At Wildflower Center Photo Exhibit, a Fresh Take on Fall

By Rose Cahalan in Blog, Special on October 4, 2011 at 12:16 pm | No Comments

Texas isn’t known for its fall colors. As any transplanted Yankee will boast, autumn in the Northeast is a spectacle all its own. Trees flash brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and gold; a satisfying crisp smell pervades the air; moods lift.

But our state has its own fall colors, too. You just have to look closer to see them. A new exhibit at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center does just that.

“The Unexpected Season: A Flash of Fall Color,” which opens today at the Wildflower Center, showcases 20 fall shots by nature photographer Steven Schwartzman. The photos, which will also appear in the October issue of Texas Highways magazine, examine
flowers and leaves from unexpected angles. Some, like this image of a silver bluestem seed head (right), zoom in so close as to be almost unrecognizable. Who knew that one tiny grey seed head could be flecked with vibrant green, maroon, and saffron? Schwartzman’s camera picks up on details that few would ever notice with the naked eye.

“Steve’s close-ups capture the beauty in the details, something we can all appreciate in this year of severe drought,” says Jill Lawless, managing editor of Texas Highways.

Like its namesake season, “A Flash of Fall Color” is ephemeral: the exhibit ends this Sunday, Oct. 9.

Photos by Steven Schwartzman

Tags: art, autmn, exhibit, fall, lady bird johnson wildflower center, macro, photography, wildflower center