Photographer Michael Shainblum recently shared insights into capturing the vibrant autumn colors of the Utah mountains. His latest video focuses on finding order within the diverse fall tones, creating striking compositions from natural patterns, textures, and the interplay of light. Shainblum emphasizes a deliberate, patient approach over chasing fleeting moments.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Shainblum's video explores fall color landscape photography in Utah.
- He focuses on abstract patterns and textures rather than grand vistas.
- A telephoto lens helps isolate color variations and vertical rhythms.
- Diffused light from overcast skies enhances depth and tone in foliage.
- Shainblum demonstrates patience, waiting for light and weather to evolve.
- He uses both telephoto and wide-angle lenses to adapt to conditions.
Observing Color and Light with a Telephoto Lens
Shainblum begins his photographic journey by using a Sony 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 GM OSS lens. He targets a distant hillside, illustrating how zooming in on specific color variations can create abstract, painterly effects. The hillside features a mix of greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. This technique helps to break down an expansive scene into smaller, manageable compositions.
His preferred camera settings hover between f/8 and f/11. He sets his focus to infinity to ensure crisp details across the entire frame. This approach allows him to capture the subtle shifts in patterns as light changes and wind moves through the foliage. He also experiments with elements like sagebrush, using it to introduce contrast against the brighter leaves. Darker pine trees provide strong vertical lines, cutting through the bright autumn colors.
Photography Fact
Using a telephoto lens (like a 400mm) for landscape photography allows photographers to compress perspective and isolate details, creating abstract compositions from distant scenes. This differs from wide-angle lenses, which emphasize expansive views.
Patience and Observation in the Field
A key aspect of Shainblum's method is his patience. He does not rush to capture the light. Instead, he waits for it to evolve, observing how small changes can transform an ordinary hillside into a layered study of color and texture. This slow, deliberate process allows him to anticipate how light and weather will interact with the landscape in real time.
"The process isn’t about finding a single perfect composition but observing how patterns shift with light and wind," Shainblum explains in his video.
Emphasizing Texture and Depth Closer to the Treeline
As Shainblum moves closer to the treeline, he adjusts his technique to emphasize texture. He continues to use his telephoto lens, but now he tightens his frame. This allows him to isolate the vertical rhythm of aspen trunks and highlight the interplay between warm and cool tones in the leaves. The diffused light, often brought by incoming storms, plays a crucial role in enhancing these details.
Harsh direct sunlight tends to flatten the appearance of leaves, reducing their visual depth. However, under overcast skies, the diffused light reveals the true depth and tone of the foliage. This softer light creates a more nuanced and vibrant image. When rain begins, Shainblum increases his ISO settings. He maintains a shutter speed fast enough to preserve detail, even as wind gusts move the trees.
Understanding Diffused Light
Diffused light occurs when light is scattered, often by clouds or fog, rather than shining directly. This type of light reduces harsh shadows and highlights, creating a softer, more even illumination that can bring out subtle colors and textures in subjects like autumn leaves.
Balancing Creativity with Technical Control
Shainblum's approach demonstrates a practical balance between creative vision and technical control. He shows how the beauty of a photograph comes less from extensive post-processing and more from understanding and anticipating environmental conditions. This includes how light and weather will work together to shape the scene. His real-world application of these principles provides valuable lessons for landscape photographers.
Capturing Dramatic Skies with a Wide-Angle Lens
As the weather shifts and a storm builds, Shainblum changes his lens. He switches to a Sony 28mm f/2 wide-angle lens. This allows him to capture the broader drama unfolding above the hills. During this period, a rainbow appears, stretching across a grove of aspen and pine trees. This moment provides a dramatic visual element to the landscape.
To capture the full scope of the rainbow and the expansive sky, Shainblum stitches together five vertical images in Adobe Lightroom. This creates a panorama that feels both vast and intimate. His excitement during this sequence is evident. It comes from witnessing the scene evolve rapidly, second by second. Even with rain texturing the frame, he carefully preserves highlight detail in the sky and the bright yellows of the trees.
- Lens Change: From telephoto (100-400mm) to wide-angle (28mm).
- Reason: To capture sweeping skies and environmental drama.
- Technique: Five vertical images stitched into a panorama.
- Outcome: Vast and intimate scene with a rainbow.
This sequence highlights the balance between patience and spontaneity in landscape photography. It shows how photographers must adapt to rapidly changing conditions while still maintaining a clear artistic vision. Shainblum's video offers a comprehensive look at these techniques, providing practical advice for capturing the dynamic beauty of autumn landscapes.
For those interested in further developing their landscape photography skills, resources like Michael Shainblum's video provide detailed guidance on both artistic vision and technical execution. Understanding how to work with light, weather, and different lenses can significantly enhance a photographer's ability to capture compelling images.