single frame: Autumn leaves over the retention pond

Autumn leaves and retention pond

Autumn leaves over the retention pond
Apple iPhone 12 mini
2021

Autumn’s peak is past; few trees have leaves still. But when I made this photograph in early November, that was not yet the case. The trees in my suburban neighborhood were awash with red and orange, with a little yellow tucked in here and there. Whoever landscaped my neighborhood chose the trees carefully and well.

Over the years I’ve written this blog — 15 in February! — the coming of autumn has regularly given me a moment to reflect here. I will probably always favor summer and especially spring, and I will probably always dislike winter. But over these years I’ve gone from reviling autumn (for it meant winter was soon to come), to being able to enjoy fall’s colors while they last. I’m a fellow who will probably always struggle with staying in the present moment. But now when the trees turn, I no longer look past them. I actually anticipate their coming, watch the colors progress day by day, and make time to photograph them when they are at their most beautiful.

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Comments

22 responses to “single frame: Autumn leaves over the retention pond”

  1. J P Avatar

    I think autumn is my favorite season. I enjoy the relief from the heat and the color changes.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I miss the heat! I don’t enjoy the cold at all.

  2. Andy Umbo Avatar
    Andy Umbo

    Have always loved autumn as my favorite season. Have always bought most of my new clothes in autumn as well, like the tweeds and heavier materials.

    Was having a conversation with an artist pal the other day about the look of the winter sun. I haven’t been out later in the day for some months now, preferring to do all my errands very early when there are fewer people in the stores; basically home to stay by 2 pm. I was out later than usual the other day, within an hour of sunset, and had forgotten how beautiful the late day winter sun looked! The low angles and direction so different from the summer days. as well as the warmth late day, was always a beauty I had forgotten about in the pandemic isolation! Brought back some memories…

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Have you ever made photographs in that kind of light?

      1. Andy Umbo Avatar
        Andy Umbo

        …not much of a landscape guy, but when I was in college, the cheapest thing to do for entertainment was to gas up and drive around in rural areas, and look at and photograph things. I remember taking some 35mm transparencies in the late winter sun I really thought were beautiful. Old (not then) Ektachrome 64. This was back when roll film was generally processed E-4 and sheet film was still processed E-3. My view yesterday made me wish I had a film camera on me…

  3. brandib1977 Avatar

    Autumn is a glorious season and I’m glad you have come to enjoy it. It has always been my favorite time of year followed by winter but it does always seem far too short.

    Things here were very yellow and orange this year but I absolutely love red foliage so I’m a little envious of anyone who saw a lot of red this season.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I didn’t get out to see much of Indiana this autumn but at least right around where I live, red and orange predominated!

      1. brandib1977 Avatar

        That’s wonderful! Ours was not the most colorful fall but I’m always happy for whatever we get.

  4. John Harrell Avatar
    John Harrell

    Ah, yes–thank you for your description of autumn and the coming winter. I can identify.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I endure winter. I do not enjoy it!

  5. tbm3fan Avatar
    tbm3fan

    Was in Zion National Park last Saturday. The main canyon basically runs east to west. The walls of the canyon were red. The trees along the river at the bottom were yellow. The sun was lower in the sky since it was 3:00 pm. If you faced east the leaves looked yellow with the sunlight on them. If you faced west the semi-transparent leaves GLOWED a brilliant yellow in the light against the red rock and blue sky. Mesmerized me the whole time. Of course one wants a shot but into the sun a recipe for flare.We’ll see if the one I set up, with someone acting as a shade against the low sun overhead turns out to represent what I saw.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Sometimes flare can be used creatively!

  6. Nancy+Stewart Avatar
    Nancy+Stewart

    Autumn is my favorite time of the year … I absolutely do not like the cold, damp, muddy spring that chills me to the bone, and not crazy about the heat of summer. The colors, crispness of the air and layering of the cloths in the fall and winter are my thing.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      If only it lasted longer! It seems like there’s three weeks of autumn between summer and winter.

      1. Andy Umbo Avatar
        Andy Umbo

        It’s December 2nd, and my neighborhood in Milwaukee hasn’t even see snow, it was also 50 degrees yesterday and today! Unheard of! Everyone is shaking their heads, are we gonna get bombed in January?

  7. M.B. Henry Avatar

    Wasn’t it a gorgeous fall in Indiana this year? :) :) I felt very glad to be here to witness it! Love the photo!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      This was a pretty typical Indiana autumn!

      1. M.B. Henry Avatar

        Yay that’s good to hear!! :) :)

  8. Khürt L Williams Avatar

    I detest winter (too cold, grey, damp, dead, diseased), tolerate summer (too hot 🥵 and humid), accept fall (the colours) and find bliss in spring (new life, colour).

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Spring’s my favorite, too.

  9. Darts and Letters Avatar
    Darts and Letters

    That’s really pretty!

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thank you!

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