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Maple Leaves


Maple Leaves
Photo Information
Copyright: Claude Ouellet (tiklod) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 290 W: 74 N: 875] (3397)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-10-10
Categories: Trees
Camera: Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5
Exposure: f/4, 1/250 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version, Workshop
Date Submitted: 2007-09-27 5:27
Viewed: 4447
Points: 32
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
MAPLE LEAVES ON MORNING SUN

Red Maple
Red maple is commonly tapped in certain geographic areas, particularly in the southern and western portions of the commercial maple range. Identifying a tree as a red maple (Table 3.2, Figure 3.4) is done from the leaves by observing the 3 lobes (occasionally 5), the paired opposite arrangement of the leaves and the small teeth along the margin; from the bark of older trees by the presence of the scaly plates; from the twig by observing the pairedopposite arrangement of the buds, the relatively short, blunt, rounded, red terminal bud and the lack of an offensive odor when the bark of the twig is bruised or scraped; and from the fruit by observing its severe V-shape and size.

Red maple is one of the most abundant and widespread hardwood trees in North America (Figure 3.8). Probably no other species of forest tree, certainly no hardwood, can thrive on a wider variety of soil types and sites. Although it develops best on moderately well-drained to well-drained, moist soils, it commonly grows in conditions ranging from dry ridges to swamps. Because of the wide variety of sites on which red maple will grow, it is found growing naturally in pure stands and with an enormous variety of other tree species ranging from gray birch and paper birch, to yellow poplar and black cherry, and including sugar and black maple. Its rapid growth and ability to thrive on a wide variety of sites have resulted in its widespread planting as ornamental and street trees which are often tapped as part of a sugaring operation.

Compared to sugar and black maple, red maple is a relatively short-lived tree, rarely living longer than 150 years. Mature trees commonly average between 20 and 30 inches in diameter and 60 and 90 feet tall. Like sugar and black maple, red maple is shade tolerant and is found in both even-aged and uneven-aged forests. Thinning or release cutting will substantially shorten the age-to-tapable-size.

From the perspective of producing maple syrup, red maple's most attractive characteristic is its ability to thrive on a wide variety of site conditions. In some areas of the commercial maple range, red maple is the only maple present on many sites. One either taps red maple or they don't sugar. In other areas, red maple may be tapped along with sugar and black maples.

It is important to emphasize that good, high-quality maple syrup can be made from red maple sap. However, for sugaring, red maple does have three important weaknesses. First, the sap sugar content of red maple will be less, on the average, than that of nearby comparable sugar or black maples, perhaps by 1/2 percent or more. This lower sap sugar content translates to higher costs of production and lower profits. Secondly, red maple begins growth in the spring before sugar and black maples, resulting in a shorter collecting season. In addition, when the sap of some red maples is processed, an excessive amount of sugar sand is produced. Sugar sand or niter is the salt that precipitates during the evaporation process. Sugar sand can cause several problems during the production process.

ISO 80
F4.0
1/250

Your comments will be welcome,

Claude
jmirah, cataclysta, lise, ellis49, thiv56, livios, eqshannon, jaycee, CeltickRanger, marhowie, pierrefonds has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To cataclysta: Size under 800 pixelstiklod 1 09-27 06:08
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Critiques [Translate]

Hi Caude,
Excellent capture of the Autumn leaves, something we don't see on the Island. We have to go north of Houston to see the arrival of Fall. Outstanding contrasting/complimenting colors. Very well done.

TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-09-27 5:50]

Hi Claude,

A nice capture with the real autumn colors,although I like the green of spring more,I thin its a great capture,tfs

Paul

  • Great 
  • lise Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 169 W: 48 N: 548] (2877)
  • [2007-09-27 6:08]

Salut Claude,
Superbes feuilles d'automne! Les différents tons de rouges et jaunes sont super.
Très belle composition et netteté
Lise

Hi Claude,
a very nice picture of your well known symbol.
The colours are just beautiful and the lighting too.
The autumn could be a great time.
Well done.

Hello Claude!

Nice shot, with a very good composition and beautiful warm colours! TFS.

hello clude,
nice capture, the colours of the maple leaves looks just lovely, well composed shot, nice pov, good natural lighting,
well done,
tfs & regards
pankaj

  • Great 
  • livios Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2150 W: 319 N: 4263] (16942)
  • [2007-09-27 11:25]

Claude, this is very beautiful indeed. A simple and effective image.

Very pleasing warm tones.

I like the syrup much. I usually buy a Canadian brand or used to at a BC store called Overwaite, in Grand Forks.
Ces une amende est-il colorée l'image oui ? La chute est le belle temps pour prendre des promenades longues. ..with votre chien peut-être...

Bob

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2007-09-27 15:57]

Hi Claude,

Nice photo of these colorful maple leaves. Two things we don't have here in the desert - maple trees or changing colors. Wonderful composition.

Jane

salut Claude

avec ces feuilles tombés et aux couleurs automnales
ta photo représente bien l'automne de chez nous,

belle présentation

TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2007-09-28 1:57]

Hi Claude,
Wonderful colours on these Maple leaves. Very impressive sharpness and neat focus. Superb lighting and exposure. Excellent POV to portray them and very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi Claude
Oh Yes! Maple leafs. Very nice autumn shot with beautiful light and great colors. I like diagonal compo with the big red leaf. Sharpness is very good. I am not sure but I think you dint use the maximal size option 800 pixels Why?
Best wishes
Krzysztof

  • Great 
  • EOSF1 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1393 W: 119 N: 5267] (23955)
  • [2007-09-28 7:52]

Salut Claude, ouais c'est très joli mais ça annonce que l'été est bel et bien fini ! ;-) Excellente composition et technique irréprochable ! Bravo !

Mario

Quelle ravissante phot qui traduit tellement bien notre bel automne.
Merci
Marie

Hello Claude,
Very nice blend of colors, I like the side light & shadow I see giving it a 3D effect :)
Excellent details.
Very well done.
Howard

Hello Claude, nice shot. Maple leaves are always lovely to look at. I like the different colours in your shot. The composition is good too with that one leaf holding the eye before it loks around. I think that the WB is a bit too warm here and perhaps too much contrast too. I have done a WS, I hope you don't mind nad I hope you like it.

Bonsoir Claude,

Une belle image de ces feuilles d'érable sous la lumière du soleil du matin, la photo a une bonne composition, netteté et de jolies couleurs. Bonne soirée.

Pierre

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