A Very Colorful Colorado Autumn
by Jon Burch Photography
Title
A Very Colorful Colorado Autumn
Artist
Jon Burch Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photography
Description
In Colorful Colorado and elsewhere, autumn leaves in vibrant hues are a beautiful part of the season, but those leaves are also a vital part of keeping trees alive.
Deciduous trees have leaves that change color in fall. Evergreen trees with needles, which stay green to continue the photosynthesis process through the winter, are coniferous. Deciduous trees usually have large, broad leaves.
Most of the year, these leaves are green because of the chlorophyll they use to absorb energy from sunlight during photosynthesis. The leaves convert the energy into sugars to feed the tree.
As the season changes, temperatures drop and days get shorter. Trees get less direct sunlight, and the chlorophyll in the leaves breaks down.
The lack of chlorophyll reveals yellow and orange pigments that were already in the leaves but masked during the warmer months. Darker red leaves are the result of a chemical change: Sugars that can get trapped in the leaves produce new pigments that weren’t part of the leaf in the growing season. Some trees, like oaks and dogwoods, are likely to produce red leaves.
Some digital effects were applied to the original image (made near Walden, Colorado) after the photograph was made. No electrons were harmed during the transition.
Image copyright 2023 Jon Burch Photography
Uploaded
October 21st, 2023
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Comments (3)
Gary F Richards
Outstanding Very Colorful Colorado composition, lighting, shading, excellent color and artwork! Congratulations on your very deserving features! F/L