Sometimes beauty is found in the most surprising of places... in this case, literally underfoot. I was walking along a dirt road, happened to glance down, and noticed this beautiful maple leaf, yellow and blushing with shades of orange and red, nestled on a blanket of older, dead leaves. The image was taken handheld, pointing straight down. (It was not posed -- I never pose images.)

Of all of the many autumn pictures I have taken in Vermont, this is one of my favorites.