Autumn Colors

I am mildly red/green colorblind which isn’t great for an amateur landscape photographer. Earlier this year I got a pair of Enchroma color correcting glasses and this is the first autumn I’ve gotten to see in full color. It’s freakin’ awesome!

It has been amazing seeing Autumn in all it’s technicolor glory. Compared to what I can see now, fall was always somewhat muted and only the yellow trees really stood out. Now I can appreciate all of the oranges, reds and purples with subtle variations and gradations. On a hike through Blendon Woods Metro Park the other day, I wondered around mesmerized. It was a bright, clear day and I was especially drawn to the back lit fall leaves that glowed with vibrant color. This particular shot included the glowing reds and oranges, purple shadows with yellows and greens in the background.

Click images to enlarge.

During most of the year parts of Blendon Woods reserved for groups are closed to car traffic. In the fall they open the road so visitors can take a driving tour to see the autumn colors. I attached my smart phone to the car windshield and used a hyperlapse app to record a short video. Click the gear and choose 720p to see the best version.

All of the smaller creeks in Blendon Woods are dry right now. I wandered off the trail looking for interesting photo compositions and came across one of these small dry creek beds filled with autumn leaves. It looked as though the water had been replaced with bright orange leaves.

I also visited Three Creeks Metro Park recently to photography the heron pond at sunrise. I-270 runs adjacent to the pond to the east and I didn’t want traffic in the photo so I setup facing south. The golden hour sunlight made everything glow including the fallen leaves floating in the pond. I composed this shot to frame the subject of the far sunlit trees and their reflection with the foreground leaves.

Heading back to the car, I came across a spot where Alum Creek turns sharply to the east and aligned with the rising sun. The sunlight made the low mist on the creek glow and lit up a tree at the bend, but everything else was still in shadow. The arch of the tree branch and its reflection framed the rolling mist. A composition with the mist centered may have worked too.