08/13/12 Featured Arkansas Photography–Fall Scene on the Cossatot River

Maple leaf in the sun, Cossatot River area Ouachita Mountains Arkansas

Taken with a Canon 1ds MKII, Canon 24-70 lens @ 70mm and F 14, iso 100, Shutter speed 1/160 of a sec. With the fall season just about here, actually in many places it’s already here in Arkansas as a lot of the trees have turned brown due to the excessive drought.  This shot was taken during one of my many hikes along the Cossatot River in the southwestern Ouachita  mountains.  The Cossatot is a great stream, just takes a while to get there from Little Rock.  When the levels are right, the Cossatot is one of the best kayaking spots in Arkansas.  The area known as Cossatot Falls is the real mecca.  Here you can find 6 distinct rapids each of which has a unique name. Along the banks of the Cossatot you can find wonderful displays of maples, oaks, and gum trees.  I found this shot on my hike back out as the sun was starting to set and I was able to position the sun so that it back lit the leaf just the way I wanted.  I used a polarizer to help block out unnecessary reflections and to give the sky a deeper blue hue.   Fall is definitely one my favorite times to photograph Arkansas.