FA FALL TRAIL
Jan, 2015Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in a park near my home in Upstate NY. I had gone for a walk and taken my camera. I try to never leave home without it now. This was one of the very first photos I had taken with my new camera.Time
This was taken around 4:30 in the afternoon towards the end of October. It was a beautiful day, very calm. I had never been to this area before so I was exploring when I came upon this trail in the trees. I didn't have a tripod, so I plopped myself on the ground, elbows on my knees, set the camera up and started to shoot. When I was finished, I sat there for awhile taking it all in.Lighting
This photo was taken in all natural light. I wanted a bit of a mysterious feel to the photo, so I waited until the light had dropped some. Not having a tripod with me made this a challenge.Equipment
This photo was taken using a Nikon D5300 with a Nikkor 55-300 lens. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
All I had to do was walk around the corner of an open lot and find this trail. I instantly knew it would make a wonderful photo. Fall is my favorite time of year in Upstate NY and this area didn't disappoint. The colors of the leaves were amazing and there was so much texture to see.Editing
All I did to post process this photo was drop the clarity a bit. I wanted the photo to have a dreamy softer feel to it.In my camera bag
I always pack two cameras, my Nikon D5300 and my Nikon D7000. There is nothing worse than being in the field and having your equipment fail. I always like to be prepared. It also helps when I set up somewhere for awhile to have two cameras with different lenses, that way, I'm not switching lenses a lot in the field. I also always pack my Nikon 55-300 lens, my Tamron 150-600 lens and my Tamron 90mm macro. I can cover a lot with these lenses. I carry a light weight carbon fiber tripod with ball head. Extra batteries are a must as well as extra SD cards. Lastly, a lens cleaning kit when shooting outdoors is a must have. When the wind kicks up, you can get a lot of specs on your lenses and filters.Feedback
Be patient. When you have colors like these, you want to make sure you have the right light to capture it and show off it's beauty. If you see the scene setting a certain mood then make sure you lighting portrays that mood. Never be in a hurry to take a nature photo. Always take your time and make sure everything from your camera settings to the light is correct. Always be able to adapt to your situation. I was caught without my tripod in low light and had to think of alternative ways to steady my camera. Finally, have fun and relax, take in the beauty, that's what it's all about and with a little effort, you can take home a beautiful photo to remember your experience.
