I know that it’s kind of a cliché, but I really do love a good “Autumn Leaves” photo. There’s just something about the colour and the texture that resonates with me. The normally bland and uniform shades of green turn into a vast tapestry of colour this time of year. And once they fall and start to decay further, you end up with a veritable tableau.
On my recent trips out to photograph Autumn in Dublin, I was trying to avoid this kind of thing and stick to a theme of Autumn interacting with the city, but in the end, I couldn’t help myself! I really am slightly obsessed with this subject. When the sun starts to be lower in the sky and the days are shorter, the last blast of warmth from the colour of the turning leaves really resonates with me for some reason. And it’s easy to look up and see the colours everywhere, but looking down, you can focus much more on single subjects. It’s like the opposite of the advice about seeing the forest for the trees.
It’s not just the explosion of colour either; it’s also the texture. If you get a good close-up, and it doesn’t even need to be a macro shot, you can see the wonderful complexity of nature. And even within one leaf, you can see so much variety, as the Autumn process leaves mottled patches on the leaf as it turns brown.
There are also a few places along the canal where they tend to gather. Coupled with the water, you get even more interesting textures and colours. The water adds a glossy layer, and the reflections interplay with the colours of the leaves. It’s like turning up nature’s contrast.
At the end of the day, you’re not going to win any awards with photos of fallen leaves. As I said, it’s a pretty stereotypical subject. But that’s ok. It’s ok to take pictures of the things you like, even if no one else will. (Although everyone likes Autumn leaves!) I also like to challenge myself and see how I can improve each time, getting sharper, more detailed or more textured shots.
There’s also an element of luck to it, as you may come across a perfect scene or you may not. It’s quite an enjoyable way to relax and soak up the season when out for a photo walk. It also helps you train your eye to look for things. There might be a sea of brown, and you spot the one interesting shape or colour sticking out!
And speaking of one interesting shape sticking out, this is my all-time favourite one from a few years ago. I still love this shot as it looks kind of like a set of lips!
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