Do This ONE THING To Avoid Bad Autumn Photos

[@ugosmith7529]

I would love a follow-up video to this where you compare the photos from this video with the same photos taken in autumn. I think it would go a long way towards further explaining the concepts you approach in this video

[@williampetersen2899]

I know I've said it before but it's just great seeing you out in the woods again (or wherever)! Explaining what doesn't work in a photo is immensely useful. And your comment about just because something looks beautiful does not necessarily mean it will translate into a great photograph is so true. A non-photographer may understandably think it doesn't make any sense but it is a great rule for photographers. Can't wait til next Sunday's video! And Pebbles is looking like the adorable, smelly wet faithful companion she's always been.

[@sebxiou-creatbus1927]

Ta Nigel. Fab to see you (and Pebbles) out and about. Could see you were in some pain at points but you soldiered-on brilliantly - though please don't cause a set-back doing so. All the best.

[@michaelcolburn3985]

You’re back, and better than ever Nigel! Your content is number one on my top 10 list. Sharing your thought process as well as your experienced knowledge is brilliant. It keeps me coming back week after week. I’m inspired and anxiously awaiting the onset of fall here in Arizona. Thanks again!

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks so much!

[@gailmager4147]

Glad you are able to be walking around and finding new compositions. Thanks for the great video and tips for fall photos.

[@loushared6602]

I really enjoyed that video. I’ve not watched you for a while and was a calming video for a cold evening. Definitely food for thought.

[@chrisparker5684]

Hi Nigel, what an excellent video. I love your positivity - you could easily have been annoyed by the grafitti on the tree or the blue rope, as well as the less than ideal colours that we get in September, but you focussed clearly on looking for the positives and planning for when the conditions improve. I think it's a great idea to plan your autumn shots in advance - when autumn does come, sometimes we can be a bit frantic trying to get here, there and everywhere while the colours are at their best! Glad that your back seems to be on the mend as well.

[@gregs2466]

Nigel, I really enjoyed your presentation today and to me, it was very informational and relaxing. Good job and thanks.

[@oscarhagelberg7895]

Thanks. I really like these "this works, this doesn't work" videos. When the conditions are perfect (fog, colors, etc.), will you use the same lens then, or is this only your scouting lens?

[@xavierbeaudoux]

Your last photo would make a beautiful square IMHO! Thx again for your amazing work Nigel 👍

[@joshdreyfus8067]

I really appreciate how hard Nigel works a location. He finds a location then goes back when the lighting and details are just right. Yes some of your best photos are fortunate accidents, but to consistently take good images requires research, planning, and hard work!

[@texasal]

Wow! That first composition at the 2 minute mark really needs a person in it. The size of those trees is amazing. Thanks for all the great content.

[@kqschwarz]

Super happy to see you out and about. For me, but first and the last compositions where the best. Hope your back continues to improve. All the best.

[@cwitt8280]

This format of walking thru your thinking, development of a scene and its potential as a pix now and under different conditions later is very helpful to me. Bottom line, think it thru, iD what caught your eye and what is needed to max the strength of the shot. Thanks very Nigel!

[@denisesavage2382]

Some great potential shots in there Nigel - lovely to see Pebbles at the end too. Looks like she's had a ball somewhere!

[@susieboard3230]

what a gorgeous shot, I love trees......can't wait to see these shot in autumn or in fog, the photos will be amazing!! ♥♥♥

[@mattgrant447]

The first and last compositions spoke to me the most. A nice bookend for the video. Nice to see you up and about. I hope you’re feeling well.

[@tuxm0bil]

Thanks for sharing your composition tips. I like the first and last composition the most! I find it really challenging to simplify woodland scenes.

[@NigelDanson]

Yes. I agree, but I think one of the others may look better in the right conditions.

[@janewillis2421]

Loving the new workings of the video and the music 🌿 ans as always the photos and explanations

[@Kinnup7]

So I glad I just discovered your channel. I like your approach. The layering of your video shots to see the shot and see the set up side by side really gives the viewer the insight to what you are seeing and how you approach each shot. Liked and subscribed. Look forward to discovering more of your great content.

[@vicknight847]

Really good to see you out and about. You seem to be moving more freely as well. Great! fantastic video as well.

[@carlmcneill1139]

I definitely want you to do another video like this when the leaves have changed and show us how it all looks then.

[@Goalieswede]

Easily one of my favorite videos in a while, extremely well done. Love the b-roll from Rick and your analysis per shot. It’s clear that you know how to absorb feedback

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks - appreciate that it means a lot.

[@AndyCuthbert]

Great video, Nigel. 👏👏Thank you for the reminder and insight. I think we too often go into the woods/nature looking for the instant gratification, which rarely occurs. Getting out after a plan will mostly, if not always, reap the better rewards. Off to do planning some myself now. Haha

[@suxxesphoto6419]

Nice to see you out and about again Nigel, long may it last. Great advice would have walked right past a lot of them compositions without thinking ahead.

[@Phil_f8andbethere]

That was one of the best woodland photography tutorial-style videos I've seen. Thanks Nigel for some superb tips and for taking us through yr thought processes. I particularly like the one at 3:42 - that should look superb in the right conditions. Good luck in getting the shots.

[@NigelDanson]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@lindagrigsby5460]

Good to see that you are back and evidently doing well!

[@marycarron5118]

Great video Nigel, it has inspired me to get out now and scout for some autumn images, something I haven’t done before. I love the last image as it is but I look forward to seeing it in its autumn glory too. It’s a great composition. Great to see you back in the woodland - and to see Pebbles again.

[@karenrobinson590]

My hubby and I truly enjoyed viewing your photography adventure. I feel you have reached even great heights of production quality, a great balance between showing, talking, sharing photography expertise. We watch a lot of photography KZbins and we think you must be one of the very best Landscape Photography KZbinrs currently. Well done Nigel to you and your team. And thank you again for sharing …. sincerely Karen.

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks Karen!

[@janneolsson4438]

Thanks for great vids. Thinking of Your back problems, I have to mention what You've probably already considered: A backpack with hip belt. A well designed hip belt will almost totally transfer the weight from camera gear from your back (via shoulders) to your hips. To me and my back that's crucial. Keep going, Your vids are great.

[@treyfoerster6468]

A very nice insight into how to scout a woodland for fall, thank you!

[@grassomaurizio1]

Semplicemente un posto stupendo. Grazie per i tuoi suggerimenti

[@rhiannonlawler7313]

Inside the mind of Nigel Danson! I found it fascinating that you’re almost viewing these shots in the future based on colours/weather when scouting. My brain is ‘in the moment’ and I’d have disregarded so many shots without this explanation and insight into what you’re seeing/expecting. Fascinating! Now.. where can I get myself a time machine to achieve this?!

[@NigelDanson]

You need a time machine to not fall over...

[@SimonLewis_photography]

Great to see you back out there Nigel and loving the new format Rick is bringing to the videos. Still has your stamp on it but feels fresher. I can't wait for autumn but not sure when its going to hit after the summer we had. Down here in the south, plenty of trees already look like they are turning so could be a weird one this year.

[@kenwalker4386]

After watching that video Nigel I can see that I really do have to work on my composition skills. You make it look so easy and it's inspiring.

[@mayhamilton6652]

Brilliant video and just shows sometimes you don't need to travel far to get great ideas for compositions. Love the idea of marking shots up for future as well. Hope your back is bearing up well and lovely to see Pebbles at the end.

[@NigelDanson]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@andreaflygirl]

Really nice and educational video. Love the way you are pointing out what works or doesn’t. The only thing that slightly bothers me is the title of this video, ‘Do this ONE THING….. ‘ is that, the scouting you are doing, or the reviewing of the pictures afterwards or….. I’m not really getting an answer. But I do get a lot of inspiration, thank you so much for that 😊😊🙏🏼

[@markbonham]

Great update and lovely to see you becoming more mobile. Loved the last composition and the dance. 👍👏

[@Joseph-iu6ip]

This is a great planning exercise for new locations to revisit in the fall. I’ve made the mistake of seeing great fall colors - sorry, colours - then trying to find a location to get a composition. Also, I think Pebbles needs more mud.

[@hamsterneckliving]

So great to see you walking around. And I love these shots on such a sloped landscape. It adds a really interesting feature.

[@susanmeyer8885]

Great to see you out and about! Great video and lots to think about. Thank you! Planning a couple of scouting trips as we wait for color here in Midwest US.

[@elwick_photo]

Nice to see you out and about Nigel, Looking forward to the fruits of your labour once the autumn colours start coming in. 👍👍

[@Ruscombephotos]

Hi Nigel. Great video and good to see you out. You’re looking a bit more nimble, so hopefully your recovery is progressing well, even if it is slow going. In your first composition, I think there might be something to be made of the visible root systems of the two beech trees. From a distance, they looked like they had some green ferns or moss on them, and you might be able to photograph them in the conditions you had in the video. I think a composition featuring those roots might work really well.

[@brentew1]

Thank you for your great teaching about composition, light, and more. Glad you are back in your element! I'll go scout now...

[@greglum8175]

Great video and points. I'll be heading to the White Mountains in New Hampshire in three weeks for fall foliage and I'm excited because there's so many places to choose from.

[@christianpetersen1782]

Hi Nigel, great to see you out and about again after your back ops. Thanks for the idea to get out scouting for good compositions. I look forward to your next video when your back permits it. The Met Office is forecasting an earlier Autumn this year due to the Summer drought/heat, although it doesn’t say by how much, so all the more reason for us to get our skates on!

[@bearmarket4u926]

Loving this, thanks Nigel!

[@juancarlosasiain5922]

como se aprende con tus videos son clases magistrales, gracias Nigel espero que tu operación vaya mejorando cada día mas y mejor, saludos

[@bergis65]

Really enjoyable video, it’s the kind that inspires me to go out and try to find compositions that work. I enjoyed the bit bit about ‘looks good because it’s beautiful but it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a good photo’ - I had that exact experience today. Beautiful day, occasionally good light, lots of ‘maybe’s’, but impossible to find a good composition. But I find being out looking is just as enjoyable as coming home with something I like - but then again, I don’t depend on it to make a living

[@nelehoremans2546]

thanks for your inspiring video Nigel, it makes me long for a super lengthy autumn with numerous golden, moody foggy days! I will go to my local woodland later this week when I get the chance and check it out like you did! good to see you out in the woodland again (your walk is getting more steady week by week) and to see Pebbles running around in the end!

[@SomeonewithaSony]

Enjoyed the video, Nigel. Nice to see you back outside. Look like you’re in some pain, my friend. Hope your healing well 👌🏻

[@NigelDanson]

A little pain yes but nice to be out

[@SueFerreira75]

Beautiful compositions. You truly do justice to “England’s Green and Pleasant Land” in all of your videos.

[@alnordgren]

Great video and so nice to see you on the road to recovery! A suggestion for a future video in a would be once you’ve returned to the same location in the fall you might want to show some before and after examples. That is, show a scene and what you originally said about how it might look with fall colors and (maybe) fog vs. what you actually saw in the fall. Just a thought. Stay safe, and keep on moving!

[@NigelDanson]

Yep - I hope to do that

[@eberlindavid]

glad you are recovering

[@gunterhavlena5207]

Einfach genial 👍👍👍 großartig Nigel 👍👍

[@SaemiVald]

Another amazing video Nigel! Do you have another person filming you talking to the camera or do you have another camera on a tripod. The reason I ask is that I noticed a slight movement in the camera and I am wondering if you have added that in-post. Thanks for all your videos!

[@oskarschad9856]

You mentioned one crucial point - doing the revisit of a location frequently in different conditions. Great composition hints espacially when it comes to "balance" in the frame. Could you give also hints to the postprocess as the vivid colors in the video are much different from the shown results which looks much more reduced in the barks and bottoms but refreshed in the greens and therefore more pleasant. Thank you!

[@andystutchbury2514]

Excellent video, very calming and beautifully shot. Have you considered shooting the last composition as a square? It would exclude the slightly distracting diagonal of sky shining through the trees at the top, while giving a good balance to the two main trees i think.👍

[@calieeldalie2547]

Hi Nigel, you are so lucky having such a beautiful "local forest". I particularly liked the trees roots at the beginning, they are indeed magnificent. Regarding the last shot, why not trying a 1x1 ratio to get rid of the small sky parts and decrease the ground portions of the photo? Getting a good composition out of the 'messy' woodland framework is always challenging, thanks for the very didactic explanations on how to compose compositions ;) I wish we could have fog over here in south of France (and autumn as well by the way..). Best !!

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

It must feel great just to be able to walk around for some field photography again, whether you get a shot or not.

[@NigelDanson]

It certainly did!

[@davidskinner274]

Thanks, Nigel. The last image would work in winter (no leaves) as well with fog

[@valrion.photography]

Very interesting video Nigel. Looking forward to see all these scenes in autumn!

[@paulcollingridge8387]

All really nice. I think some of the nicest autumnal images can be found in holloways.... You must have hundreds of them around you in the Peak District

[@spidersj12]

I'm already most of the way through autumn where I live. Leaves started changing mid early to mid August here. One of the downsides to where I live is that the leaves only go yellow-gold-brown, there are no trees or bushes that turn red here, that would really set off a composition. Back home where I grew up there was such a variety of deciduous species that there would almost always be som oak trees that would be ablaze in red leaves during most autumn transitions.

[@thecascadianhiker9465]

If you don't mind my asking but where do you live?

[@spidersj12]

@@thecascadianhiker9465 Above the arctic circle in Canada.

[@tonyeng2006]

I Really enjoy your delivery on your Videos.I've learnt somthing new in Lightroom and I want to go out into the woods with my Camera!! (which is not really my taste). I like your explanations even though it sound quite complication you break it down so its understandable... Instant like and subsribe... Looking forward to viewing more and your recent content. Thank you.

[@NigelDanson]

Awesome, thank you!

[@LandscapePhotography]

really stunning results Brother, such a perfect location to produce such a special photo, greetings 📸📸📸

[@willsouthdakota5153]

I'm not a fan of man-made obstruction in outdoor photography, but I had no idea the magnitude of those trees until you were in the shot. It would be great to have something size family that's not an eyesore that give idea to the grandness of those trees

[@bilfoto]

Nice video Nigel!👌

[@Michael_Robinson]

Great scouting video. That area has so much fall colour potential! There’s a photo at 9m54s that’s an example of of a scene that I struggle to edit. I’ll take a photo where my camera is perfectly level, but when I go to edit the photo, there is a conflicting mix of visual cues that make the photo look like it’s not level. I find it can distract the viewer, who doesn’t have the benefit of seeing the level indicator in the camera. I sometimes intentionally rotate the image to make the visual cues less distracting. Photos with a nice flat horizon line don’t suffer from this, but when the photo lacks a strong reference element, it’s gets tricky. In the case of your photo, the slope of the ground and the tilt of the trees (in multiple directions) send conflicting cues. I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggles with this challenge. Maybe you could make a video discussing this in the future?

[@robcoates4394]

I'm going out tomorrow morning to a previously unvisited spot here in the Perth hills. It has large boulders that attract local rock climbers and even though our eucalypt forest isn't as 'pretty' as yours, I'll try to remember your sage advice and thought processes as I'm framing my shots. Thanks, and cheers from DownUnder 🦘

[@abbatvdv4435]

Like for the Nikon Z7))) Well done, it”s good choice!!!

[@andrewroland]

I like the last image too.

[@patrickmolloy6994]

terrific stuff here. thank you

[@2bethetraveller955]

Brilliant 👏 ..Which type of the tripod that u used?

[@joangilisuarez7090]

Excelent video, really lovely forest

[@motaztawfik]

Brilliant tutorial Nigel... you've turned woodland photography into a science 😃

[@ralphwatson7036]

Another interesting vlog, thanks. A question about Squarespace... When sharing your work on your website, how do you prevent visitors from saving your photos and printing them or whatever?

[@NigelDanson]

I don't - if you want to I can't stop them. It is impossible

[@wallystellmacher6794]

Good helpful tips, Nigel. 👍😀

[@NigelDanson]

Glad it was helpful!

[@alwyng572]

I really enjoyed this week's video Nigel, thank you so much for sharing your thought processes on the compositions at that moment in time and your vision for how they could look later in the season. Nice segway into the Squarespace bit too haha! Seriously, great video and now I need to get out scouting my local woodlands too! Thanks for the inspiration and good to see you back out there again!

[@herbertroque3226]

Very nice video thank you

[@petjaalbrecht]

Hey Nigel, another great video! How is the back treating you? You still look a little tender when you are walking.

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks. It is very sore - but I can walk so shouldn't complain. Just can't bend

[@petjaalbrecht]

@@NigelDanson Sorry to hear its still sore, I hope it starts to improve soon.

[@genemaitland2892]

Awesome video, Nigel...thanks for the tips, as I'll be visiting the Rockefeller State Park Preserve in NY in November and these will come in handy, I'm sure! My other issue is with Squarespace and what I'd like to know is: (1) which template did you use for your website and (2) how do you set up the shop to sell your prints, etc.? With the first, I chose the "Chase Nevins" but it crops my images, making them look more 16:9-ish or widescreen-ish, which I don't really like. Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Thanks ever so much for your advice!

[@juliesimkins8621]

Love landscape photography, while there's still some left!

[@colintraveller]

More chance of Mist from the early morning dew ... than Fog in the woods . And you have no garuntee's how the weather will pan out for Oct , Nov ..

[@shaunmadill8866]

These woods looks familiar. Are they near Sheffield?

[@JoDaniels]

It’s a great combination, Rick focusig on making the video and you focusing on photography and the compositions in the field! Fantastic improvement of your inspiring channel, chapeau!

[@NigelDanson]

Glad you enjoyed it and yes being able to concentrate on the photography is amazing. Rick is a great help

[@martharetallick204]

Agreed. I like the improvement in the videography.

[@ThePhotographyHobbyist]

2:37 looks like where the woodland elves would live :)

[@mariebird01]

Majestic beech trees, Nigel. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It’s lovely to see, when you revisit and compare the shots from same places, later in the season, or even different seasons. Your expertise in capturing the scene always inspires me.

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks so much

[@rinkeviciusandrius]

Great video!

[@hnahler]

The little side note why you cannot easily focus stack in woodlands was most helpful.

[@fr7110yu]

[@martharetallick204]

That backpack looks a lot more user friendly. Hope your back likes it.

[@douglasritchie2836]

Really good to see you out and about more, Nigel, hope your back is gaining strength, that 24-120 lens is perfect for these type of shots,allied with my ultra wide its my favourite lens.

[@jpdj2715]

Sweet, the love song ending.

[@alanevans9246]

Nigel, So great to see you back out and creating! Great video today in building compositions…. And as always, great to see Pebbles! As always, keep snapping!

[@jarlespelund1021]

I really like the "take a photography - and find a better crop" type of exercise almost. Think that could be a video topic of itself. Enjoyable video, and at the exact time we need for getting ready for some fantastic autumn photos. Thank you, Nigel. Greetings from the other side of the pond (the eastern smaller one)!

[@NigelDanson]

Thanks Jarl

[@llewdis]

at 4:50 is that a natural rock wall? or is that man made that has just survived the test of time?

[@NigelDanson]

Natural

[@sajadjaadoo6433]

Sir. There is a request. You have to set the settings with photo

[@marlenehazlehurst8666]

Yet another great episode. I'm in Donegal at the moment and off to a forest today...how fortuitous was that. Thanks gor all the tips....keep well. Good to see you out and about.

[@TLM823]

Great scouting advice, Nigel! And it’s great to see you out and about! Thank you.