Looks like Fall, but it’s Not!

The changing colors of the trees in the fall brings leaf peepers out all over the northeastern U.S. There is nothing like it, or is there? This spring in the New Jersey Pine Barrens we were treated to tree color that was almost equal to the fall. To call this leaf peeping really isn’t correct. These are the buds so let’s call it spring bud peeping. Spring is normally a great time in the Pines with colors changing from the muted tones of winter to various shades of green as new growth sprouts out of the forest. That is always punctuated with the some reds and yellows as the maples and other trees start to bud.

Early Indicators of Spring in the Pine Barrens

Early in April the signs of a colorful spring started with tiny buds. Those little touches of red, green and yellow in waning winter landscapes were the indicators of things to come.

Touch of Spring In A Seasonal Pond by Richard Lewis 2023

 

A Touch Of Spring From The Air by Richard Lewis 2023

 

A Touch Of Spring by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Early Spring Morning by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring Peeping Along a Pine Barrens River

As spring started to unfold, the colors started to reveal themselves, especially with the Maple trees. All the photographs in this section were from a few mornings photographing in the same location. I stayed with this location instead of wandering all over the Pine Barrens because this place seemed reveal more and more beauty. It was like the gift that just kept giving.

 

Lighting The Morning by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring Light 2 by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Mullica Maple by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring Buds Along The River by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Waning Mist by richard Lewis 2023

 

Budding Buds by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring Color Shades by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring Light 3 by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Mullica Maple by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Springing up Spring elsewhere in the Pine Barrens

I hiked one afternoon around a series of old bogs while scouting locations for a private workshop client. The backlighting from the late afternoon sun turned this scouting hike into a photo session. Not all landscape photography needs to be done during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset. Great light is great light no matter when it happens.

Spring Awakenings by Richard Lewis 2023

 

The color just outside this Atlantic White Cedar Swamp was intense enough to be visible through the undergrowth.

Cedar Swamp Spring by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring verses Fall

Here is are two photographs of the same location. The top was photographed this spring and the lower image was made in the fall a few years ago.

Spring In The Bogs by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Misty Fall Morning by Richard Lewis 2020

 

Spring beyond the New Jersey Pine Barrens

Duke Farms, not far from Princeton, is a nice preserve that is open to the public and free! These two images of spring trees at Duke Farms were made with an iPhone.

Spring Color In Duke Farms 1 by Richard Lewis 2023

 

Spring Color In Duke Farms 2 by Richard Lewis 2023

 

One of many great things about photographing your local landscape is the ability to keep going back and seeing the changes. Every season has its charm, every day has its photographs and when the exceptional happens, like this spring’s burst of color, you know where and when to go to capture the beauty. The Pinelands National Reserve may not seem like an iconic American landscape, but to those of us who know it, The Pines are a place like no other because it is iconic like not other place.

Enjoy!

See more spring Pine Barrens photography here

Learn more about my Pine Barrens photography workshops here

Explore the Pines with my Book