Lens-Artists Challenge #167 – The Colors of Autumn

Egret in Autumn Grasses

“The leaves are changing, I feel poetry in the air.”

Laura Jaworski

Here on Kiawah autumn is a time when most of our seasonal visitors return to their “normal” lives, leaving us to enjoy what is arguably the best weather of the year. We continue to enjoy warm temperatures minus our summer humidity levels. Our trees and flowers remain in full bloom and our marsh grasses, while still green, begin to develop their golden hues. We cross our fingers in hopes that the hurricane season will pass without impact, leaving us peacefully content to enjoy warm breezes and beautiful sunshine.

Autumn Grasses

“Autumn had arrived—the last blossom whispered, let me stay awhile.”

Meeta Ahluwalia

Amy’s challenge for the week was a bit early as things go here in the southern U.S., but I was able to find a few “autumn-ish” sights, including the camera pan of the reeds above and the branch that follows. The egret in my opening capture is from my archives and is a favorite among my many images of these beautiful birds.

Last Breath

“…life keeps pouring out, it never stops — Like the autumn leaves;breath by breath, they’re falling off.”

Soroosh Shahriva

Amy’s discussion about why leaves lose their color reminded me of the image that follows. I captured it last autumn as the season’s chill finally began to kiss the trees. To me it’s a lovely example of autumn’s splendor.

Coat of Many Colors

“And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and autumn was awakened.”

Raquel Franco

I would be remiss if I did not include the real harbinger of autumn on Kiawah, our beautiful sweetgrass. I’ve featured many a sweetgrass image on previous posts, but since our sweetgrass is not yet blooming, I’ve included a favorite image captured back in Autumn of 2019.

Egrets and Sweetgrass

“The birds will wing from the weather, While I stand, still as the harvest, With the sound of the fall in the air.”

Carolyn Kizer

But enough about Kiawah – where autumn simply does not align with the sights and sensations most of us associate with the season. I captured the image below while visiting family in New York state at the height of autumn. The sight of the hay bales surrounded by the colorful trees is what “true” autumn looks and feels like to me. Can’t you just smell the leaves and taste the hot cuppa waiting for you beside a cozy fire back home?

Autumn in New York

“Rebellious leaves going out in a blaze of glory, setting trees aflame in riotous color.”

John Mark Green

I’ll close today’s post with a final image – a reminder that autumn’s colors can be found in many forms, not the least of which is a glass masterpiece by the artist Dale Chihuly.

Autumn Colors – Dale Chihuly

“May your life be as colorful as the turning of the leaves, On each blessed autumn day”

Charmaine J. Forde

A warm thank-you to Amy for her lovely challenge. Please remember to link your responses to her original post here. Thank you also to Ann-Christine for her very creative Artificial Lights challenge – we loved seeing your examples from the world over – despite a universal sentiment that we photographers tend to focus much more frequently on natural light! Finally, I hope you’ll join me next week right here on Travels and Trifles for our next challenge “Seen Better Days” where we’ll ask you to feature old, dilapidated or otherwise worn out subjects in your images. Until then, as always please stay safe and be kind.

Tags: autumn, Kiawah, LENS-ARTISTS, Photo essay, photography

• September 26, 2021
• Photography
• 123 Comments