Sumacs turning red

On November 8th, along Highway 23 a little south of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, I found a row of sumacs putting on their usual bright display of fall foliage. As we traveled I saw these low sumacs, often only several feet tall, in many places in western Arkansas and far eastern Oklahoma, but I’m afraid I don’t know which species of Rhus they are. Outside of central Texas I’m a stranger in a strange land, botanically speaking. In any case, in addition to the brilliance of these roadside sumacs in their own right, I liked the contrast they made with the larger, darker, and mostly leafless trees beyond them.

If you’re interested in photography as a craft, you’ll find that point 12 in About My Techniques is especially relevant to this photograph.

© 2013 Steven Schwartzman