Autumn Red

Autumn Red

Here is a small bush that was in it's Autumn colors. I thought it was quite a striking red at the time.

Hope that everyone has a good weekend.

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Autumn Warning

Autumn Warning

Maples. Oaks. These are two of the trees we usually look to giving us the brilliant colors of Autumn. However, other plants are hibernating as well. Ground cover. Herbs. Bushes. Autumn colors can be found in more than just the boughs of stately trees. Take the plant in today's image. Pretty isn't it? It is poison oak ... or poison ivy. I can never remember which is which, just the old saying, "Leaves of three, let it be." While it does have nice Autumn colors, I wouldn't want to pick it for a dinner table's center piece.

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Contrasts

Contrasts

During the Cub Scout Camporee, I was able to take some photographs of the Autumn colors that I liked. This image was captured when all of us parents were relaxing outside of our tents. I happened to look up and noticed the moon clearly visible between two trees. The tree on the right is an evergreen. The tree on the left had turned yellow for the season. I didn't even have to leave my camp chair to get it. I just had to look around to notice something that I had not expected to see.

I call the image contrasts for a couple of reasons. First, it shows the contrasts between evergreen and deciduous trees in Autumn. Second, it shows the Moon out during the middle of the day which contrasts against when we would expect to observed it this clearly. Together the trees and the moon illustrate the contrasts that we do not notice most of the time that are around us throughout the year.

I suppose that might sound a bit artsy, but I actually was thinking along those lines while photographing this scene. There were nearly a dozen frames taken of it with different compositions. This is the one that best captured what I was thinking at the time.

Moral of this story is look around and you could find something unexpected that makes a good image. Try not to look around with blinders. There might be a great image just above you, at your feet, or right behind you.

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Festifall at Walnut Grove Plantation

Casualty

This past weekend we went out to Walnut Grove Plantation. Walnut Grove is a Revolutionary War farmhouse that had been home to a couple of local Patriot heroes and a small raid by Loyalists. The plantation is now owned by the Spartanburg County Historical Association and they present a living history event on the grounds every fall. Part of the exhibitions is a battle reenactment. The reenactment itself is larger than the raid that occurred at the home, but it does give an idea of how such battles may have occurred.

The above photograph is one that I took during the battle reenactment. It is of the "British" drummer boy that was a "casualty" in this mock battle. I processed the photograph for more of an antique feel and to enhance the dramatic impact. Post processing is something that I'm trying to do more of and I'm pleased with how this one turned out. The original photograph is below for comparison.

Casualty (original)

The complete gallery of my selected images is of course over on my Zenfolio site.

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