Before the best of the autumn colours are blown and washed away in the unsettled weather, I set off to grab a few more pictures yesterday of what the season has to offer…

Autumn colours at their best.

The bright colours contrasting with the dark background of water caught my eye, even on a dull day in Skipton!

Colour and reflection.

I looked for a smaller collection of leaves where the rippled reflections give more of a sense of movement. My final shot in this trio of autumn colours takes me back to the wonderful beech tree’s lovely yellows and brown hues.

Dense colour.

 

The branches tend to give relatively flat ‘sheets’ of small neat leaves which are easier to photograph. Choosing a smaller depth of focus is less of a concern when you need a faster shutter speed.

From nature to something rather more man-made; Lancaster’s annual fireworks display give a fitting finale to this blog….

Lancaster and The Lune.

I believe luck plays a large part in photographing fireworks. Location is everything too, when it sets the scene and illustrates where you are. I find Skerton Bridge a great spot. As most people watching want to get closer it’s not busy there. I like to use the river, Greyhound Bridge and the city skyline to create a more striking photo.

The fireworks finale.

 

The best shots are usually towards the end when most displays build towards the finale. In this shot I set the camera shutter to open for 30 seconds, chose 250 ISO and used a card to cover and uncover the lens to catch the best bits. The result is a rather over-the-top and less natural looking multiple-exposure, than the previous photo, but fun to experiment with nonetheless.

Photo within a photo.

 

On any occasion, I will quite often see a photo within a photo. Assuming your shot has good resolution and is sharp, try cropping to create something completely different. I think it actually looks more natural and focuses on the city skyline, eerily lit by the glow of  the fireworks.

Firework crazy!

Finally, and just going a bit mad, I zoomed right in on the heart of the multiple fireworks shot to create something rather dramatic.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed my ‘last blast’ of the season. More Photographer’s Ramblings Coming Soon. Happy snapping!