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Photographing Fall Foliage Capture the majesty of fall's colors with your digital camera. From "The Whole Picture" episode DTWP-204

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Filling the frame with your subject makes for stronger close-ups.

Close-Ups

• Typically it's best to fill the picture with your main subject. Just as with the landscape pictures earlier, simplify your image.

• Make sure your backgrounds are clear of distracting elements. Recognizable items like branches or litter can divert the focus from your subject.

• Sharp focus is critical for close ups. If the light level is low, consider using a tripod to keep the camera steady.

• Once your steady, attend to the lens setting. If you have a point and shoot camera switch your camera setting to macro to get in closer to your subject.

• If you have a camera with switchable lenses you may want to use a macro lens or adaptor.
  

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• As you move in closer to your subject, the amount of light coming in to the lens will be reduced. Generally this means you will need to shoot with a slower shutter speed--and the slower the speed, the less the depth of field.

• To increase your focal range you will want to use a smaller lens aperture. The lens aperture is called an f-stop. The smaller the f-stop the greater the depth of field. You can work with a smaller aperture by manually increase the iso speed of your camera. This is like using a faster speed film which requires less light.

  An out-of-focus close-up doesn't make for an interesting photograph.

  Make sure your close-up have sharp focus.

  
  

  Use reflectors to augment natural light and enhance colors.

• Once your camera is steady on a tripod, set for macro photography and set at a higher iso speed setting, turn your attention to the shadows. A small reflector can bounce sunlight into shadows. A homemade reflector made from tinfoil and cardboard works well. Professionals use pop out silver, white or gold reflectors which give a little more control. Whichever reflector you use, slowly adjust the position of the reflector until it brings detail into your image's dark areas.

• When taking pictures with water, work with diffused overhead light. If there's too much light reflecting onto the water it can trick your light meter into a reading that's too open and make your picture too contrasty.

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