My Sony Alpha captured our October 16 drive to Fillmore Glen. As we traversed landscapes, the spectacle of Tompkins and Cayuga Counties autumn glory passed by the open passenger side window and, even, the front windshield. Thank You, Pam, for driving.
A turn around our home: Smoke tree, Japanese Maple, Pam’s flower baskets, fallen Oak leaves
.TT.
Panoramas from our front porch and on to Hector Street descending into and through Ithaca
Headed up Route 34 along Cayuga Lake, into “Farm Country”
Turning onto Locke Road and crossing from Tompkins to Cayuga County
Travelling through Cayuga County, the town of Locke, then Moravia and Fillmore Glen State Park
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This is my farewell to “Fall” for now.
Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
My Sony Alpha was in use during our October 16 drive to Fillmore Glen. As we traversed landscapes, autumn glory of Tompkins and Cayuga Counties was captured. Thank You, Pam, for driving.
Heading today’s post is a windshield shot, I’m loving the effect of a golden road.
During our walk, I used the Sony Alpha for a parallel series of shots to compliment the tripod mounted Canon. Here are some of those results.
Step up and over
Enjoy this collection of Fillmore Glen pathways
AA
Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Cayuga County, Moravia, New York
Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
” I ventured up the gorge from bottom to this point where, blocked by an enormous shining emerald-colored ice wedge accumulated from the water pouring over the path in warmer months, I turned around”
Between the metal walkway (see previous post) and the last numbered bridge, eight (8), the gorge narrows with sedimentary rock cliffs on either side, remnants of the forces that formed this rock in the form of water pouring from the porous stone flowing over the trail.
One February morning, equipped with climbing boots, crampons, gaiters, I ventured up the gorge from bottom to this point where, blocked by an enormous shining emerald-colored ice wedge accumulated from the water pouring over the path in warmer months, I turned around.
I call it a Waterfall Gallery for these walls bracing this wonderful collection of cascades in these photographs.
Waterfall gallery between bridges seven (7) and eight (8). Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Moravia, Cayuga County, New York
A warm and cool versions of this spot.
Warm
Cool
Watch Your Step!!
Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Cayuga County, Moravia, New York
Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Crossing bridge seven (7), “Lovers’ Bridge, we encounter this passage, from the earliest work of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930’s. Stairs carved into the Cambrian cliff. These images are a combination of handheld Sony Alpha dslr and tripod mounted Canon captures. Can you tell the difference (please comment on your insights).
View from the new walkway
Looking back to the walkway installed this year. This span does not cross Dry Creek, is not included in the bridge count.
Overhead, the glorious autumn canopy
Fillmore Glen, New York State Park, Cayuga County, Moravia, New York
Copyright 2022 All Right Reserved Michael Stephen Wills
Three species of the genus Cotinus, commonly called “Smoke Tree,”in the family Anacardiaceae exist in North America, Europe and Asia. Ours is more like a shrub with numerous, long branches. Flowers with profuse filaments in clusters resembling whiffs of smoke. Here we see the flower filaments, interspersed with small drupes, each containing a single seed.
ISO 2500, 1/40 sec at f/13
The post header, and these photographs were made from the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, Canon Lens EF 50mm f/1.2L USM stabilized with a Manfrotto 468ZMZ tripod with hydrostatic head. Late afternoons, evenings the tree is shaded by a hemlock hedge (line of trees running north/south) this is the shade here. This Canonn dslr excels in color rendition. The flower masses are a burgundy wine color, the leaves have a purple tinge. I do not directly fertilize, as the plant is said to do best with unfertile soil though the surrounding cedars do get fertilizer stakes.
ISO 800, 1/125 sec at f/5.0
Eight AM a following morning I followed up with a handheld session using a Sony DSLR-Alpha700, Sony Lens DT 18-200 mm F3.5-6.5. Took these two shots with a lower ISO and tweaked the images in Lightroom, reducing the exposure. The flower smoky effect is well captured, the color in bright sunlight is not as wine-like as in shade.
ISO 200, 1/250 sec at f/5.0
ISO 200, 1/200 sec at f/5.6
By the time I proceeded to macros, a morning breeze kicked up, handled by upping the ISO to 3200 for a faster shutter speed to stop the movement. The bright sun helped with this.
Fertilized flowers develop into fruit stalks with radiating filaments, the yellow dots are the drupes (fleshy bodies surrounding a single seed). Fresh leaves are purple, turning to dark green with age. The leaves are as unusual as the flowers: aromatic, simple and round on long stalks. Autumn, the leaves turn a stunning bright red-orange, a scarlet shade. In winter some stalks die off, new growth appears from the roots in spring.
Flower Filaments with drupes. ISO 3200, 1/100 sec at f20
New leaves with aged in background, ISO 3200, 1/320 sec at f20
References
“The Botanical Garden Vol 1 Trees and Shrubs”, Roger Phillips and Martyn Rix, Firefly Books, Buffalo NY, 2000, p 361
Wikipedia, “Smoke Tree”
Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved
Michael Stephen Wills Photography 
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