When Willie, David and I planned our trip to hang out in a few bayou's for a few days we hadn't planned on doing so much traveling. Bald Cypress trees, which line the bayous and make them look so photogenic, lose their leaves in the fall and experience the changing autumn colors. David had reports that the lakes we were planning on explore were still fairly green, but some other lakes might be further along! We decided to slightly alter our plans and check out 2 different areas. After spending 2 days in a bayou with a more ghostly feel, we returned to our original destination, which had larger, older trees. The forecast predicted weather that might be perfect for us: we might get misty water! After a short drive we arrived at the bayou and find exactly that -- a slightly misty lake! We dropped the kayaks into the water and quickly paddled out, cameras safely in their dry-bags. By the end of the morning we had ditched the dry bags because we were taking so many photos! I loved the trees here because they were bigger, with more Spanish Moss hanging down, and tons of various colors! Nikon D800 w/Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8: 125mm, f/7.1, 1/125 sec, ISO 800
The Bald Cypress trees found in the Southern United States are some of the most ancient trees still alive, and that makes them pretty cool on their own. But what I love the most about these Cypress trees is the way that the Spanish Moss hangs down from their branches, creating a mystical and eery scene. Alright, if I'm honest, it's also the fact that these trees grow in the middle of a lake or along a bayou. Willie, David, Carolyn and I photographed these trees for several days, exploring several different lakes and bayous. Some of the trees were younger (and smaller) than others and each place gave these trees a different look. We came to this particular spot because it had some of the oldest and largest trees in the area. We spent a few hours during sunrise exploring these trees. While the trunks were bigger, they also had larger patches of Spanish moss hanging down. They also had a wider variety of colors: some of the green leaves were still visible, while other patches of leaves were starting to change colors. What caught my attention the most here, though, was the way that the Spanish moss hung down, almost touching the water! Nikon D800 w/Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8: 100mm, f/8, 1/80 sec, ISO 800
The Bald Cypress trees of the southern United States attracted me because of their beautiful Spanish Moss hanging down from their branches ... and because they live in water. The additional piece that convinced us to go photograph them was that they exhibit autumn colors. We visited this particular lake because it was a little slower in its fall transition. There were still some green leaves, mixed in with the red and orange. This trichotomy of colors made for great photos! One of the things we hoped for during the trip was a misty bayou. The weather didn't cooperate until our last morning in the kayaks when we were treated to a bit of the mist we had hoped for! It certainly created a mystical mood. The thing that caught my eye here was the way that the Spanish Moss hung down here, as if it was creating a beard for the giant Cypress tree in front. Nikon D800 w/Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8: 185mm, f/8, 1/200 sec, ISO 800
