This local farm is loaded with a variety of pumpkins and I thought the cool stormy skies contrasted nicely with the pumpkins. Sidelight brings out the detail in the pumpkins and showcases their interesting shapes.
Almost Heaven,West Virginia
This past weekend a good friend suggested we head to West Virginia to catch some fall foliage and I am so glad we did.I normally like to head to New England in the fall but the forecast was for lackluster color there this year so heading south sounded like a great idea. We only had two days and our main destination was a place of natural beauty called Dolly Sods. On the way there I spotted this lovely red barn with fall foliage as a backdrop,so we stopped and I asked if I might be able to snap a few shots? The owner was very gracious and obliged my request and as I walked out the path to the barn I saw this old wagon sitting in the field and decided to take a shot. I think the composition is just right and the foliage was a perfect complement to the red barn. For those who don’t get the title, it is a line from an old John Denver song that I jokingly was singing on the trip. We had a great two days of shooting but man do they have steep hills in that state and when I was in my early twenties I drove truck and on one trip the truck blew up in West Virginia and we were stuck there for days and I remember feeling like we were in the most remote place on earth, which is not the case but some of the valleys make me feel that way. This photo was taken in what I would say was one of the more open valleys that we came across.
Cool Fall Morning
Come Sail Away
One Sweet Road
Ornate Porch
This scene caught my eye because of the ornate wooden porch, the flowers, and the sprinkling cans stacked on the steps. I asked if I could take a shot and the owners said sure.There were a few challenges to getting the shot because it sits right at the edge of the road and cars were constantly ruining my longer exposures and then just when I was getting to lighting the porch,it started raining heavily and forced me to stop with what I had, so I am not totally happy but it will do. There was also a young cat that kept getting in the shot and following me,so I was worried the thing was going to get run over right in front of me.
Let the Sun Shine In
You can either wait for the sun to light the scene or use your flashlight after it gets fairly dark. The sun had already set last night,so I decided to try using my Nitecor flashlight to illuminate this rural scene. I was a little frustrated because my remote was acting up and I had several 30 second exposures where I was busy lighting the trees only to find out the camera never fired.I was all the way at the bend in the road in pitch black,so it was hard to see or hear if the camera was firing.Despite that little glitch,I think it turned out pretty decent.
The Red Gate
Out of the Fog
Roadside Stand
I drove past this little roadside stand that was brimming with fall decorating items and knew I had to a closer look. The rustic nature of the little building surrounded by pumpkins,mums,indian corn and various fall items made for a lovely autumn scene. I photographed this after hours and was allowed access to capture the beauty without any customers getting in the way. The pumpkin photo was the image I really wanted to capture but I decided to try the mum shot first as a second image. An interesting side note worth mentioning was the stand owner was watering the mums as I arrived after hours and the driveway had a little wet area that I noticed reflected all the colorful pumpkins. After she left for home,a neighbor came out to chat and I mentioned how I wished the whole driveway was wet to reflect the scene and he immediately offered to get the hose out and wet it down. I was very grateful for his assistance and gave him a print as a thank you because I feel that little detail really added to the shot.
Fall Corn Harvesting
Foggy Travels
All Fenced In
The Wicked Witch
Our Fall Display
This is one view of our backyard fall decor this year.We usually decorate the front of our home for fall but with countless people walking the trail behind our home, I felt it would be seen and appreciated by many more along the trail who also might enjoy autumn. I arranged some mums,pumpkins and made a scarecrow figure riding a bike along with a youngster waving to trail users. Everything accents my hobbit hole creation complete with spider webs and a witch door mat. The bike rider was a logistical nightmare to get him to sit stable but a few 2x4s and some screws and he is rock solid.
Backroad Farm
Watermelon Delivery
Apple Harvest Delivery
I noticed these three Amish girls picking apples in an orchard a good distance from the road, and even using a 400mm,I knew they were at my limit to get a good shot and they were also among the trees making it hard to see them. I watched about 5 minutes and suddenly they unloaded the whole wagon and start picking more apples making me think this was not going to be a day for apple photos. I said to myself,just wait five minutes and see what happens,and lo and behold they stop picking apples and load the wagon.They had no idea I was there and as they came out of the orchard I snapped the bottom photo and to my surprise they came down the road allowing me a closer shot. I did manage to cause a missed shot because the little girl was on top of the apples for a while but when her sister saw my camera she quickly pulled her off and it was so adorable to see her up there.I should have been more patient and waited a little longer.
Mower Delivery
Wide Load Coming Through
Looking East and West
Out For a Walk
The Harvesting Specialists
Little Workhorse
Dads Little Helpers
Catch The Bus
Overlooking The Property
Ready For Harvesting
Amish Drag Race
This Amish guy on a scooter is being pulled by two mules and it almost appears he is racing the Harley up ahead. The guy on the scooter was being pulled by the mules,but he was merely moving the creatures from one farm to the next up the road. I never saw this before but I see something new every day.
Graceful Fall
The title today was chosen as a play on words after I literally fell off my truck roof while taking this scene. I wanted to gain a little elevation so I climbed onto my truck roof,which I do many times. I crouched down to brace myself and decided to move toward the edge of the roof a bit,when I go too close and momentum starts carrying me over the edge and of course my foot catches and I basically start to dive off the roof with camera in hand. Through some miracle I was able to land on my feet averting disaster. Getting old is not all it’s cracked up to be.
































