Finding the perfect time to see the changing leaves of the Adirondack Park requires some finesse. Not every weekend allows for the drive. If the goal is photographing in the High Peaks area, located on the opposite side of the park from where I live, that is best accomplished over two days. The sun brings out the best of the autumn colors, so questionable fall weather also cuts down the number of ideal weekend opportunities. And there is always the point at which the wind and rain manage to strip the trees of their color, leaving us with something between brown and black, the opposite of what I came to photograph. But getting outside the house and inside the Adirondack Park is an excellent experience no matter the season. Roads of dirt or hard-packed snow make the experience even more compelling.
This past weekend was a shorter trip. The Stillwater-Big Moose Road offered dirt for the Subaru, foliage for the handheld and drone cameras, and water for some reflections and added scenery. The water in the Stillwater Reservoir was quite low, which made for some interesting photographs and hiking in places that normally would only be accessible by boat. It wasn’t the High Peaks weekend I had been waiting for, but a dirt road, a half-empty reservoir, and a few hours of sun gave me more than enough.
All of these photographs were captured with the drone, a DJI Mini 5 Pro. The launch point was 43.85943° N, 75.00660° W.
My overwhelming amazement with a full frame camera sensor continues. Getting straight-out-of-camera images is remarkably simple by combining the Lumix S9 with film simulations created by RossAndHisJpegs.com.
The cliché is that Kansas is flat and you can see for miles. The truth is that the cliché is correct.
A long, considerably straight drive eventually delivered us to the Pleasant Hill Cemetery to offer our respects to relatives.
Before leaving, I spent several minutes standing in the middle of the intersection, photographing the scene in every direction—two intersecting roads, one small seemingly abandoned building, and about 50 headstones. It felt strangely unnatural. From childhood, we’re taught that the middle of an intersection is precisely where we should never linger. Cross quickly, stay alert, and don’t become part of the traffic report. But in Green, Kansas, where the Pleasant Hill Cemetery is located, the rules seem a little different. You can see approaching traffic from so far away that you have ample time to finish your photograph, check your camera settings, reconsider your composition, and perhaps even contemplate a few of life’s bigger questions before a vehicle arrives. The intersection may not have been designed as a scenic overlook, but on that day, it served the purpose remarkably well.
And for the 90 (or so) minutes we were there, there was no traffic.
The weather was exceptional and the Star Stratoliner Deluxe had half of a tank of fuel. I put a camera in the saddlebags and headed Northeast. 75 miles later I was in Lowville refueling the bike for the ride home.
When traveling through this part of the Tug Hill area, I often stop at this spot at the intersection of Route 177 and Porter Road. There are several similar photographs on WalkaboutChronicles.com from some of those previous visits. It is a beautiful spot and an interesting convergence of high-tech windmills and traditional farmland. If you look closely, you can see an Amish buggy headed toward me from the far end of the road.
It won’t be long before rides like this must be taken in the car and photographs featuring Fall and golden hour colors will be replaced with Winter snow and gray skies.
There is just something quite wonderful about Upstate New York. And this is definitively not the region just north of NYC that is referenced as “Upstate” by countless geographically-challenged city dwellers. This is the Upstate that is actually Upstate; North of the NYS Thruway, filled with farms, fields, open sky, trees, streams and rivers, countless country roads, and dotted with small towns.
