Sheldrake Pond
Sheldrake Pond is a glacially formed body of water sitting at the heart of the small Catskills hamlet of Loch Sheldrake, ringed by dense deciduous forest that makes it one of the region's best fall foliage reflections shots. The still water acts as a near-perfect mirror on calm mornings, so arrive early before wind picks up and look for a low vantage point along the bank to maximize the reflection of the tree line. Autumn is the obvious peak season, with peak color typically arriving in mid to late October, but early morning mist in late summer and winter ice abstracts are worth exploring too. A wide to standard zoom in the 24-70mm range handles most compositions well, from sweeping panoramas to tighter studies of reflected color. Street parking is available near the water and the shoreline is generally easy to walk. (Loch Sheldrake, New York, United States)
