Taking Photos In Autumn & Winter

Autumn/Winter is actually my favourite time of the year to take photographs. It can be hard chasing the light and the darker evenings are a pain when inspiration hits and there's no natural light left to shoot, but for me, nothing compares to the soft light that cloudy winter days bring! 

Here's a few tips and tricks that help me to make the most of the light on Autumn/Winter days..

Timing
Learn the time of day that gives you the best light - this can be quite a personal thing as it depends which way your home faces. I like to take note of where the sun is at my favourite time to shoot and then alter the time accordingly throughout the seasons. For me now, the light is best in my home at around 11am-1pm, whereas in summer it's normally 2pm onwards. If you can bulk shoot at these times, it can help to keep your photo quality consistent!

Work with the weather

Light grey cloud filled or foggy day's are my favourite to shoot on (just not dark, gloomy rainy clouds!). Bright, clear skies/sunny days are ideal for interior shots, but can be a little harsh for flatlays. I find that sunny days can also sometimes be a little temperamental, add scattered clouds and gusts of wind and it can be a nightmare waiting for the right light! 

Plan ahead

I believe that it's so important to be organised in Autumn/Winter for good photo quality. Check the weather for the best times to shoot, plan out and jot down which products you need to include in your flatlays and if inspiration does hit of a dark evening, lay out your products roughly and take a quick phone snap so that you can quickly set up the next day! Knowing your layouts can really help for bulk shooting - you can spend less time sorting (and loosing precious daylight hours) and more time taking pics!

Equipment

Invest in a reflector, or diy one like I have! It's ideal for bouncing the light back and minimising shadows. I also like to use white surfaces or have light and airy backgrounds like marble, soft blankets or fluffy throws to keep things bright! 

Editing

A little editing can go a long way in autumn and winter, I like to tweak and adjust on Pixelmator to brighten up my images. Usually I use the curves tool to lighten, I sometimes alter the contrast, remove some of the blue tones (if needed) and sharpen the image for the finishing touch. 

I hope these help!