The Canon Magazine 35
Head for the forest
Trees are such common subjects for
photography that they need little or no
introduction. From neat rows of evergreens to more
naturally positioned deciduous species, trees can provide a
wealth of great images all year round. The same forest can
change completely from one season to the next, so regular
visits to capture the changes as they occur are worthwhile.
Autumn, winter and spring are great for mist and fog,
although mist can also occur during the summer months.
Bluebells in spring can cover the forest floor in a blanket of
colour, while autumn is all about warm colours as the leaves
begin to turn to incredible red and orange hues. And let’s notforget evergreens that maintain their vivid colour
throughout the year, with their perfectly straight trunks
that appear to erupt out of the ground.
Photographing trees follows all the same technical
and creative rules as standard landscape photography.
Sharpness, depth of field and composition remain as
important as ever, although there is a little bit more room
in a forest to break the rules of composition than you’ll get
with some other subjects.
You’ll almost certainly get the best result heading out
at the extreme ends of the day around sunrise and sunset.
With the sun lower in the sky, the forest will look amazing
back- or side-lit, and mist is always a huge bonus.Ch
ris
He
pb
ur
n
13