Struggling with Autumn Photography

[@duncanwallace7760]

I lean towards seeing more photos even if they're not perfect because it's interesting to see what catches the photographer's eye. In fact a photo and explanation of why something didn't quite make the grade is a very good way to learn.

[@Wildmark]

I'm reminded of the saying "a good view doesn't always make a good picture"

[@kenford2877]

I appreciate you showing the raw and edited versions of each image. It helps a lot.

[@fab-mh7vz]

I quite like these before and after effects that show how minimal your intervention needs to be to get a nice image. Thanks Thomas.

[@srodigital]

Thank goodness you confirmed what I've been thinking Thomas. I thought it was just me that was experiencing leaves only just changing colour and then already falling off the trees in significant numbers...so much for me getting more autumnal photography in this year. Perhaps you could upgrade your van to the loaner van, sell your current van to give Adam Gibbs's a better van...then happy landscape photog's all round...just a thought like 😊. Thanks for the video. Take care.

[@andyblessett1951]

Have you seen the cost of postage between the UK and Canada!! 🤣🤣

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

Yeah, Gavin told Ananda he is going to sell his camper truck... but I don't think she will let him. He forgot to say "Mother may I" before making the blunt announcement. You should have seen her face!

[@andyblessett1951]

@@cliftonwhittaker260 mmm...can understand that! I used to like watching Gav and his antics, but now, he irritates the shit out of me. Lets hope he's not doing that to Amanda. She's a lovely lady.

[@daveabernathey]

​@@andyblessett1951he's mellowed quite a bit since when I started watching him 4 years ago. You should give him another try.

[@marckristensen946]

Nice to see that even professionals can struggle sometimes. Makes on feel that it's not only you. I just hope that too much pressure won't take the joy of photography away. I always focus on keeping that joy, otherwise there's no point.

[@timwootton4649]

The first image is the best one imho, but I would have loved to explore the old slate building with some lightpainting under a full moon!

[@DavidHarrisGRI]

The drone clips were the best images to me. They were actually quite nice.

[@wolfypics7339]

B roll as usual had some good ones too ;)

[@amsenita8017]

Thanks Thomas. I enjoyed watching this video. Nice to see your perspective. Fall colors don’t always show up when expected.

[@christopherharrison3597]

After watching your videos for years now, I have seen many times when you leave empty handed, but you always bounce back Tom, I really liked the images you did get today though and winter is coming!

[@huulongphotography]

This time, although there were no beautiful autumn photos, I experienced beautiful nature.

[@Jake-vt4ow]

I love your first image of the birch tree that is split in two.

[@philipculbertson55]

Yeah, you said it early on. Too picky. I enjoyed it though. Perfection is often the greatest enemy we face and I am certainly not immune. Glad to see others share the pain.

[@tim.poirier]

I live in Eastern Canada and we experienced a similar thing last year as a hurricane rolled through and stripped the trees of their leaves before they had a chance to change. Thankfully that did not happen this year and we had lots of vibrant colours!!! 🍁🍁

[@scotty4418]

I think the first image worked better than the final image on this occasion Tom, to me had a more autumnal vibe to it. Hopefully your trip up North will be productive and nature is holding on to its colour for you to bag some images

[@zenshutter]

Have you ever thought about using your drone to do landscape photography? especially in today's video location. It's awesome tool for patterns, abstract etc

[@wolfypics7339]

Haha agreed but he doesn't..even the B roll had better pics that he never takes with his main cam nearly every video :(

[@christocrafford1812]

As always, great to watch your travels and chasing your passion. Keep doing what you doing.....❤

[@GMC43]

I keep finding myself time after time after time going out with the camera these days and not taking a single picture. We getting fussy I remember when I first picked up a camera I'd go out and take pictures of anything and everything 😂 all part of the job / hobby. Good job I'm packing my bag and off out after watching this Tom. Let's hope I get a decent image.

[@jtkyber]

I love your relatively minimal editing style

[@Rburg00]

Both photos are beautiful, you handled the composition of the first really well, lots of components that worked well, the 2nd one was stunning, so much wonderful atmosphere. Thank you!

[@JanicevD]

absolutely love that first picture.

[@StephenHOutdoors]

I feel the same way about Autumn this year in the Midwestern U.S.

[@subharerksubhongsang5602]

love autumn colour

[@ThomasHeatonPhoto]

Me too. I'm still hopeful 👍

[@MoritzBaldes]

Thank you for the video. It feels kinda good to see way more experienced people also struggle to get nice shots :)

[@gsum1000]

High Dam is hard to photograph. On the opposite side of the water to the dam itself, the circular path climbs the hill. The descent section down to the boardwalk is very good for photographs. If you follow the path over the hill towards Crossland, there is IMHO one of the best views in the Lake District where delicate birches straddle a drystone wall with a foreground of heather and bracken and the Coniston Fells providing the background. It's good in any weather at all times of the year.

[@graham2559]

That 1st shot was so soft yet vibrant in it`s own way, so Painterly and so worth the shot. Thank you.

[@Николай-ш6ц6в]

Very useful video. It says you may not bring load of photos from your every single trip. Sometimes you just enjoy walking around when conditions are not perfect. Thank you Tom.

[@DamianLakin-Hall]

Thomas, I see you have moved back to your previous camera for this video and left the Hasselblad on the shelf. Is this because you intend using it for certain types of photography or because you didn’t get on with it ? I get on really well with mine and use it for all genres of photography but I would be keen to hear your thoughts. Thank you for a great video as always.

[@blivieriphoto]

Dont fret none Tom. I rather enjoyed the video. I dont know what the first commenter was natting on about but i saw quite a few autumn colors. Maybe not typical, but what is typical anymore? Same old same old gets boring. Enjoyed it!! 😊

[@thomasphillips5850]

Both shots are great, the last shot I do like and the yellow leaves give some balance to the image. Great video as usual Tom thanks for taking us along.

[@youmustbethistall5861]

It's good to know that others struggle with late Autumn challenges when the leaves fall. Truly appreciate the thoughts on the approach and seeing viable images.

[@stevemeier7876]

The image you weren't sure about I think the best description I could come up with was calm in the kaos......I like it

[@neromir9898]

I love the first one actually! It's so calming

[@PMCN53]

That location is definitely HARD WORK! well done TH!

[@justinholding02]

It's hardly even started here in France. Everything is still green

[@danielpedersen6895]

Same here in Norway, autumn colors lasted very short this year. Dident expect the same in the UK though.

[@ThomasHeatonPhoto]

I don't think it's all across the UK, just the pocket that I had chosen to shoot.

[@demetriosjoannou]

It's turned so quickly this year. I wished it lasted a tad longer!

[@sarahneedham]

I agree about autumn this year in the UK. When I look back at photos from last year, there was so much colour on the trees. This year however, so many leaves have blown off!

[@jamesbarnes3063]

Beautiful, Thomas

[@ThomasHeatonPhoto]

Many thanks!

[@OYtree35]

The first image is just like an oil paint. So so gorgeous!

[@kaischmidt730]

thanks for including the unedited versions in the end!

[@albert25hoo]

Hi Thomas, my comments: great photo's! Both. The last one is perfectly balanced by the rocks on the right which have the same colour as the birch. The fearns and the autumn leaves tell the story: not yet blown away but to come blown away soon. In the first I really see the medaillions yout mentioned. They are not popping, but that is just autumn! Nice story, I recognize your problems in the field and that is good. Deliverst quality images instead of just nice images. And you end with two photo's, summarizing what you saw and felt. Bert.

[@MrMacroJesseSky]

Here in NY , the colors have been phenomenally vibrant (best in years). But as we haven’t seen rain for 30 days, it was very dry. So they came with a bang and went fast as well.

[@cmichaelhaugh8517]

I like the two shots but can’t help thinking about what could be done with those old slate houses and the moon or Milky Way.

[@jenniferdacreativeexplorer]

Great video! The struggle is so real and thanks for talking about it. When I can’t find an image, I turn my camera to black and white or use infrared filters and it never ceases to amaze me what I get!

[@romiemiller7876]

I’ve been using mob for years. Great company!

[@Stirlingdogwalking]

Scotland is the place to be. Our leaves are clinging on enjoying a last burst of dry sunny days.

[@SSGrille]

Very much worth exploring, I’m shouting “zoom in” here at my screen. When I get stuck with a “whole scene” I default to details. All those piles of slate would have kept me there all night. Thanks for taking us along.

[@barbara98721]

At Bryce recently, my husband lost me and I ended up stuck at the meeting point for half the day. So I got a really good long look at one side of the canyon while I waited for him to figure it out. Nothing to do so I got out my camera. The first images were terrible. So bad I almost repacked the camera. As the day progressed I got a better feel for what I was seeing and when the light unexpectedly hit it was magic. The pinks, the oranges, the hoodoos, the pair of ravens, pure lovely magic. Then the light was gone and I was becoming impatient when a ranger tapped me on the shoulder and asked my name. Apparently husbands go to the wrong meeting points and then panic all the time. But back to Scotland, yes! what happened to their beautiful autumn?

[@brianbeattyphotography]

The post autumn / early November months are definitely challenging as scenes become pretty empty and brown without any benefit of snowy or icy conditions to provide additional interest.

[@trevorsneath4665]

Quite liked that last photo. It'd look good in a frame.

[@chrisparker5684]

Great video Thomas - I love the first image. Down here in Devon, it's a bit of a mix. Some nice colour, but most of the trees are still fairly green. It's also very mild, with little wind, so peak autumn may be some way off yet.

[@nannyg666]

That first image was fantastic!

[@neilbrennan8883]

Really fab, love your vids

[@ShaunMcG]

Have you shot that final composition before at a different time of year? I am getting serious Deja Vu

[@RFGfotografie]

Autumn this year is so confusing. You see so many leaves still green, but also trees totally without leaves already. Though there is a huge load of fog to and mushrooms explode everywhere. So, yeah, it's kinda, confusing. I am happy though to be a photographer now. The best season is here.

[@ClaytonDowling]

Autumn color requires the f/8 and be there principal in full force. It comes and goes so fast. Tuesday morning the trees were full of leaves. Tuesday night a gale blew in off Lake Michigan, and by Wednesday the trees were bare when I went out. I did still get a beautiful walk in the woods on my lunch though.

[@kojw7100]

It works 😊

[@jasongold6751]

It's not for lack of trying! Fall here also kinda thin..Trees losing leaves fast, no severe winds.. but day of severe winter cold and then warming up! The small viginettes work fine.

[@aaronmaloney8]

In my neighborhood , the autumn has been beautiful 🇬🇧

[@ThomasHeatonPhoto]

Where's your neighbourhood? To be fair, there is still plenty around, just not where I was on this day.

[@aaronmaloney8]

@ThomasHeatonPhoto Herefordshire, West Midlands.

[@stigfloberghagenphotography]

Very nice autumn video 👍🙂

[@PhotoTrekr]

All summer I look forward to Fall and the color it brings. But, some Falls are better than others. This year, unfortunately, isn't one of the better ones due to lack of rain. But, still, there's nowhere I'd rather be this time of year than in the mountains photographing Fall color.

[@chantallabelle8571]

I thought exactly the same thing today.I am living in quebec, Canada. My house is surrounded by beautiful maple trees that are usually colored in different colors of intense orange and red! This year, it took a long time before the color changes to a brownish color and the leaves almost fall off righ after, all at the same time!

[@angelinnz6796]

Loved the video. Also loved the old derelict building. Ignore the sad socks banging on your video. They are probably just jealous because they cant take photos LOL

[@mauricerijnders3507]

Indeed 🍂🍁

[@KL-os2sr]

Yeay! Nikon!! Happy to see you are still using it. I actually like when you previously used Canon and now Nikon, it’s relatable to me in my humble opinion , but it doesn’t matter. If I was gifted a hassy I’d use it too. Just me, as a commoner I don’t think I’d ever get the chance to use or afford one 😅. Keep doing what you do though

[@pascalthiebaud]

The strong contrast between the two trees helps a lot, I think. Maybe not the best you have done but totally honourable. 😀

[@mhc2b]

PS - Thank you so much also for providing "before & after" shots. Wish more You Tubers would do that!!

[@richardsmith5021]

Favoring the first photo.

[@Guy-Martin]

That was pretty rough with the lack of fall colors. But the first photo turned out beautiful, it's really nice! The second one just doesn't cut it, it's too busy and the composition is awkward. Thanks for sharing.

[@guycl2381]

Agree .... I would have zoomed in a lot more ... just the birch and the darker tree out of focus in the background ... :-) Kind regards, Guy

[@gohike]

Would the second image “work” better as a black and white? Or desaturate the green of the fern. The contrast between the two trees is definitely interesting but the green fern over powers the image IMO

[@pixel.catcher]

Honestly would have preferred watching a supercut of the drone GVs 😍

[@mariamullin4031]

Think the first image was the best of the two, lovely atmospheric scene

[@dan.allen.digital]

Have you tried any vertical panning ICM shots? About 1 second shutter at 100mm or so? Makes great use of the exposed tree trunks and splashes of leaf color remaining.

[@phynx2006]

The last image was interesting, I don't think if I walked by that scene I would have seen what you saw, I 'm sure I would have walked right on by. The final edited images came out okay, hey it beats sitting in an office 👍😎 just being out amongst the trees is serenity 🌳🌲🙏

[@cliftonwhittaker260]

Seems like I remember you shooting autumn pictures around an old quarry a few years ago. I really liked the results then and I really liked both shots today. Can't say which is my favorite but I seem to lean toward the contrast in the first one. Leaves are beginning to turn here. There will be individual patches of brilliant color but I don't expect much. It has only rained a couple or three times since early July so I expect the leaves to mostly fade a little bit and then fall off. That's OK. Some of my most interesting pictures come from hardy, lingering wildflowers and a few colorful leaves after it begins to frost.

[@neil9585]

Plenty of leaves on the trees in the south of England still. The storms mostly passed us by.

[@SamBugas]

Great video man, love the effort to make it work at the end of fall colors. I’ve been there and felt thoroughly discouraged haha.

[@howslands]

I converted a D5 and based it on your design Thomas. That one you have today is a Beut'

[@timrosenburgh8597]

Exactly, what happened to Autumn Thomas. I thought the square crop image at the end worked well. Catch you on the next one.

[@RFGfotografie]

Did you made the video lens that foggy, or is it's a effect of the weather?

[@BrasicOne]

You were clutching at straws!,,😊

[@niafer9444]

Thank you for the lovely, inspirational videos. I am just coming back into photography and I need to get a tripod and head. I mainly take stills/panos of the landscape. Is your recommendation still a IFOOTAGE Gazelle TC7 and Acrotech pano head? Seems a lot of money. Don't want to make a mistake :) Thanks again.

[@davidherrington5735]

Always take the picture, sometimes it’s a wonderful surprise when you get back to the computer. I like to square format and it’s a nice shot, simple a a modicum of color.

[@seandavis6458]

Thomas I think your were suffering from Seperation Anxiety as you Delica was not there!! I like the 2nd image with the birch trees and the remaining leaves.

[@brentjones571]

I think yoir right with not all of the uk as been effected with loss of 🍂.I went to peaks district, ladybower Derwent and was full of colour with the right conditions, lovely images tom with the area you photographed.

[@dpwrightjr109]

I enjoy seeing your videos and photos from the UK and Europe especially seeing the final image from where you’ve set up. Have you ever considered coming back the US for fall photography in New England or the Shenandoah mountains? I’m sure you won’t be disappointed!

[@Chromatomic]

The first image really does look like a painting and it's gorgeous. I also love the interplay of the silver birch and oak but that is such a hard subject to make work I'm curious what your breakdown on it would be now given the hesitation on the capture.

[@jirojiro1029]

Look at that tree standing in the lake at 3:38…..should be a nice subject

[@PhotoFullAuto]

I know this isn't your thing Thomas but can you please help with shooting banks and how you set your Z8 up for switching between video and photography, I can't find one that explains it well enough to set them up. ex Sony very amateur faffer who just bought into Nikon. might be a video for a rainy day.

[@melscreativelens]

Such an honest description of photography, it’s not easy to find the picture:-)

[@Distinctly.Average]

Have you ever considered chasing autumn down the UK? It takes 2-4 weeks to move from the north to the south. Would take a bit of planning but much make for an interesting series

[@catepearce2138]

Hi, I prefer the simplicity of the first photo, re: the second shot I remember you saying something like 'not a good idea to include half a tree if you can help it.' Thanks for sharing your search for photographical images in uninspiring circumstances, still good to be out and about though.😊

[@nicolasbertin8552]

Worry not my friend, if it's not autumn in your place anymore, you can always go further south where it hasn't fully hit yet. In France it's usually at its peak in early november in the northern regions (at sea level ofc) and late november in the south of the country. Or next year you could do what I do, visit Scandinavia in september, to have autumn enjoyment there, then have it a second time coming home.

[@krimke881]

That last shot is something I wouldn't even though about. Or more to say; ignored by choice. But I can see now how all the photos, once slightly edited, actually are quite nice.

[@NorbreckAquatics]

Great image's

[@BrownieX001]

It's been beautiful autumn colours where I am. Just no time to go out and find a location worth shooting.

[@J5388T]

First shot for me!

[@salvatoreventura8667]

Absolutely love your first image: nice pallet of colors. I find the last image too busy. As usual, really enjoyed your video.

[@Nova_Shiny]

This is my first autumn having gotten my DSLR at the start of september and I am also struggling to find inspiration with the trees being pretty bare and the colours being quite pale 😅

[@richardbirger2245]

in my humble opinion the last image, birch, oak, bracken should have been a monochrome, I think the color tales away from the textures, which to my eye are the strongest elements ... why they make vanilla and chocolate ice creme