Autumn is a magical time of year.

The leaves are turning.

The evening sky is lit in amber and purple.

And the leaves begin to turn as mother nature prepares for winter’s arrival.

Fall Photography Tips

Explore the world around you and capture the beauty of Autumn with these five fall photography tips:

1. Take advantage of the soft, golden light during the Golden Hours.

Shooting in the harsh light of the midday sun can be quite difficult. Take advantage of the soft, golden light during the Golden Hours – the first hour or so after sunrise and the last hour or so before sunset when the sun is at its sweetest. Early morning light lends a soft, golden tone to your photographs while early evening light casts a stronger golden-orange tone to your images. Both are great at bringing out the reds and golds that are prevalent around this time of year.

2. Don’t underestimate an overcast day.

Shooting in harsh sunlight tends to drown out colors and cast heavy shadows, but overcast days have the opposite effect. Cloudy skies diffuse the sunlight and vibrant leaves pop against gray, overcast skies; perfect for landscape photographs.

3. Embrace the haze.

A subtle haze often settles in during the early morning and late evening hours. Embrace the haze and the dramatic effect that it lends to landscape photography.

4. Capture stunning portraits outdoors.

Golden fall light is extremely flattering at dawn or dusk and makes for beautiful portrait lighting. Incorporate colorful fall foliage into your background to help fill your frame. Shoot from above while your subject lies in a pile of leaves.

5. Look for contrasts and find creative, new ways to photograph autumn leaves.

Showcase fall’s glorious colors by creating interesting contrasts. Photograph bright red leaves against green grass and yellow leaves against a vibrant blue sky.

6. Capture a tree changing colors through daily time-lapse photos.

Get the entire family involved in a fun fall photography project! Photograph the same tree from the same spot at the same time each day for 30 days and watch the glory of fall unfold right before your eyes. Once you’ve captured your photos, convert them into an animated gif, an endless loop of images displayed in a specific order, by using a free tool like Photoscape. If you’d like to learn more about time-lapse photography, DPS is a great place to start.

Have fun, get creative and experiment with different angles and lighting while capturing the beauty of fall.

Share Your Fall Photos

Don’t forget to join Rebecca of Bumbles & Light and I in the Nurture Photography Fall Photo Challenge.

We’ve got tips, tutorials, freebies and inspiring weekly prompts to nurture your love of photography, make your memories flourish and capture the beauty of fall. It all starts on Friday, October 5, 2012. Stop by the Nurture Photography Autumn Photo Challenge page for a complete list of prompts and to learn more.