Photo Of The Day: Autumn Leaves In West Virginia

by Elizabeth Seward on

Autumn leaves are especially beautiful when contrasted against a crisp, blue sky, but there’s something equally stunning when you see the brightly colored leaves of fall paired with a dark, brooding, stormy sky. Photographer Ben Britz explores the aesthetics of the latter in this photo, which he shot in an unassuming shopping mall parking lot in Morgantown, West Virginia, last month. As both evening and a strong storm were rolling in, this tree’s leaves glowed with a little help from the monstrous parking lot lights. Do you have photos of this year’s fall foliage that you’d like to submit for Photo Of The Day? If so, go ahead and upload them to the Gadling Flickr Pool and we’ll take a look.

[Photo Credit: Ben Britz]

Photo of the day: autumn colors in Virginia Canyon, Yosemite

by Elizabeth Seward on


For anyone who thinks the autumn colors don’t show boldly outside of New England, just focus your eyes for a moment on this photo of Virginia Canyon in California. As part of Yosemite National Park, Virginia Canyon sees many travelers each years. Nonetheless, these autumn colors pop up on my radar less frequently than I wish they would. Having spent the last year in Austin, Texas, I miss the fall colors and I hope all of you surrounded by brightly colored trees this fall took advantage and soaked in the beauty fully–or are still doing so if your trees still have their leaves.

Kudos to Flickr user Misha Logvinov for this photo, which can be found in the Gadling Flickr Pool. If you’d like one of your photos to go live here on Gadling, follow in Misha’s footsteps and upload your photo(s) to the Gadling Flickr Pool.

Where’s the best fall foliage? You tell us!

by Meg Massie on

There’s a saying in Virginia that goes “If God’s not a Hokie, then why are the leaves orange and maroon every football season?” Okay, okay, not all Virginians agree that Virginia Tech has the best football program in the land, but we are solidly united on the question of fall foliage. When the leaves start to turn, there’s no better place to see them than from a lookout point or a hiking trail in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Come to Virginia when the weather turns cool, and (if you can find a vacant hotel room) you’ll find a statewide celebration of our fantastic fall. In the Shenandoah Valley, especially, you’ll find art shows, wine tastings, parades, and special guided hikes and bike rides throughout October. Just when peak tourism season is ending everywhere else, we get a real boom from all those savvy travelers who have been able to admit to themselves that Virginia really does have the best autumn around.

I can’t speak for the rest of the country, though, because like my fellow Virginians, I prefer to stay here in the fall. But I have heard plenty of arguments from others. My husband says nothing beats an Oregon October. New Englanders tend to argue that they’ve got the best autumn colors. I’m guessing that wherever it is you call home, you think the fall foliage there is unbeatable, too. Tell us about it, then! Comment and let Gadling and our readers know what’s so great about autumn where you live.