Autumn is here for those of us in the Northern hemisphere, and I must admit that I’ve been hit with a strong case of Seasonal Infectious Disorder! Fall is my favorite time of year, and I’ve already begun to see the change of season reflected in my photography.

Fall signifies change – the shift in color and shedding of leaves, cooler temperatures, and the beginning of the rainy season here in the Pacific Northwest. The air itself feels crisp, the daylight hours become shorter, and the countdown to Halloween begins.

Most people feel energized when the sun is shining or when the weather heats up, but I’m the opposite. I thrive off of cooler temperatures and the Autumn rain.

The times, they are a changin’

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Enjoying my first Autumnal photo walk

This year, the season of change has hit me personally; my wife and I are both going through sudden career changes, which has forced us to take some time to reflect on what we want to do with our lives. I’ve also had more opportunities to devote to my art. I’ve been utilizing that time to focus on photography, catch up on reading blog posts, and to tap into our G+ community more often.

I’ve also decided to re-commit to a promise I made to myself at the beginning of the year: to go on regular photo walks. I primarily shoot indoors, but have been experimenting more and more with outdoor photography in 2017. I love walking, because I find it soothing and meditative. If I can combine that time with taking photos, I can kill two birds with one stone and turn some casual exercise into an opportunity for photography.

Easier said than done

I was pretty good about taking these walks earlier this year. Then… life got in the way. Work became overwhelmingly busy, my wife and I travelled across the country several times, I had two family weddings to attend… you know how it goes.

I went on my first photo walk in months earlier this week, and loved it. I walked a mile from my apartment and found a new park nearby that served as the perfect place for photography. I packed several figures with me and spent about two hours taking photos in the dead leaves. I was amazed at how different my photos looked in the new setting! I even did something I hardly ever do, which is turn my camera to its side and take some shots in portrait instead of landscape. I wanted the warm tones to fill as much of the frame as possible around my subjects.

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K-2SO contemplates the inevitable but beautiful death of living things.

I’ve since bookmarked the new park on my map, and hope to make it a go-to photo spot from now on. Indoors, I’ve brought my monster-themed Collectible Minifigures from Series 14 out of storage and have already taken some pictures to release throughout October.

Welcome back, Fall. I’ve missed you, and you couldn’t have returned at a better time. Now, I’m off to plan my next photo walk…

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Benny is ready for Fall too!

What say you, do you like Autumn? Have you utilized the change of season for your photography? 

-James

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