Golden Focus: Autumn at Little River Canyon National Preserve

Fall comes beautifully to the canyon country of DeKalb County, Alabama. Along the rim and within the gorge of Little River Canyon National Preserve — one of the largest canyon systems east of the Mississippi — the hardwood forest transforms each October into a tapestry of gold, amber, rust, and green that rivals anything the more famous fall foliage destinations can offer.

"Golden Focus" finds that transformation in its most intimate form. A single golden maple leaf — imperfect, spotted with the marks of a season well lived — holds sharp in the center of the frame while everything around it dissolves into a soft, luminous bokeh of autumn color. Golds and yellows blur into one another behind it, punctuated by soft circles of blue sky filtering through the canopy above. The bare branches of a young tree cross the right side of the frame, grounding the composition in the quiet, spare beauty of a forest at peak color.

It is a photograph about attention — about what happens when you stop looking at the whole forest and focus on a single leaf, a single moment, a single perfect detail in the middle of all that seasonal abundance. Alabama's fall foliage rarely gets the recognition it deserves. "Golden Focus" makes the case beautifully.

Bring the warm, golden beauty of Alabama's autumn season home with this museum-quality fine art photography print by Bama Price — available as metal, canvas, or glossy paper.