Years ago, I saw this cynical comment on a website or forum related to nature and landscape photography: “The world does not need another aspen photo.” I’ll get to that sentiment later but before doing so, I’ll acknowledge that the same could be said about this blog post: “The world does not need another article about fall nature photography.” This morning, an email landed in my inbox with what I thought included some bad advice for photographing fall colors and that email started a journey into the Google rabbit hole of articles on this topic. After reading some of the articles at the top of my search results, I decided I had a bit more to add on the topic than is generally covered.

Nearly all of these “how to photograph fall colors” articles set photographers up for disappointment and encourage limited thinking by emphasizing the importance of getting your timing perfect for peak fall colors and seeking out the “best” weather, light, and locations. These ideas suggest that everything needs to align to create worthwhile photography conditions. My years of experience conversely show that conditions are rarely optimal so cultivating a different mindset and greater adaptability can both enhance the experience of being outside during autumn and result in a more interesting, personal, and diverse body of work.

Generally, our thinking and practices can limit our opportunities or expand them. I want to choose the practices and ideas, like the four lessons I share below, that expand my opportunities.