Capturing the Mystery of Fall on Film

Put on your coat for Autumn season, or your costumes if you're partying for Halloween! Because the days are getting shorter, it may seem that the opportunities for taking photographs are very limited (especially if you love to shoot in natural lighting). How about using the longer nights to your advantage and try to shoot mysterious, moody photos this Fall? Here are some ideas to consider.

Choose Your Muse

If you're aiming for a Halloween photo, it's easy to have someone hold a spooky prop or put on a creepy makeup. But most of the time, a photo with a simple setup and minimal props make a bigger visual impact. Create a concept with your subject using limited objects. Instead, rely on shadows, textures, light, and reflections. It's important to collaborate with your muse — they should be willing to emote and help set the mood.

Let It Grain

Light leaks and grain are natural occurrences in film photography. Grain usually shows up when you shoot in low ISO, while light leaks are more unpredictable. There's no way of telling when and where exactly you'll get them. Sometimes the light eats up the entire photo, sometimes it appears more discreetly in a corner of your photograph, across your subject ... you get the point! The riskier route is to slightly (and VERY quickly) open the camera door to let some light in or to squeeze your finished 120 roll gently. Proceed with caution, though — there's a chance that you might expose the entire roll of film!

Soften Your Exposures

Flowy figures, almost ghostly and haunting, but still beautiful. Achieve this effect when you shoot long exposures in Bulb mode, using any camera that allows you to do so (just check if it has a B setting). Similarly, a pinhole camera will do the job too. Just prop your camera on a tripod or a sturdy surface and keep that shutter open for as long as you wish. Double the creativity with multiple exposures and have fun with it!

Warm Up With Redscale

Last but not least, how can we forget the warm colors of autumn? Doing the redscale technique or simply loading a ready roll of redscale film (ahem, may we suggest the Lomography Redscale XR 50-200) can give you varied results — from comforting honey colors to fiery reds. So whether you're aiming for the warm coziness of autumn or the spooky mood of Halloween, going redscale is a great choice, too.

Anything more to add to these tips? Share them in the comments box below!

2019-11-15 #pinhole #monochrome #long-exposure #redscale #autumn #grain #light-leaks #fall #bulb