Sweetgum in fall color

While driving through Cades Cove one morning, looking for something interesting to shoot, I stumbled upon a small grove of sweetgum trees.  Most of the color was gone from the valley floor in the Cove, but these trees were ablaze with color.  I was particularly struck by how unique the coloring was on the tree’s leaves.  It appeared almost as though the leaves were burning from the outside in; the outer edge black and charred looking with a brilliant orange and deep yellow center.  It is always fun making little discoveries like these!

–Dan Thompson