Linqu - Shimenfang Red Maple Forest
Shimenfang, located 10 kilometers west of Linqu County, Shandong Province, is also known as Shimen Residence or Shimen Mountain. Shimenfang got its name because of the two peaks standing opposite each other at the crossroads, resembling a gate. The mountains here are steep and perilous, towering upwards like walls. There are prominent peaks like Taiping Peak and Ma Tou Peak, standing tall and beautiful, with clusters of peaks surrounded by lush greenery. Ancient poems have long praised this area with the line, 'Among the thousands of peaks in Shenzhou, the exquisite stones rival those of Stone Beauty; numerous peculiar rocks number Shimen'
The Shimenfang Scenic Area, influenced by its natural geographical environment, has a natural habitat for yellow sumacs, with a natural forest area of over 3000 acres. In the deep autumn, frost dyes the layers of trees, with red maples covering the mountains and valleys, and yellow sumacs blending seamlessly with the red leaves.
The steps here vary in height, ranging from high to low, large to small, sometimes ascending the mountain, sometimes descending, winding along the steep mountain walls, everywhere bursting with fiery colors, painting the walls with red and brown, captivating the eye.
The dense yellow sumac branches and leaves interweave and reflect sunlight; sunlight filtering through the red sumac leaves casts a beautiful golden path onto the yellow sumac leaves along the roadside.
Looking up, sumac among pines, with scattered juniper trees, it's a spectacle of crimson and brown, exquisite and elegant like a painting, breathtakingly beautiful. The crimson red leaves scattered across the mountains, like a giant carpet, draped across the mountains.
On the return journey, as you close your eyes, you're enveloped by the red maple forest of Shimen.
All the images were taken using aperture priority mode, with an aperture of around 11, appropriate exposure compensation, and both short and long focal lengths were used. Close-up shots should focus on the use of branches, while distant shots should pay attention to layering and color matching!
