Beaver Dam State Park is a favorite location of mine. When fog rolls in the mood of the lake changes dramatically. The park has a number of Wood Duck houses placed on poles in shallow water to protect the nest from predators. I waded into the lake to compose the Wood Duck house against the peace and quiet of the foggy shoreline.

One of my favorite places for Fall photography is a small pond at the family farm. Cool temperatures and warm water produced misty conditions across the watery surface, when I noticed the first rays of morning light filtering through trees illuminating the far shoreline.

Beaver Dam State Park is great any time of the year, but Fall is my favorite. The 1.7, mile path around the park’s 57-acre lake offers numerous compositions, especially when fog is present. The lake has an average depth of four feet, so old stumps are common around the water’s edge. I came across this stump surrounded by fallen leaves, which signals the changing seasons and acts as a foreground to the distant shoreline. What’s great about this morning is the peace and quiet present in the hours just after sunrise. The only things that broke the silence were the geese and herons that inhabit the area.~

Fall photography is full opportunity and surprises. Even though the trees haven’t started showing the various hues of Fall color; the cool mornings and warm water produce a misty vapor that glides across the pond, creating the moody tones of Fall.

As Summer ends, and Fall begins, crisp morning temperatures and patchy fog signal the changing seasons in rural Macoupin County, Illinois.

This photo is on display at OA Gallery in St. Louis, MO - SOLD

Summer drought conditions expose this old stump at Beaver Dam State Park. Normally, the stump would be nearly submerged, but the timeworn, tangled, root system is now visible due to the receding water, making an interesting composition against the foggy shoreline.

Fog wraps the opposite shoreline in an ethereal shroud of pre-dawn light, reflecting the magic of God’s creation.

This photo is on display at OA Gallery in St. Louis, MO.