Hi friends!
Two years ago I wrote this article regarding the beauty of autumn mentioning that one of the best sightseeing periods in the mountains is October (if the weather is good). This year I tried to repeat this trip in the same month but unfortunately the weather and some personal things that I needed to solve prevented me from doing this. So I went on the same route a month after, namely at the beginning of November.
As can be noticed in the below photo gallery there was nothing to regret when taking this decision. In the first day the weather was a bit cloudy but this didn’t stop me from taking some incredible photos with clouds, fog and spots of light in a sea of shadows (the “chiaroscuro” effect is really incredible). I’ve already mentioned a few words about the game of light and shadow in this post.
Next day I went on the (already usual) trip through the mountain villages Moieciu, Pestera and Magura. As always there was much to photograph: incredible misty landscapes with scattered houses surrounded by fog, flocks of sheep, perched birds, other domestic animals (a goat offered me the opportunity to improve my animal portrait photography skills) and many other attractions. I also noticed with great pleasure that the colours of the leaves are almost as vivid as in October. A rich palette consisting of green, yellow and various hues of red and orange revealed itself before my eyes. Such a sight together with the fresh mountain air can really help someone “charge the batteries”, especially when wearing a mask has become an everyday habit within the city.
In the last day the weather was still beautiful, yet it was time to leave. It took a few more landscape and perched birds photos and then (regretfully) departed. Can’t wait for the next trip, the Brasov county area is always amazing!
Let me now write a few “technical” words about the photography part. I carried two lenses in my bag, namely the standard Nikon 16-85mm and the super-telephoto 100-400mm Tamron. Well, I only used the last one. Probably this was because I already knew the area well and didn’t feel the need for wide angles. For example I didn’t photograph houses from close distance as was the case in other trips but instead focused on more distant landscapes or on various animals I encountered on the road. Actually my approach in such trips is following: I start by using the telephoto as default lens. This is because when I encounter a moving subject I will have no time to switch the gear. On the other hand if I see a scenery where the standard lens is required I have plenty of time to change my lens, the landscape doesn’t run anywhere. Nevertheless this time it was not the case for a lens switch so the Tammy stayed on my camera all the time! I find this focal range pretty versatile for wildlife, birds, landscapes and other types of photography.
To conclude, November is another great month for travelling into the mountains provided the weather is fine. Actually it is less likely to rain but more likely to snow. While the first situation is not quite what we usually desire the second one can offer incredible opportunities for sightseeing and photography. My personal preference? A sunny day and a sea of vivid warm colours combined with the strong fresh mountain air!
Take care.
P.S. Check these posts too:
The Magic of Fog. Welcome to the Misty Mountains!
Meet Dragonflies and Damselflies
Call of Nature 