3rd Week of Fall: Shoot Leaves Backlit

I’ve been posting a new picture in my Facebook album, “2011 Fall Trees” every day since the first day of autumn. Once a week, I’ll post the pictures on my blog in a roundup. Click through to see this week’s shots.

Above, the gingko leaves on this tree in a secret park have just begun to change on Oct. 7. When a gingko tree is at peak color, it’s mind-blowing! Shoot it backlit for best effect.

I asked my photo family on Oct. 8 if they would help me get a tree picture for my “2011 Fall Trees” album so we looked around the Fair Haven park we were in for some fall color. There wasn’t much, but it was fun hunting until we found this oak that was just starting to turn red. Again, the shot is backlit. Very effective for making fall color pop.

Located in the cemetery by the First Presbyterian Church, this large cherry blossom tree gets all the attention in early spring when the pink blossoms take over. Still, it was a stunner in the early morning light before church on Oct. 9 too. I never really looked at cherry trees in fall before. I’m glad I did!

From the looks of it, that little love shack in the gingko tree has seen a lot of action over the years. Edison, New Jersey, Oct. 10.

‘Forest pansy’ redbuds are known for their purple spring flowers and red spring leaves. But by summer, the red usually fades to green, as shown here on this tree at St. Francis Cathedral in Metuchen on Oct. 11. In a few weeks this tree will be all yellow, but for now, it’s interesting to let the light fall on the edge of the leaf. Reminds me of a dry desert scene. Coincidence? God only knows.

These bright yellow honey locust trees kept catching my eye as I made my way around Metuchen the last few days so by 4 p.m., when I hadn’t snapped my tree picture yet for the day on Oct. 12, I asked Greg if he would help me get the shot before I had to rush off on the train to New York. He held the umbrella in one hand, and with the other hooked in my arm, neither mother nor son nor camera got soaked. That’s the sweet memory I want to hold onto with this colorful honey locust in fall picture.

Kousa dogwood trees have pretty whitish-greenish flowers for a very long time through summer. Showing pockets of reds in the leaves on picture day, Oct. 13, the leaves on this tree are overall still green. Personally, I find it interesting that there’s still evidence of a summer blossom in October. How many people walk by that tree every day on the way to the Metuchen Train Station and never even noticed it? Probably quite a few.

Check back next week for more fall tree pictures, or friend me on Facebook with a note about trees so I can add you to my tree list.