September 26, 2021 • 60

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #167: Colors of Autumn

I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.― L. M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Like Anne of Green Gables, I’m happy I live in a part of the world where there’s autumn. It never fails to inspire me. Amy has given us a wonderful opportunity to highlight the colors of autumn this week. So, after a search through my archives and my current files, I’d like to share my “bouquet of color” with you.

Even as summer flowers fade, I look ahead to autumn–a time of beginnings and endings: school, falling leaves, pumpkin flavored lattes, and crisp temperatures. I captured this lovely, but faded dahlia this week.

 

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.

― Albert Camus

One of our favorite spots in London is Kensington Gardens. Here, you can see people walking and running through a beautiful carpet of fallen leaves. I want to join them!

 

 

Aprils have never meant much to me, autumns seem that season of beginning, spring.

― Truman Capote, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Three Stories

I agree with Truman Capote. Even as flowers fade and turn to seed, we can hear a whisper of spring. This image, captured on a walk in Holland, Michigan, reminds me of that.

At no other time (than autumn) does the earth let itself be inhaled in one smell, the ripe earth; in a smell that is in no way inferior to the smell of the sea, bitter where it borders on taste, and more honeysweet where you feel it touching the first sounds. Containing depth within itself, darkness, something of the grave almost.”

― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters on Cézanne

If autumn were a recipe, what would it be? A soup. A stew? It would definitely taste rich, earthy, complex, and buttery. And, it would have to include mushrooms!

Her pleasure in the walk must arise from the exercise and the day, from the view of the last smiles of the year upon the tawny leaves and withered hedges, and from repeating to herself some few of the thousand poetical descriptions extant of autumn–that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness–that season which has drawn from every poet worthy of being read some attempt at description, or some lines of feeling.

― Jane Austen, Persuasion

This last image was shot on a walk in Hampstead Heath several autumns ago when the leaves were turning red, rust, and gold. Our friend took us to this wonderful spot which she has been visiting for decades. Her delight in this wonderful natural space was contagious, but then again, it is very easy to love.

Do you love autumn as much as I do? I hope you share your images with us this week for Amy’s beautiful, seasonal challenge featuring the “Colors of Autumn.” Be sure to visit her site and get inspired!

Last week, Ann-Christine delighted us with her artificial light challenge. She inspired me to go out and shoot more after dark. Your images were a delight and showed us the beauty and drama of “manufactured” light in scenes captured after the sun goes down.

Next week, Tina will lead us for LAPC #167, so be sure to stop by Travels and Trifles to see her inspiring images of places and things that have “Seen Better Days.” Until then, have a joyful and inspiring week, and please stay safe.

Categories: LENS-ARTISTS, Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, Photography

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60 replies »

    • Hi, Anne. Yes! I love that carpet of leaves! I hope you don’t get an “army” of leaf blowers making a lot of noise. At the risk of sounding grumpy, I really think it takes less time to rake them!

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  7. Lovely ode to Autumn Patti – clearly you do love it! My favorite this week is your image of the seed pod – it looks so soft and lovely and so very natural. I always loved autumn in the north and remember how sad I was when inevitably a wind or rain storm pushed most of the beautiful autumn leaves to the ground. Then I knew well and truly what was to follow! Beautiful post – hope you’re enjoying a lovely autumn wherever you are!

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    • Hi, Tina. Thanks so much! We are still in Canada and will be here for a few more months. I know what you mean about autumn up north. It is unpredictable, but when you catch that “golden” autumn, it’s stunning. I am still thinking about your egret image. Just stunning.

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  10. Beautiful set. And you set me thinking about the taste of autumn. Mushrooms, very definitely. But also, slowly, heavier, more umami tastes in general. A slow drift away from the freshness of salads and berries. From the fresh cheeses of summer to the aging ones. Beautiful photo of the seeds and their silk too.

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    • Hi, IJ. Yes, umami. I’m not as familiar with umami, but I should experiment with it more. I’ll miss the berries and the very fresh salads. As soon as the temperatures drop, I start pulling out my soup recipes.😀😀. I’m delighted you enjoyed this set. The seed pod was so striking on our walk near the beach. Thanks, IJ, for your thoughtful comments, as always.

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    • Hi, Sarah. Thank you!! I am reading Pride and Prejudice again, so she is on my mind! I’ve seen the TV series Anne and the Green Gables, but I haven’t read the book…unbelievably!! I should put it on my Kindle. The layout is one of the block options. Media + text. I like it but found out the hard way that you really can’t change the font size!! Oh well. Have a good week!

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      • I use media and text a lot and have always been able to change the font size. I prefer medium to large – I simply highlight all the text and change it to medium in the ‘block’ setting menu on the right. I used it a lot in this post, for example: https://www.toonsarah-travels.blog/gallery-chasing-shadows/ The font throughout is set at medium.

        What I liked about your layout is the alternation of that block with the quotes – very stylish! Oh, and you MUST read Anne 😃

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      • Thanks, Sarah for the tips. I think my problem was changing from editing in the new block mode to the classic mode. Then I got error messages. I’ll try your method. Thanks!! You can add quotes within the block…as I just discovered! I don’t know if I can increase the font size for the quotes….Um…

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  17. Autumn is a lovely season especially if the weather behaves! September has been a much nicer month than August, but this week it has changed to true autumnal conditions. Love your Dahlia photo – they fade so beautifully. Enjoy your autumn in Canada!

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    • Hi, Jude. Thanks! We are enjoying our time here. It’s such a beautiful place. We’re doing some exploring, based on current covid counts. I’m glad you’re having wonderful autumn weather. We spent two months in London before the pandemic hit. I’ll never forget those golden, red, and orange hues in the parks and along the canals. The light was wonderful. Enjoy the week, too.

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  19. Pingback: Beautiful Great Blue Heron in Autumn and a Large Mouth Bass | Babsje Heron

  20. Hi Patti

    Your lead photo of that Dahlia is gorgeous, and I hope you have a way of drying and preserving that blossom just as it is? I think you can hang it upside to do that? That works for roses at least. Your mention of whispers of spring and the milkweed pods bursting with seeds go hand-in-glove together. The pods are a reminder of renewal.

    Your Anne of Green Gables reference brought back very fond memories. My mother had been a teacher and we were raised to be avid readers, with the library almost a second home. So it was a big deal when she bought me that book for my 12th birthday instead of taking it out from the library. Thank you for that walk down memory lane.

    The is my LAPC offering for the Colors of Autumn offering, with a Great Blue Heron, red leaves, and a very a big fish:

    Beautiful Great Blue Heron in Autumn and a Large Mouth Bass

    Best, Babsje

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  21. Hi, Babsje. I’m delighted Anne brought back wonderful memories. I have seen the TV series, but I haven’t read the book, surprisingly enough!! I definitely will put it on my to-read list. Thanks for your thoughts on the photos, too. I love the “whisper” of spring even as the petals fade and the flowers turn to seed. I’ll look at your post next. Enjoy the week!

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  22. Pingback: Lens-ArtistPC-167-Colours-Of-Autumn – WoollyMuses

    • Hi, Siobhan. Thanks! I wanted to run through the leaves, too, like a little kid. The milkweed is just so photogenic, isn’t it? I love the white whispy seed “wings.” I hope all’s well. Enjoy the day!

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  26. Pingback: Blue Heron Guest…Osprey’s Epic Fail? | Babsje Heron

  27. Hi Patti

    I so agree with you when you said this “If autumn were a recipe, what would it be? A soup. A stew? It would definitely taste rich, earthy, complex, and buttery. And, it would have to include mushrooms!” Our weather seems to have turned cold much earlier than in years past, and I’ve already made the first of the Fall stews, sadly without Mushrooms.

    Here’s my second offering for this week’s LAPC Colors of Autumn:

    Blue Heron Guest…Osprey’s Epic Fail?

    Best, Babsje

    Liked by 1 person

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