Sugar Maple Crown, Autumn Glory, Ohio
Photographing on a crisp, calm, sunny autumn morning, I worked my way around the base of this sugar maple, which was near the peak of its fall colors splendor.
Of course I was mesmerized by the brilliant golds of the yellow and orangish-red leaves as they were illuminated by the rising sun. The play of the light on the fall foliage varies with the angle that it falls on the foliage. From a certain direction a tree can look like it's almost on fire, while checking it out from the other side makes it look almost flat by comparison.
I love sugar maples. Strong, long lived, slow growing, their spreading crowns offer much shade and green beauty in the summer, and in the autumn they are the peak of the fall colors in the East.
Photo location: Fort St. Clair Park, Eaton, Ohio.
