Red Oak Foliage, Autumn, Ohio
This photograph of red oak foliage was made in Hueston Woods State Park in southwest Ohio.
By moving around until the oak leaves were set against a darker background of out-of-focus spruce trees, I was able to make a photo that shows off the form of the leaves well. The oaks are not very colorful in fall, mostly turning a reddish brown at best, but here the sunlight shining on and through the leaves, along with the variety of shades of color within each leaf, drew me in to their form.
Red oak (Quercus rubra) is a very valuable tree, for it's hard, beautiful wood and the importance of its acorns to many species of wildlife. Quercus is Latin for "beautiful tree".
Photo location: Hueston Woods State Park, Ohio.
