Usually when I am out taking photos, I carry my tripod.  I like taking photos and then combining them in HDR so the tripod comes in handy.  Recently, though, I've been using my tripod to either take self-portraits or panoramas.

The other irony about my usual photo taking habits and panoramas is that I usually reserve the "grand landscape" for subjects that are thousands of miles away from home.  The last two weeks, however, I've been playing around with panoramas closer to home.

The first shot was taken a couple of weeks ago when we still had a little color in Wisconsin.  I was at High Cliff State Park and was awed by the yellow of the leaves, even though the weather was a bit "iffy" that day.

The second shot was taken yesterday while I was on a hike on an absolutely stellar November day.  The leaves are mainly down, but the grasses in the wetlands are an amazing array of browns.  Contrast that with the blue of the sky and the blue of the little pond to the right.

PAD Nov 15 Panorama

Both of these experiences were quite different.  The first photo was prompted by a golden walk through the forest.  The light was subtle and you had reflections from the leaves that were on the ground.

The second experience involved setting my tripod up in an observation deck so I am overlooking the marshland.  Different perspective rather than being on the ground level.

My big learning was to take a panorama every now and then.  You don't need to me miles away from home.  Your neighborhood has plenty of opportunities!