ADWA ACTION ALERT

Join Our Online Community Receive action alerts, tips, news and special offers via e-mail.

National Park Foundation: Top Ten Parks for Fall Foliage '09

The National Park Foundation has released the 2009 list of the most photogenic parks for fall foliage. The announcement is made in partnership with Olympus, the sponsor of the Share the Experience photo contest, which is seeking this year's best photo of the 391 national parks. The grand prize winning photo will be featured on next year's Federal Recreation Lands Pass and will receive an Olympus E-3 Digital Camera.

The 2009 list of the most photogenic parks for fall foliage with expected time frames for peak colors:

-- Acadia National Park, ME Peak colors are expected now through October 15th.
-- Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH Peak colors expected the third and fourth weeks of October.
-- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, PA

Peak colors are expected the weekend of October 17th.

-- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN Peak colors are expected during the last two weeks of October.
-- Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, IN Peak colors are expected this weekend and for the next ten days.
-- Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, MN Leaves are already turning; the peak is expected in the next week.
-- Mount Rainier National Park, WA...Peak colors are expected for the next ten days.
-- New River Gorge National River, WV...Peak colors are expected during the third week of October, around the weekend of the 17th.
-- Saratoga National Historic Park, NY Peak colors are expected this weekend and for the next week.
-- Valley Forge National Historical Park, PA...Peak colors are expected during the last two weeks of October.

To help amateur photographers make the most of the opportunities, Olympus offered the following tips to park-goers:

-- Sun hiding behind the clouds? Don't be disappointed. Colors can often appear more vibrant in an overcast day. This type of even lighting is also great for displaying details in the shadows.
-- Consider different perspectives for each photo. Look up toward the and down toward your feet. You'll be amazed by the number of interesting subjects available beyond eyelevel.

Look for the small details. The landscape vistas will be beautifulwith fall colors but close-up photos of small objects such as a single leaf or cluster of fall berries can also make for a striking photo.

Think about backlighting your subjects on a sunny day. Backlighting is when you intentionally place the main light source behind your subject. Pictures of colorful leaves can be very striking when photographed this way.

Also, don't let the sun shine directly into your lens.

Bring a lens cleaning cloth. When capturing images outside, dust and moisture in the air can build up on the lens' glass surface. You'll want to keep it clean so that the light can pass through evenly.

Amateur photographers are invited to submit up to three photos to the Share the Experience contest through December 31, 2009. In addition, at the end of the submission period the public will be invited to vote for their favorite photo. Enter by visiting www.sharetheexperience.org or pick up a brochure and entry form while visiting a Federal Recreation Land this year. Great prizes include: Olympus digital cameras, trips to a federal recreation area, Federal Recreation Lands Passes and more!

Share the Experience is the official photo contest of America's national parks and federal recreation lands. Sponsored by Olympus and the National Park Foundation in partnership with the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service, the Share the Experience Photo Contest showcases the more than 500 million acres of Federal Lands and draws entries from all across the United States.