I Fall in Love Every Year

Did you get your fuzzy slippers, flannel jammy pants and favorite mug out yet? It’s almost the season for hunkering down, going inside and getting cozy, but before you do, I have an outside activity for you this week (BTW, the indentations in your desk chair called. They want a little bit of time to turn into a cushion again).

After looking at the amazing fall pictures everyone is posting on line, I finally got to take a little break and get out to see the colors myself. Our mountain aspen on Colorado’s Western Slope are in full peak right now and I am always blown away by the party that plants throw with their riot of color before they settle in for the deep winter sleep.

Playdate

Today’s creative break is to take your camera or phone outside for a 15 minute walk and use 6 tips for fall photos to shoot anything and everything fall. Our phones are so rad these days- they have amazing photographic capabilities and as a result, I am fed a steady stream of beautiful imagery each and every day I get on-line. Even if you are in the middle of a city, the trees and plants are turning.

Download the Photography Cheat Sheet and head out for a stroll – I pinky promise you wont regret the fresh air!

Think Color. Think Contrast.

Find an object to create an image that ‘pops’ right through your viewfinder with color or light and dark contrast.

Think Micro. Think Macro.

Pictures of hillsides are amazing and beautiful, but don’t forget to see the forest for the trees, or as the case may be here, the leaves. You can hunker in fairly close and still get a nice focus. Another fun hack for your camera phone (but ONLY if you have a waterproof case) is to put a drop of water on your camera lens to magnify things even more.

Use the Rule of Thirds. Or Don’t.

A long-standing trick in photography is to claim 1/3 of your view finder with your subject, whether that be the top, middle, bottom, or corners. Horizon lines work well for this. Fun to play with, but don’t make it an absolute!

Even I Can Use a Filter.

And so can you. There are so many applications out there to adjust color, hue, saturation, brightness, or just add cool filters. Instagram (and now even Facebook) have built in filters when you edit your post. Easy peasy play.

Use the Unexpected.

I may be out looking for pictures of leaves, and low and behold there is a cute fuzzy caterpillar (maybe invasive?) walking across the road. I’ll take it!

Overdo It.

Unless you are using a film camera, there is no reason not to take many pictures of your subject using different distances, angles, exposure settings, or filters. Go for it. Don’t forget you are playing.

I can’t wait to see what you come up with! Share your favorites in the comments or post them on Instagram or Facebook using the hash tag #yokadesigncultivatecreativity.

No Time to Play?

Download my hand drawn leaves and grass clipart and add them to your fall celebration cards, invitations, holiday greetings, and social media posts.

1. Its time to get out and takes some pictures before the color drains out of the landscape.
2. Take many pictures. You wont have to pay to develop them all if you are not using film!
3. Get right in that leaf’s face with your camera- they are beautiful far away and up close.