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Description
Taken at Sylvan Pond - Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Last month I decided that the fall colors really needed to be seen in the early morning light, so I got up before dawn and headed up to one of my favorite places--Cuyahoga Valley National Park. But I wanted to find a new place that I knew would have great colors and a nice large body of water, and that was Sylvan Pond along the Oak Hill Trail in CVNP.

It was a cold morning before the sun came up, I can tell you! Walking through dewy grass to get to this spot had my feet cold and soaked and I waited fervently for the sun to come up to warm my body and toesies. But I persevered through it and set myself up watching as the shadows of the trees behind me crept lower and lower on the horizon until the trees before me were completely lit by the golden warmth of the sunrise.

One thing I always battle with myself about in shots like this is keeping the white balance warm enough to bring out the orange, yellow and red in the trees while still showing the beautiful blue sky--there is no true magic number in white balance to achieve this so one always has to be sacrificed for the other, sadly.

Other shots from the Oak Hill Trail area:

Description
Taken at Sylvan Pond - Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Last month I decided that the fall colors really needed to be seen in the early morning light, so I got up before dawn and headed up to one of my favorite places--Cuyahoga Valley National Park. But I wanted to find a new place that I knew would have great colors and a nice large body of water, and that was Sylvan Pond along the Oak Hill Trail in CVNP.

It was a cold morning before the sun came up, I can tell you! Walking through dewy grass to get to this spot had my feet cold and soaked and I waited fervently for the sun to come up to warm my body and toesies. But I persevered through it and set myself up watching as the shadows of the trees behind me crept lower and lower on the horizon until the trees before me were completely lit by the golden warmth of the sunrise.

One thing I always battle with myself about in shots like this is keeping the white balance warm enough to bring out the orange, yellow and red in the trees while still showing the beautiful blue sky--there is no true magic number in white balance to achieve this so one always has to be sacrificed for the other, sadly.

Other shots from the Oak Hill Trail area: