One Of My Favorite Autumn Images

White clapboard rural Maryland church on a rainy autumn day (click to enlarge)

Nikon D70, Nikon 70-300 f/4-5.6 @ 135mm; 1/400th sec. @ f/5.0; ISO 200

This image was "found" in 2004 when I was still using a 6mp Nikon D70 camera and inexpensive Nikon 70-300mm f/3-5.6 lens.  Additionally, it was shot with the lens wide open, which is not optimum as we all know (except for the absolute best lenses).  Still, it is a pleasing image.

My wife and I were wandering through the Maryland countryside, just north of West Virginia, on a weekend road trip.  The day was rainy.  When I awoke that morning, I remember thinking that the day would largely be lost for fall foliage photography.  Turns out I made several good images that day (a polarizing filter is key to removing the shine from the water on the wet leaves!).  As we approached this small country church, the rain had just about stopped.  The sky started to clear in the distance and I made several images from different angles of this church and surroundings.  This church looks terrific in black and white as well, especially with the stormy sky.

The gear was primitive by today's standards.  Yet, this is still one of my favorite autumn photographs.  The gear has nothing to do with it.  I'll go back to my question I asked in my last post.  Will using a high megapixel camera and extracting maximum sharpness and detail make for a better overall image?  Not in this case.

NOTE: During editing, I actually turned down the saturation for this image as the saturation that was in the leaves was so strong, it didn't look at all realistic.  I credit that to the direct sun coming in at a relatively low angle from the left and "lighting up" the oranges on an otherwise rainy, low contrast scene.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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