Covid 19 has definitely created many challenges for me this year including having to move all of my college courses online for the year here in California. While this requirement has caused more than a few headaches for me, it has also provided a unique opportunity. Since all of my classes are now online, I am able to continue to teach regardless of where I am…as long as I have my laptop with me and reliable wifi.
So last month, I took my laptop, packed up the car, and headed off to visit my sister and her family in Arkansas. For 2.5 weeks, I shot forests and waterfalls throughout the Ozarks before venturing further down the state to the Ouachita National Forest and finally further south to the swamps of Southern Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. I had a fantastic time shooting in all sorts of weather (lots of rain and thunderstorms) with leaves changing from the Northern part of the state in Bentonville on towards the South by the time I left.
While I shot some of the swamps in the South on my own, I did meet up with Greg Boratyn toward the end of my trip and together we rented a canoe and explored some of the great Cypress forests in and around Louisiana while we were down there. We also took a couple of boat tours and were fascinated to learn how lanes were cut in these swamps during the late 1800’s to allow the steam ships to travel from town to town as some the areas were far too swampy for roads. No alligators on this trip since the temperatures dipped into the low 40’s when I was there. (They do something called “brumation” when it gets cold?)
Finally, a huge thank you to David Thompson who posted the first Autumn In The Bayou shots I had ever seen. I had no idea that cypress trees changed color in the Fall and probably wouldn’t have thought of visiting the great swamps of the Southern US at all until I came across some of his galleries on his website a couple of years ago.
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