Fall Foliage
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It's leaf-peeping time in the northern hemisphere, when trees break into riots of color as autumn plows a path from north to south. Two of the best regions for capturing the show here in the US are across New England and along California's magnificent Sierra Nevada. To help get you up to speed when preparing for your own foliage excursions, we speak with landscape photography specialists in each of these regions—Jerry Monkman, in New England, and G. Dan Mitchell
One of the most picturesque subjects of the year, fall foliage offers a chance for photographers to show off their landscape shooting chops and revel in some of the most distinct and pleasing colors nature has to offer. Marking the change of season from summer to autumn, and indicating colder temperatures to come, this brief period, where leaves change from green to rust, is worth celebrating, viewing, and photographing.
Above photograph: Taken with Sony FE 85mm f/1.8 Lens
Photographing fall foliage and autumn landscapes doesn't
While the specific origin remains fuzzy, an early appearance of the term Leaf Peeper—or Leaf Peeker, as initially used—is said to have surfaced as a newspaper headline in 1960s Vermont. Foliage tourism is legendary all over New England, but the neighboring states of Vermont and New Hampshire offer up a kaleidoscopic adventure in a tidy nutshell. Their shared border, similar shapes and compact size—respectively ranked as the 45th and 46th smallest states in the nation—is a handy springboard for a wide range of pictorial opportunities.
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Each autumn, as the days get shorter and the weather cools, chlorophyll production slows in hardwood trees and bushes, causing leaves to lose the vibrant green of summer. As these conditions overtake the map, nature puts on a brilliant show of color in many parts of the United States. The changing of the leaves follows a rough pathway from north to south, starting in early September and often lasting into November in southern locales.
Above photograph: Colorado Gold, Maroon Bells Scenic Area © Bryan Carnathan
Fall foliage season is a big draw