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 5G1
This time of year, the vibrancy of fall leaves can be tricky to capture on camera. That's why we partnered with photographer Guillaume St. Amand (@guillaume.stamand) to give us tips on how he uses his Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G1 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 colorful and the light will be easier to work with." 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 colors naturally—no filters required.
"Golden hour is your best friend in fall."
– Guillaume St. Amand
Grab the best shots from 8K video
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, a great autumn action shot can be captured by the 8K Video Snap feature on your Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G. Take, for example, this photo of Bruce, St. Amand's goofy, fall-loving pup, running through the leaves.2 By shooting an 8K video of his dog, then scrubbing through the clip 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 colors of their outfit. On the topic of how to dress your model, St. Amand suggests keeping it simple. "For the wardrobe, I always prefer something colorful and bright so there is a great contrast," he says.
Give colors a pumpkin-spice boost
Sometimes, the colors of the trees you see around you don't seem so vivid when you look 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 your choices. If you're not an expert, think of adjusting Pro mode settings as similar to adding pumpkin spice to your latte: a little goes a long way.
No selfie stick required
Finally, let's talk about selfies. Shooting a self-portrait in fall is 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 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 fall colors?
Explore the perfect devices for shooting foliage.
Galaxy S21 | S21+ | S21 Ultra 5G
- 1Requires optimal 5G network connection, available in select markets. Check with your carrier for availability and details. Download and streaming speeds may vary based on content provider, server connection and other factors.
- 2Still images copied from 8K Video Snap files are limited to 33MP resolution.
