Autumn 2024 - Leaf Peeping Close to Home
And all the lives we ever lived and all the lives to be are full of trees and changing leaves.
— Virginia Woolf
Once again this year I had big plans for capturing the beauty of Autumn in Ohio, with the entire 3rd week of October scheduled away from work and a cabin booked for my annual trip to Hocking Hills. Unfortunately I found out in September that I had to have some surgery, which ended up being scheduled the week prior to my planned trip. Knowing that I had to be an adult, and take my doctor’s advice about recovery seriously, I canceled my trip.
In an attempt to make lemonade out of lemons, I decided that once I felt well enough to walk around carefully and point my camera at stuff I would make a few short trips to some spots close to home. Knowing that I couldn’t really hike on rough terrain or carry a heavy pack for any distance, I chose my spots based on proximity the car.
Here are a few shots I made with my “small” panoramic kit - my Mamiya 645 with a custom “135w” back that yields 24mm by 56mm panoramic negatives. Click on the first image to view them larger and scroll through.
I did drag out my large GX617 kit to get a better image at Elk Creek after a prior botched attempt with the 645 and came away with an image that I was happy with. Click on the image below to view larger.
Morning at Elk Creek
Of course, I can never get through the Fall season without a visit to two of my favorite spots Woodland Cemetery and Carillon Park. The following images were shot with various cameras on Kodak Ektar, Portra, and FPP “Color 125” film. Click on the first image to view them larger and scroll through.
After a week or so I was able to get in a little more distance on my walks, so Renee and I did a few short hikes together the following weekend. I still had to be careful to not trip and fall down, but it was great to get a little exercise. The following images were shot on various cameras and film at Germantown Metropark and Charleston Falls Reserve. Click on the first image to view them larger and scroll through.
I also made it to Spring Grove Cemetery to check out the Fall foliage. I’ve been there during the Summer months to shoot infrared images, but have never been there in October. What a treat! I’ve you’ve never been to Spring Grove in the Fall, its worth a trip. The following images were shot on a Rolleicord VB and a Hasselblad 500cm on Kodak Ektar and FPP “Color 125” film. Click on the first image to view them larger and scroll through.
My last stop on my local “Autumn Color Tour” was Pioneer Village near Caesar Creek, with a short stop at the Miami Cemetery in Corwin. These images were shot this past week on two days during lunch breaks from work, using a Rolleicord VB, a Nikon F100, and a Kodak Duaflex IV using Kodak Ektar and FPP “Color 125” films. Click on the first image to view them larger and scroll through.
While at Pioneer Village, I shot a few shots of the same subject on my Rolleicord VB and my Duaflex IV to compare them side-by-side. One had Ektar loaded in it, and the other had FPP “Color 125” film loaded in it. Take a look at the two images below. Can you guess which camera made each shot?
Image A was shot on the Rolleicord, and Image B was shot on the Duaflex. The Rolleicord is a $500+ camera, while the Duaflex is a $20 camera. If used properly, the Duaflex is quite capable of making good images. There are even times I prefer the look that the Duaflex creates. It can often look more “dreamy” and less clinical.
OK, that’s all I’ve got! Hopefully you enjoyed my Autumn images I was able to create this year. While I would have liked to have spent the week in Hocking Hills as planned, it was still good to get out and see all the beauty that my local area has to offer.
Thanks for reading,
Jeremy
