Five Tips for Photographing Fall Colors on Colorado’s Western Slope

As fall moves into western Colorado, now is the time for your fall photo shoot. Here are five tips to help you make the best of the colors.

• Use A Camera - Smartphones are great for sharing photos, but nothing beats a device specifically designed to take pictures to get the very best shots, especially if you want to frame and hang them. Also, if you normally only use your camera's auto setting, try some of the other settings and see what happens. Unlike people, trees and leaves don't move quickly so you'll have plenty of time to experiment.
• Photograph Big And Photograph Small - Large swaths of color are great but, according to outdoor photographer Steve Taylor, so are small groups or individual leaves. Taylor says he doesn't use a lens longer than 100mm even for the long shots.
• Look For Something To Make The Photo Unique - Contrast in colors, scenery or landmarks can turn your photo of a bunch of trees and leaves into something spectacular.
• Sunlight Can Be Your Friend And Enemy - Sometimes, what makes part of your shot brilliant, can also make another part dark. In many cases, the answer is as simple as using your flash to balance the light. If that doesn't work, try moving to a different position or come back a different time when the sun has moved and try again.
• Keep Your Camera Handy - This time of year, I have my camera with me almost all the time. The colors seem to change every few days, so a place that wasn't all that interesting a week ago, turns into one of the most colorful spots to get that perfect fall colors photo today.

South Canyon Near Glenwood Springs

Old Eagle, Colorado Bridge