I've been meaning to spend more time on regional photography. So when I upgraded to a new camera recently, I decided to revisit some local spots I hadn't checked in several years. When people from other parts of the country visit this area, they're always surprised at the scenery of Southern Illinois. Most of the state is flat and frankly, not especially photogenic. But the southern tip of Illinois escaped the wrath of the last ice age and therefore more resembles the Ozarks of Southern Missouri. (In fact there's a town in So. Illinois named 'Ozark!') Lots of trees, rocky streams and seasonal waterfalls.
In late October I traveled to Southeast Illinois to visit the Garden of the Gods area of the Shawnee National Forest. It's a high ridge of sandstone rocks and hoodoos looking south over the surrounding forest toward the setting sun. Sort of a tiny local version of Bryce Canyon. It's one of those places where it's easy to take a mundane 'postcard' shot, but more challenging to come up with something interesting and original. In late October the fall colors were near peak and I was able to find a couple of compositions that contrasted the rocks with the fall leaves. I took a few shots before and after sunset. This particular image was taken a few minutes after the sun had set, when there was some subtle color bouncing off a bank of high clouds on the horizon.
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