Autumn leaves
The vibrant and colorful autumn leaves are undoubtedly one of the most ideal subjects for landscape photography. To artistically and delicately capture the colors of the autumn leaves and preserve the beautiful scenery, here are some tips and techniques to keep in mind during shooting that may be helpful to photographers. (CCTV Travel Channel, Photo by Yao Jinhong)
Equipment used
The equipment for shooting autumn leaves is generally the same as that for landscape photography. Usually, zoom lenses ranging from 28mm-85mm and 80mm-200mm are sufficient, meeting the needs for both wide scenes and close-ups. If you're using a digital SLR camera, you can use your existing lenses, which is quite convenient; if you don’t have a DSLR, that’s fine too, as most compact digital cameras have a zoom range of about 3-5 times, typically covering 38mm to 150mm. Some 10x zoom cameras are equivalent to 38-380mm on traditional cameras, offering an even wider range and are suitable for most common autumn leaf scenes.
Shooting perspectives
Photographers can choose to shoot panoramas, mid-range shots, or close-ups based on the actual situation, and should also pay attention to capturing close-ups. By combining points and scenes, the charm of the autumn leaves can be better displayed.
At the shooting site, also consider highlighting geographical features or environmental characteristics according to the actual conditions. In fact, photographing autumn leaves isn’t just about capturing trees or leaves—it’s about using the autumn leaves as a highlight to mainly reflect distinctive landscapes. Combining the autumn leaves organically with streams, rivers, mountains, or ancient dwellings will yield more ideal results.
Lighting
Different types of lighting can be used when shooting autumn leaves, but each produces different effects. Under front lighting, not only do the autumn leaves themselves appear more vivid in color, but the blue sky also looks richer and more intense, giving a strong sense of color. However, the sense of depth in the image may be slightly weaker, so when selecting subjects, ensure the tree outlines are clear and not blended with other backgrounds. With side lighting, the image gains a certain level of depth, and color representation is not greatly affected—especially when shooting mid-range or distant scenes, the sense of three-dimensionality is stronger, making side lighting a commonly used option. Backlighting is also frequently used when photographing autumn leaves. When aiming to capture close-ups or highlight details, backlighting can clearly reflect the translucent texture of the leaves.
Background handling
There are generally two types of backgrounds used when shooting autumn leaves: one is the sky as the background, mostly used when shooting upwards or using medium to long telephoto lenses for close-ups. A sky background makes the image cleaner and more refreshing. When using the sky as the background, you can crouch down appropriately or shoot upwards to make better use of the sky and highlight the tree outlines. The other is to use existing alternative backgrounds, such as the shadows of trees or the shaded sides of hillsides. These backgrounds mainly utilize the light-created contrast between light and dark, and care should be taken to prevent the subject from blending with the background.
The choice of background is closely related to lighting, and attention should be paid to using them in combination. For example, when choosing backlighting or side-backlighting, the brightness of the autumn leaves themselves is higher, and using a dark background helps to enhance the light and shadow effects.
Shooting time
China has a vast territory, and the timing of leaf color changes varies depending on local climate conditions. Generally, after being touched by frost, leaves begin to change color. Specifically, in northern regions like Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia where winter comes early, red leaves can be photographed as early as early October. In areas like Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and southern Anhui, the most ideal time for red leaf colors is mid-to-early November, while in more southern regions, this timing is delayed by about ten days. Photographers interested in shooting should pay close attention to various travel websites or TV news, gather relevant information in advance, and especially monitor the weather forecasts of the target regions in the days leading up to departure. Once frost is detected in a certain area, it’s time to go.
Reading guide
Common types of trees with red leaves
Some people think that red leaves only come from maple trees, but in fact, there are many other types of trees with red leaves that can be photographed. Common ones include the following:
Chinese toon: Commonly found in Henan, Hebei, Anhui, and Jiangsu, Chinese toon trees often turn a fiery red after being hit by severe frost in autumn, looking very beautiful.
Tallow tree: Common in Zhejiang and Anhui, tallow trees have leaves that change through a rich spectrum of colors—from green to red, purple, orange-red, apricot yellow, and sometimes even displaying several different hues on a single tree, creating a “colorful tree” that is highly ornamental. The shooting season for tallow trees also lasts about half a month.
Smoketree: In Du Fu’s poem “Song of the Pipa,” there is a line describing harsh living conditions: “Smoketrees and bitter bamboos grow around my home.” In reality, the main type of tree behind the red leaves of Beijing’s Western Hills is the smoketree. The “Red Leaves of Fragrant Hills” is one of Beijing’s natural landscapes, and the main trees on the mountain are smoketrees. Additionally, in southern China, species like the trident maple, sumac, and some unnamed shrubs also exhibit autumn color changes and are great subjects for photography.