMN

12 inspirational projects to capture the drama and colour of golden season

- Jon Adams and Andrew James

Every season has its pros and cons when it comes to photographic opportunities, but when you look at autumn’s long list of benefits, you can understand why it’s a time of year that has been getting creative people excited for centuries. As the green canopy of summer begins to evolve into more muted but highly evocative oranges and reds, and the skeletal shape of woodland starts to appear, the transformation of the natural world seems made for inspirational photography.

With sunrise and sunset occurring at more civilised hours, and changeable weather that can bring glorious sunshine one minute and dark, stormy skies the next, autumn’s appeal is undeniable. Of course, there are some downsides, though. Unpredictable and cooler weather can drive you indoors, but the bonus here is that you can always take a bit of autumn inside with you to carry on shooting.

The real beauty of autumn is that often you don’t need to travel that far in order to get the best shots. Whether you are just mooching around in your garden or hunting the woodland floor for inspiration, there will always be great shots that are easily accessible.

Over the next 15 pages, we’re going to unpick this potential, explore some of the subjects you’ll find and reveal the techniques needed to succeed. From detailed macro work where you control the light, to chasing elusive wildlife through its parkland landscape and the delicate task of capturing fungi on the forest floor, we have 12 exciting photo projects for you to try.

1 SHOOT CLOSE-UP AUTUMN SHOTS IN YOUR HOME

Bring nature indoors for more intimate shoots