Shooting Fall Foliage

[canonloader]

North America is supposed to have the worlds best Fall foliage display. I now have an ultra wide angle lens, a Tokina 12-24, and it is sharp with great colors on both the 40D and the old 1D. I have been looking around for the last 2 or 3 weeks at the places I have to shoot from, with views of hillsides, mountainsides, in the woods with the trees, long distance and up close perspectives, and I have been practicing, getting ready, getting the feel for it. Now they are just starting to change.

But I am getting the idea that the UWA is maybe not the best lens for this. My next closest "wide angle" is the 70-200/4. And I'm not sure it's going to do it either. And unfortunately, I don't have anything between the 24 and 70mm range and won't be able to afford it before the leaves are gone.

Any suggestions, how do you shoot them, what lenses do you use? And feel free to post examples.

[engsetr1]

You should be able to nice shots with any lens, I find sometimes when I don't have the "right lens" or there is NO obvious photo op's is when you get the best shots! It makes you think outside the box!

[canonloader]

Your right in general, any decent lens FL should take good pics, and do. I guess I am looking for examples and what lenses were used to take them, EXIF data and such. It's hard to explain what I am after, so pics work better, but I generally learn what I am after in these types of threads.

[chauncey]

I bought a wide angle lens for a recent trip to Colorado and as hindsight, I think it was a mistake.

Took numerous "test" shots using the WA and compared them to several photomerged series done with my 70-200.
After cropping to equalize the scenes, I found no discernable differences in the IQ's of the images.

In the future my lens selection will be based, in large part, to the MFT characteristics, but only for static subjects.

As far as to how/what to shoot, I'm struggling with the same questions and look forward to more input.

[canonloader]

Chauncy, I was offered the loan of this Tokina 12-24 from a member that lives about 60 miles from here. I immediately fell in love it it. Partly due to the fact that it is an EF mount and not an EF-s mount configuration. Meaning that it works great on the 40D and the 1D Classic. Aside from it being a remarkably well made lens, better I feel than either the Canon 10-22 or the Sigma 10-20, it has given new life to the old 1D. Those who say that megapixels don't count, are pretty much right when shooting ultra wide.

I think the lens is going to do great for single trees with great colors on them, or a small grove. The problem is with ultra wides, the lighting needs to be just so, or you end up with very dark areas where shadows are and very light areas in the sky. Dynamic range really makes itself known in ultra wides. Hopefully we will both see some nice examples posted.

By the way, I just did some Googling and found some great examples on of all things, the Weather Channel member photo section. Lot's of examples there, but unfortunately, the EXIF has been stripped from them. Worth a look though. Plenty of good and not so good shots.

[PhotosGuy]

But I am getting the idea that the UWA is maybe not the best lens for this.

It could work well with a good tree close to you & others in the distance.

others in the distance.

Generally, I think a WA makes them too small, & I'd prefer to shoot a pano with a longer lens to avoid that.
Don't forget to shoot some tele detail shots, too.
Fall Leaves 2007

[Mosca]

I'd take both lenses, and get some hillsides and closeups with the 12-24, and some hillsides and closeups with the 70-200. My limited knowledge tells me that that is four different ways to get great shots. I'm taking both my 70-200 and my 17-55 when I go to shoot foliage.

[canonloader]

Nice closeups Frank. I just got back from a shoot, scouting more hillsides. I found a few that will do good with the 70-200 or the 300/4, but are simply too far for any wide angle, with all kinds of wires and other man made junk in the foreground. I took both lenses, but never used the wide angle. I'll see what I got after processing them.

[wallybud]

35L or 135L for detail just kidding

Mitch are you serious the Tokina would be AWESOME! Just make sure you have a nice CPL on it when shooting in the fall...the Tokina can bring out some amazing color but reflections on the foliage will KILL color everytime...the CPL will make all your shots pop overcast day or not.

Also try to shoot with the foliage backlit (not all the way but maybe from a slight side angle) this allows the light to come through the back of the leaves and REALLY bring all of their detail and color out.

As for shots...think wooden fences/foggy mornings/20 minutes after sunrise (but w/o the sun in the frame) etc etc

Like 20mm shooting along a nice wooden fence leading you right up to a row of burning red foliage

Dont think you have to go way out there to get good fall shots...many great shots can come from quaint little town really early in the morning when no one is out

I plan to head up to the NH coast in mid oct to shoot and maybe even MASS if I can't wait that long

PS Use the 70-200 for isolating spectacular foliage or catching a single leave falling with many other trees in the bg...check this image out with the 35L

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...475&page=3#105

[michaelnel]

I'm headed to the Eastern Sierra to chase aspens the first weekend of October, taking the 40D, Tokina 11-16 f/2.8, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 and Canon 70-200 f/4L IS. I expect all of them will be useful depending on conditions.

[canonloader]

Walt, I have spent hours driving around to spots I know about, and the Tokina is just not going to cut it except for close ups of trees I am in the middle of. The lay of the land is hills and valleys, with very few overlooks available to see the opposite hillside of the valley. It's just too far for a wide angle to show anything but smears of color with no detail. I think the 70-200 might work here, if I can get line of sight. I'm still looking though.

[wallybud]

Will you be using a tripod? why smears of color

[canonloader]

I almost always use a tripod. Smears of color, because the other side of the valley is too far for a wide angle to show any kind of small detail, like leaves, even individual trees. I'm talking half a mile or more.

[wallybud]

OH lol well isn't that an obvious 70-200 shot? Im talking in town when normal streets and corner stores become gorgeous looking due to the colors that surround them. But if the 12-24 is too wide then your going to need something inbetween...? budget? lol

35mm X 1.6 will give you 54mm fov...that nice and in the middle?

[canonloader]

Budget for sure. I just had to buy some new transportation.

Eventually, I would like to get the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L. But I think that may have to wait till I replace my old 400/5.6 that I was stupid enough to sell last year.