Anyone can get great photos from amazing scenery, but it takes a different eye to capture compelling images of scenes where no compelling subject stands out—like if you’re in a forest, surrounded by nothing but trees! Level up your photographic eye and skills with these techniques to try the next time you’re in the forest. (Reported by: Takashi Karaki, Digital Camera Magazine)

EOS R5/ RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM/ FL: 15mm/ Manual exposure (f/5.6/ 1/250 sec)/ ISO 800/ WB: Auto

 

1. Bottom-up shots: Find the convergence point and create a kaleidoscopic composition

EOS R5/ RF24-105mm f/4L IS USM @ FL: 37mm/ f/5.6, 1/40 sec, ISO 800

Have you ever looked through a kaleidoscope? That’s exactly what tall trees clustered together look like when photographed from directly below, especially with their colourful leaves in autumn.

For better visual harmony, borrow from the concept of radial balance: find the convergence point and put it in the centre of the frame.

- Step 1: Look for a group of trees with crowns that overlap nicely.
- Step 2: Put the overlap in the centre of your frame. You’re not done yet.
- Step 3: Turn your attention to the trunks and branches in the frame. Imagine they are lines radiating out from a visual centre. Where is it?
- Step 4: Adjust your shooting position so that you’re shooting directly under this visual centre.

Ultimately, you want to create a clear convergence point, which will create a sense of depth in the image. This convergence point should be where the tree crowns overlap, and it should also coincide with the visual centre of the branches and trunks.

 

 

 

2. Shoot low angle close to a tree to convey its majesty

EOS R/ RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM @ FL: 24mm/ f/7.1, 1/125 sec, ISO 250

Some trees have a unique shape that you want to bring out in your photo, like the Japanese beech tree in the photo above with its characteristic tall and straight trunk. To give the tree trunk sufficient visual weight while complementing it with the vibrant autumn leaves, I used an ultra-wide-angle lens (in this case, the RF15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM) and took a low-angle shot from close to the base of the tree, applying diagonal composition.

I placed the tree trunk and branches in the corners of the frame where ultra-wide-angle perspective exaggeration is more prominent. This makes the tree look taller and bigger.

Also see:
Exploring Wide Angle Lenses Part 2: Composition Techniques for Wide-Angle Lenses

A: Shot as close to the tree as possible at the lens’ closest focusing distance, looking upward.
B: Shot from 2m away. The tree doesn’t look as grand, and its branches don’t seem to spread as far.

 

3. Bring out the rhythm in the tree trunks

There’s something alluring about an army of tree trunks rising vertically, each one standing in quiet rhythm with the next. Taking a photo that does them justice is the tricky part: it’s so easy to end up with something that looks cluttered!

The key is to remember what makes the scene attractive: the rhythm of the tree trunks. Here’s what you can try:
- Step 1: Look for straight tree trunks.
- Step 2: Use a longer focal length to frame them tightly so that unwanted objects like fallen leaves are out of the frame. 
- Step 3: Adjust your shooting angle and composition so that the trunks in the background look neat.

 

 

 

4. Backlit shots: Preserve the blue sky for more vibrant colours

Underexposed to preserve the sky
EOS R/ Ultra-wide-angle zoom lens @ FL: 16mm/ f/7.1, 1/160 sec, ISO 400

Exposed for the leaves: Sky is blown out; some parts look washed out

Backlight passing through leaves can make their colours look more vibrant. But if you expose for the leaves and blow out the sky, you might end up losing colours instead. In the example above, only the warm tones stand out, making the image look more washed out.

Prevent that by underexposing the shot to preserve the colours in the sky. Having the blue sky in the image complements the autumn leaves and makes the colours look richer.

 

Post-production: Watch out for red colour cast on tree trunks

To enhance the colours of autumn foliage, many photographers add warmth to their shot or enhance the reds and oranges. This can add an unnatural red colour cast to tree trunks. Neutralise it by applying a radial mask to the affected area and adjusting the colour temperature.

 

Here's a video that might help you see the difference better. It's one of those subtle details that can affect the overall impact of the picture!