- Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8: A lightweight, wide-angle prime ideal for expansive landscape vistas.
- Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7: A compact mid-range lens for natural-perspective environmental shots.
- Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di III Macro VXD: A critical tool for capturing the smaller details of the season, from frost-covered leaves to the intricate patterns of fungi.
- Sigma 50-500mm: The "heavy hitter" of the kit, providing the reach necessary for wildlife and the ability to compress distant mountain ridges.
Garibaldi notes that her kit is fluid. As an editorial contributor, she often integrates loaner lenses into her bag for hands-on testing. This real-world application ensures that her reviews are based on the same rigorous field conditions she subjects her own gear to during the peak of the season.
Stability and Support: Balancing Weight and Rigidity
In the world of landscape photography, a tripod is often viewed as a mandatory burden. For Garibaldi, the choice of support is a calculated trade-off between stability and portability. Autumn photography frequently involves capturing moving water—waterfalls, streams, and brooks—where slow shutter speeds are required to create a sense of motion.
She utilizes two different carbon fiber tripods depending on the day’s needs. The Ulanzi JJ06 offers a "beefier" set of legs, providing maximum stability for heavy telephoto setups or in windy conditions. Conversely, when weight is the primary concern, she reaches for the Promaster Iota 422. This lightweight alternative allows her to remain nimble on the trail without sacrificing the ability to carefully compose a shot.
The use of a tripod also facilitates a more deliberate creative process. Handholding a camera can lead to rushed compositions, whereas the act of setting up a tripod encourages a photographer to make micro-adjustments to the frame, ensuring that the vibrant autumn colors are balanced perfectly within the scene.
The Filter Kit: Controlling Light and Reflections
One of the most transformative tools in Garibaldi’s autumn kit is her selection of filters. Because fall photography often takes place in wet environments, controlling reflections is paramount. Her go-to system is the Kase KW Magnetic Filter kit, though she currently supplements it with a B+W circular polarizer (CPL).
The CPL is indispensable for autumn landscapes. It allows the photographer to cut through the glare on wet rocks and saturated leaves, revealing the true depth of the colors underneath. Furthermore, it can deepen the blue of the sky and remove reflections from the surface of water, allowing the camera to see into the depths of a clear stream.
In addition to the CPL, Garibaldi carries a range of Neutral Density (ND) filters. These act as "sunglasses" for the lens, reducing the amount of light that reaches the sensor. This is the secret behind the "silky" water effect seen in her waterfall images. By extending the exposure time, she can blur the movement of water while keeping the surrounding foliage tack-sharp, creating a dynamic contrast between the stillness of the trees and the flow of the river.
