Fall Colors for 2021

Colorful!

For many of the past several years, I have documented the fall colors in our yard. Looking back, I am glad that I did, because each year brings a little something different. This year continues that tradition.

This year is the first that I have noticed this pear tree in the middle of its color change cycle. As you can see, the outer leaves are shades of orange and red, with a little yellow mixed in. The inner leaves of the tree are still green, however. Very interesting! And how about that perfect sky for the background! I was waiting around for just the right time to take these photos, and I believe I found it.

Here is a closer look at the leaves of the trees, showing off all of their different colors. I like how when this tree changes, it is not just all one color. Instead, this tree captures quite a few of the colors. Just how many colors is one tree allowed to have? Can there be too many colors? I don’t know if this tree has done this before and I just have not noticed it, or if this is something new. But getting to see it change is one of the nice things about working from home.

Over in the horse pasture, the tulip poplar trees have lost lots of their leaves, but they are still holding onto some yellow leaves. I was going to get closer to the trees, but I liked this view with the fence gate in the foreground. The gate adds a point of interest, I think. Unless you aren’t interested in gates.

Moving on up in the horse pasture toward the barn, you can find these trees behind the fence. The evergreens are still green, of course, but some of the other trees are still green, too. But then there are some oranges and reds, and a few yellows. And the blue sky in the background adds even more color to the scene.

A Special Guest

And now, a special guest: Bubba the Wonder Horse! He came over to the fence to see what I was doing. As you can see, Bubba is getting a little gray and thin. But he is 30 years old, after all, which is 90 in human years. So for his age, he is doing just fine. And he is still quite curious about what we might be doing outside. Especially if he thinks we might be about to feed him. Daisy was out eating grass, too, but she did not take a break from eating to see what I was doing.

This view of the part of the horse pasture closest to our house shows more of the same. More fall colors, more blue sky. Just more good stuff. I thought about not including this one, but why not have one more photo in this post?

To finish up for today, here is one more look back across our front yard. The red/orange tree from the first photo is at the right, along with our front yard pine and sweetgum trees. The clouds were starting to gather again, so I was glad that I got my blue sky photos when I did. It was a beautiful day out, and once again, we have had some beautiful fall colors this year!

Different Every Year

Just the other day, Laura and I were talking about how colorful the leaves are this year. There are so many interesting fall colors, and it seems like they are different. We have had a little more rain lately than we usually have had for this time, so maybe that extra nourishment has helped our fall be a more colorful one this year.

Whatever the reason, it seems like fall is a little different each year. The trees are never the same colors at the same time. That just keeps things interesting.

Of course, to me it is all just another testament of God’s great creation and how he brings changes in the seasons and makes them all beautiful. We would not think they were quite as beautiful if everything were exactly the same year after year, would we? I like how he changes things up to keep things interesting for us here. Pretty cool!

And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. - Genesis 1:14-15

About the Photos

I was wanting a particular look for these photos, and so I created a new preset in Luminar AI to bring out the fall colors. The first photo best shows the look that I was going for, as does the photo of the gate. The preset even worked well on Bubba’s photo, too.

And while the sky might not quite look real in some of these photos, that is actually the really for real sky. While Luminar AI has a way to replace the sky with one of their stock sky photos, it was not necessary for these photos. Those clouds were great just like they were.

Photo: Each photo is a Raw exposure processed in Luminar AI. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Sony FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens
Date: November 16, 2021
Location: Home, Williston, Tennessee