A scene from the past at Stony Creek Metropark, Nikon D2H
This week, with some time off from the “day job,” I have been visiting some spots I haven’t been to in a number of years, hoping to check out some local fall color action. As usual, I always seem to end up with something more interesting than what I had initially planned for. In my visit to Stony Creek Metropark (surprised me there was actually a Wikipedia entry for this!), I was hoping to revisit some spots along the creek that I photographed long ago. The image I have is from October 9, 2004, photographed with my D2H camera – preserved with a whopping 4MP. I thought it would be nice to have a more detailed image with more up to date gear. Well, turns out this scene no longer exists.
The shoreline trees in this spot have been cleared, and the creek was running much deeper than in the past, so I don’t know if all the shoreline rocks were also gone. I didn’t even bother photographing the new spot as it didn’t have much appeal to me. I continued on hoping perhaps to find a different spot that was similar.
Frosty Oak savanna, Nikon D800, Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 | Washington Township, MI
As I followed one of the trails, I came to a large clearing that had some waist to chest height prairie grasses. Mixed with these grasses were seed heads of flowers long past, but now covered with frost. It was pretty cold – our first dip down to 32 deg F this fall. Well, I thought this spot was just the coolest thing. The grasses provided for a pleasant landscape backdrop, and I began working the frosty seed heads into some compositions.
With my hopes of getting some fall creek shots diminished, and clear sky overhead, I decided to spend my time here instead as the light would soon become pretty harsh. There was a sign posted near here describing this landscape as what once was an Oak Savanna, around the time of Native Americans roaming here. But when European settlers came in, fires were prevented, and this landscape was turned into land for grazing cattle. The native grasses and wildflowers disappeared. The park, now a protected space, is restoring the oak savanna to how it once was, and using controlled burns to restore the native flowers and grasses. So this appears to also be a changing landscape over time, and it looks better now than one that was grazed upon.
Oak savanna and bordering woodland in fall color, Stony Creek Metropark, Washington, Michigan.
I suppose change is certainly one thing we can count on. Landscapes are destroyed and renewed. Some are preserved, others are not. Even those under “preservation” are changing as trees mature and fall, oceans rise, and shorelines change. In the grand scope of time, it seems these places can be as fleeting as the photographs themselves.
Great images, Mark. Glad to now you actually have such a thing as time off from the “day job?” 🙂 As Tom mentions the predominate fall colors out here are the muted browns, not so much the gold of the aspens, which is short lived.
Thanks Monte. I have been at my day job long enough to accumulate a decent vacation package, but if I don’t use all my days by the end of the year, I lose them.
It’s too easy to forget that not all fall color is saturated reds and yellows. I really like the look and feel of these grasses, Mark. Definitely understated, as well as underrated, these muted colors are.
Hey Brad, thanks for the comments and the ID. I don’t get to photograph grasses like these that often, so my ID skills are quite lacking. Thanks again – little bluestem – noted!
The grasses images are fantastic. I’m somewhat bias when it comes to things like the grasses of the world. To me they have always been a very underrated flora when it comes to nature photography. I know you have some different varieties in your neck of the woods compared to here in Kansas on the open prairies but this looks like Little Bluestem. It is a grouping type of grass growing 12-30+ inches or so in height, grows in clumps and takes on a beautiful golden brown reddish orange color in the fall. Native grasses can be absolutely stunning this time of year. You have shown them in the beauty they rightfully deserve.
Three lovely images, Mark. I really like the division of the second.
I’ve known a similar disappointment when revisiting a well-remembered spot only to find it not at all as envisioned. Sometimes “improved” and sometimes just nature changing the scenery. In this case, you received a very nice consolation prize.
Those consolation prizes are often my only hope Steve. 🙂 thanks for your thoughts on these
Fantastic Mark. Love the quiet scenes.
Thanks Richard. I think subdued scenes are undervalued these days.
I haven’t been to Stony Creek in years (now that I live “south” in Ferndale) but I really need to make a trip up there to check out the foliage. Great images!
Although I have been to many other areas of the park throughout the years, it seems like it has been awhile since I have been through the nature center area trails. Well worth a visit – and thanks Alanna!