Capturing the Change of Seasons

There is great beauty in the changing seasons. The chill in the air, the crunch of the leaves, and the vibrant color everywhere!

I recently made a trip back east to visit family and friends. A bonus on that trip was catching the changing leaves in three states — New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The sights ranged from areas still green, to bare branches, and everything in between.

I keep forgetting just how much water there is here. Ponds and rivers add to the show. The mirror image of fall color in a pond doubles the impact of the trees — for a minute the water seems to disappear behind the “second” forest.

I love the bright pop of color that these leaves create, trapped against the rocks, in this waterfall. The contrasts of dark and light, fluid and solid, are interesting to me as well.

And I really like how reality is distorted here — by just showing the reflection you get a great abstract design. It is almost disorienting and it takes a minute to see what is really in the photo because it appears upside down.

The explosion of orange-red color in an oak or maple is one of my favorite sights. I also like the contrast of isolating and focusing on just one leaf. Putting the camera at ground level totally changes your view of the forest.

Framing the yellow leaves in the background, with the green leaves in the foreground, creates a nicely framed contrasting image. I particularly like how the light is coming through both layers of leaves in this shot.

We did a fair amount of hiking in the woods on this trip. Wish that I could share the smells and sensations of the different forests through my photos. The smell of the leaves and water are different in every location. The blue jays and squirrels warn us away from their hunting grounds as they prepare for winter. You can feel winter looking for entry at the end of the day, as the temperatures drop, and the days grow shorter.

Make your own footprints…

Look for signs of seasonal changes

There is great beauty in the change of seasons — and you don’t have to go to the Northeast to capture a taste of fall. Every location has some seasonal changes — see what is changing in your yard and capture some images of those changes.

Enjoy the journey!
Karin