Peak Color

We've had a picture-perfect Fall season here in the Finger Lakes, with lots of cool weather to cue the leaves to change. This past weekend was probably peak color. Both days were beautiful, sunny and clear. I had to reluctantly set Jason's fp(m) aside and get my color camera out (of my pocket).

"Peak color" is a strange notion. Human beings are generally subject to the MBB complex—"mostest biggest bestest." If somebody builds a ginormous house, the next person wants a bigger one. If somebody drives a humongous pickup truck, the next guy wants a better one. The changing of the leaves is an odd thing to want to max out, but we're humans—we want there to be a peak!

And what's "peak" supposed to be, anyway? Is it a single day? An hour? A minute, maybe?

I don't think there is a "peak." The changing and falling of the leaves in Autumn is a shifting, changing show that doesn't have any absolute climax. From beginning to end it's lovely. Phase shifts into phase and stage slides into stage and then changes again. My observation is that the most beautiful time in a beautiful place lasts a while, each day being a little different. The top of the bell curve is a flat stretch of days that are wonderful if the light cooperates.

I guess that's the peak, then. Anyway, if there is a peak, we're in it. And is it ever pretty to look at.

By the way, these pictures are just illustrations, meant to show you what the area looked like over the weekend. Taken with the note-taking camera. I don't take real pictures of fall foliage.  :-)

May I have my B&W back now, pretty please?

Mike

Book o' the Week

Leica M: Advanced Photo School by Günter Osterloh, second edition. My favorite of all the Leica gear books. And they are legion. You will actually learn practical stuff from this one. Used, but this is the latest edition from 2011.

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Comments

[Terry Burnes]

I'd be interested in seeing what you could do with fall color in black and white photography.

[Carl Weese]

" I don't take real pictures of fall foliage."

Gee, I do, though usually not at peak. Rather when it's more subtle: http://www.carlweese.com/HiddenValley1022/index.html

Early and late fall color can be delicate and rewarding.

[darlene]

Lovely glimpses of Fall colors, Mike.

I miss the season-changing colors I experienced in the NE growing up. Happy to say they will be coming back to my eyes soon because I am moving to PA next year. I look forward to photographing a new landscape and being back in the mountains. So much to do!

[Frank Gorga]

Nice photos.

We are past "peak" here in southwestern New Hampshire... the maples are done, the oaks still turning, and the birches just starting.

The oaks have put on a nice display this year keeping their orange-brown color for a decent interval. Many years the oaks go from green to drab brown very quickly.

One small quibble though... you write "lots of cool weather to cue the leaves to change". This is incorrect.

The cue for leaves to change color is the photo period (i.e. the interval between dawn and dusk). The temperature and other weather conditions do effect the rest of the process and thus determine if it will be a "good" foliage season or not.

The Forest Service has a nice website on fall colors with more information than most folks will want to know; see: https://www.fs.usda.gov/visit/fall-colors/science-of-fall-colors

[psu]

MA and PA are in pretty good shape too...

PA

https://www.flickr.com/photos/79904144@N00/52429641582/in/photostream/

MA

https://www.flickr.com/photos/79904144@N00/52440544863/in/photostream/

[Sroyon]

I smiled at your mention of 'mostest biggest bestest' in the same breath as you talk about using your 'pocket camera' :)

[Markus]

Mike, is it possible that your "note taking camera" is a bit too serious about fall colors? Image #2 certainly takes fall colors to the max...

But then, maybe I am just jealous, as Bavarian fall never is that spectacular. Sure, we have intensive yellow from maples in some mountain valleys, but the reds here certainly are more brownish, with the exception of non-autochthonous trees in some botanical gardens.

[Tom Burke]

Good images; very beautiful.

I’m on my home from Singapore, and during our visit we got into the city-state’s parks and gardens, including the Botanic Gardens. Very beautiful (especially the National Orchid Collection - the orchid is Singapore’s flower), but as we were walking round it occurred to me that they never see autumn colours - all their trees are evergreen.

We take the visible cycle of the seasons for granted, but billions of people don’t experience it.