Soft Marsh Sky
When autumn enters, we think of beautiful colors in the trees, but its earlier stages are stunningly visible in the wetlands, where the colors of the foliage change from shades of green to rich earth tones of umber, ocher, sienna, and dun. Greens remain a part of the palette, but are darker and less predominant. After the sultry atmosphere of summer, autumn's cooler air invigorates and encourages activity, rather than inviting drowsiness. Many birds are moving south, while other wildlife gorges and gathers in preparation for the winter. The leaves of the trees will soon put on their show, but while they're in the dressing room beginning to change costumes, the marsh provides the opening act. Autumn is taking the stage, the orchestra of insects, frogs, and birds is changing the tune, and we are going to see Mother Nature in an entirely new wardrobe for the next couple of months. Let's enjoy the harvest.
In finding a way to frame the shot, I wanted the dead limb in the foreground to break the horizon line and extend into the sky, creating a sense of grasping hands reaching upward. From a standing position, the limb remained down among the rest of the foliage, and therefore somewhat lost in the clutter. By getting down very low and shooting upward, I was able to separate the branches from the background and put the emphasis on them.