Beech Tree Family – Michael Stephen Wills Photography

Long Shadows

Northern Latitude

December 5, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

Early November on Gorge Road, Finger Lakes Region, New York State. At this month and latitude (42 north) there are long shadows throughout the day. The South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls State Park briefly emerges from the wooded cliff to this portion of the road that parallels the gorge, descending to Cayuga Lake shores.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Three Views

Oak and Hemlock — Distant View with Hemlock

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Pure Nature

Bird’s Eye View

December 4, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills22 Comments

Early November trees, Taughannock Gorge, Finger Lakes Region, New York State walking the South Rim Trail we are among the upper reaches of trees clinging to the steep gorge walls.

Happy Birthday to my dear wife Pam.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Two Views

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Distant View

December 3, 2019November 22, 2019 MichaelStephenWills12 Comments

I am fascinated by this vantage from the South Rim trail. It is possible because the gorge bends almost 90 degrees, the gorge walls fall away to reveal the 215 foot waterfall.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Three Sisters

December 2, 2019November 20, 2019 MichaelStephenWills4 Comments

On viewing this photograph my wife, Pam, noticed the shapes eroded from the sedimentary rock of Taughannock gorge. These layers of shale, sandstone, siltstone formed at the bottom of a broad, shallow sea over 380 million years ago. Differential wearing of these rock layers, clearly visible in this photograph, resulted in these formations, including the three sisters and overhangs.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Three Views from The Bend

Into the Gorge — Taughannock Gorge, November

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Zoom In

View from The Bend

December 1, 2019November 20, 2019 MichaelStephenWills6 Comments

Oaks are the last to release leaves, seen here on an early November afternoon.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Views from The Bend

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

The Bend

November 30, 2019November 20, 2019 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

Standing on the South Rim trail where the gorge bends almost 90 degrees, changing from a northern to eastern flow. The creek is flowing toward the camera, the falls out of view, upper left. Lower left two people walk the 3/4 mile trail of the falls.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Distant Sapphire III

blue sky reflected in lake waters

November 29, 2019November 20, 2019 MichaelStephenWills5 Comments

Cayuga Lake from the south rim of Taughannock Gorge, seen through a veil of hemlock and oak. From a place of rest with a comfortable bench. The trail descends to the lake, here we are lower and closer to Cayuga Lake.

I stood in front of the bench, resting the camera body on the fence and braced with my fingers.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

A gallery of the three Cayuga Lake photographs for comparison.

Gorge View with Oak Leaves — Glimpse of Cayuga Lake

Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved Michael Stephen Wills

Distant Sapphire II

Cayuga waters reflect a blue November sky.

November 27, 2019November 23, 2019 MichaelStephenWills

Cayuga Lake from the south rim of Taughannock Gorge, seen through a veil of hemlock with a carpet of fallen oak leaves, foreground. This is a companion to the previous post, both were handheld. For this the foreground was included to increase interest. For added stability, I rested the camera body on the fence bracketed with my fingers.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

A gallery of the two photographs for comparison.

Distant Sapphire I

Cayuga waters reflect a blue November sky.

November 26, 2019November 23, 2019 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

Cayuga waters reflect a blue November sky.

Click photograph for a larger view. To do this from WordPress Reader, you need to first click the title of this post to open a new page.

Oak Leaves, forest floor. Taughannock Falls New York State Park, South Rim Trail, November 6, 2019

Photographs in Gallery

Leaf Carpet

A Natural Wonder

November 21, 2019November 19, 2019 MichaelStephenWills10 Comments

Wednesday last I enjoyed shuffling along a forest carpet along the South Rim Trail of Taughannock Falls Park. It is a lost pleasure now the first snow is with us.