Whether you are an amateur photographer or a professional, the fall season in Montreal offers amazing opportunities to practice your photography.
Last weekend, I decided to take some photos of the trees at the mountain Mont Royal. The colors were/are amazing.
Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to come to Mont Royal to take some photos, but there are so many places around the city where you can just take out your camera and capture the color transformation of the trees.
Here are some ideas to photograph the beauty of trees in Montreal:
Find a single tree standing on its own
The lone-tree-in-the-field shot is a nature photography classic, and for good reason: You get a strong main subject, you get a beautiful background, and you can often frame the tree against a beautiful sky.
Note that you’ll need to carefully position the lone tree in your composition. If the tree is symmetrical, putting it smack-dab in the middle of the frame can work. Otherwise, you’ll want to consider the rule of thirds, which encourages you to put the tree a third of the way into the frame.
If you can get close, try using a wide-angle lens to show the entire tree in all its glory. You can also zoom out to create interesting minimalist images (with the tree framed by the beautiful background).
And if you can’t get close to the tree, consider using a telephoto lens. You’ll get a more compressed look, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing (and it can help you blur the background, too).
So the next time you’re navigating you way around Montreal, look around for potential subjects. Make sure you check out the background, too, as you don’t want the viewer to be distracted by elements positioned off in the distance.
Look for tree tunnels
This is another classic tree photo: The tree tunnel, which features two rows of trees leading off into the distance:
Here, it’s important that you find two unbroken, symmetrical rows of trees. You need a strong leading line in the center, and the tighter the tree lines, the better.
You can experiment with different depth of field approaches for creative images. A deep depth of field will show lots of detail, while a narrow depth of field has the potential to create highly artistic images.
If you can, include a person or two in the background; that way, the viewer has an obvious place to rest their eyes.
Finding a tree tunnel shouldn’t be so difficult. If you have two rows of threes in a street, that’s a tree tunnel. Just walking around must residential neighborhoods in Montreal should give you access to a tree tunnel.
Focus on the details
Compositions that include the entire tree are nice…
…but tree detail images can be beautiful, too! In fact, trees offer all kinds of potential for amazing detail shots. Here are some items to consider:
- Leaves. You can focus on a single leaf and widen the aperture for a beautiful bokeh background. Or you can grab a macro lens and focus even closer (so you highlight the leaf’s veins).
- Bark. Trees offer beautifully textured bark, so get up close and use a deep depth of field for plenty of detail. For maximum texture, position yourself so the bark is side lit.
- The trunk. Observe the root system around the trunk. See what patterns you can photograph at the foot of the tree.
- Branches. Take a minute to look up. Interlocking branches can create beautiful patterns, especially when they’re silhouetted against a bright sky.
Use trees as portrait backgrounds
Not every tree image needs to use the tree as the main subject; you can also use trees as stunning backgrounds.
Portrait photos, in particular, benefit from tree backdrops. You can use tree tunnels to frame your subject, or you can position a lone subject near a lone tree for a minimalistic effect.
Plus, in summer and fall, tree leaves make gorgeous background bokeh. Just put your subject in front of a leafy tree, widen the aperture, and watch as you create jaw-dropping portraits! This approach works especially well if you shoot during the golden hours and the background leaves are lit by the setting sun.
Tree photography: final words
Trees make amazing subjects, plus they’re everywhere!
So remember these tree photography tips. Then head out with your camera and have fun. You’re bound to capture some stunning photos! Make sure you share some of your photos on social media, they always make your followers happy.