How to Pull Off the Perfect
Fall Photoshoot
Create all kinds of fresh, frame-worthy, shareable autumn portraits with these pro tips.
Captured with the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
This time of year, the leaves can seem more vibrant than your camera can capture. That's why we partnered with photographer Guillaume St. Amand (@guillaume.stamand) to give us tips on how he uses his Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G to achieve stunning autumn shots of his native Laurentides, Quebec. Even if you don’t have a subject as photogenic as St. Amand’s dog, Bruce, after mastering these tricks, you'll nail the perfect fall photoshoot every time.
Remember the golden hour
Telling someone to shoot during golden hour is Photography 101, but there's a special reason why the hour before sunset or after sunrise is the perfect time to shoot fall photos. "Golden hour is your best friend in fall," St. Amand says. "The leaves look colourful and the light will be easier to work with." Why? It all comes down to palette matching. When the maple, elm and oak leaves rustling around you are already different shades of gold, the light near sunset deepens their colours naturally—no filters required.
"Golden hour is your best friend in fall."
Save only the best shots
Fall may feel peaceful, but that doesn't mean it keeps still. Whether it's leaves drifting down from the canopies or a photo of a frenzied leaf fight in progress, the 8K Video Snap feature on your Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G is the key to snapping a great autumn action shot. Take, for example, this photo of Bruce, St. Amand's goofy, fall-loving pup, running through the leaves. By shooting an 8K video of his dog, then scrubbing through it to find the right still, St. Amand was able to guarantee that the final shot was perfectly in focus...no matter how silly and over-excited Bruce may have been at the moment.
Take the perfect fall portrait
Fall is the most enchanting time of year to take a picture of someone you love. But whether you're shooting a loved one or a pet, there are a few things you can do to make your fall portraits more magical. First, get creative with how you juxtapose your model against the natural backdrop of the season. For example, have them lay down in a leaf pile, or place a perfect branch of leaves between your model and the camera to accentuate the colours of their outfit. And speaking of outfits, St. Amand suggests keeping it simple. "For the wardrobe, I always prefer something colourful and bright so there is a great contrast," he says.
Give colours a pumpkin-spice boost
Sometimes, the colours of the trees you see all around you don't seem so vivid when you’re looking at them through a camera lens. For these moments, St. Amand recommends using Pro mode, which lets you manually adjust your exposure levels as well as the white balance and saturation of your photos to really make them stand out. "I only use luminosity, contrast, saturation and highlights," St. Amand explains. Just be subtle about it. Unless you're an expert, think of adjusting these settings like pumpkin spice: a little goes a long way.
No selfie sticks required
Finally, let's talk about selfies. Selfies in fall are tricky, because you're not just trying to squeeze in your own face, or the face of a loved one, but all of the staggering natural beauty that surrounds you. That's why St. Amand recommends using the Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G's Wide Selfie mode. Even when taking a selfie from a mere arm's length away, you’ll still get a full panorama of the warmest reds, oranges and yellows that autumn can muster. After all, the beauty of this time of year is fleeting. Don't you want to remember it year round?
Ready to capture the colours?
Here are the perfect devices for shooting the foliage.
Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
