The dictionary might define an arboretum as "a place where trees or shrubs are cultivated for their scientific or educational interest", but I’d say it’s a place you can go to capture a variety of interesting photos, from landscapes, abstracts, and patterns to macro. The best time to go is, of course, fall, because of the red and yellow colors adding to the greens of the all-year-round foliage. Now is pretty much your last chance for the year, as winter weather sweeps in and there are more leaves on the ground than on the trees, which is why I visited Westonbirt National Arboretum in the UK.
What lenses should I take, I hear you ask? Well, surprisingly, I wouldn’t go with a super wide-angle lens (like 18mm), as the widest you’re likely to need is a 24-28mm standard zoom, and often you’ll want to zoom in to frame specific features. The other consideration is that this is a wood/forest, so if you need more space for a shot, simply move backwards, and avoid the heavy distortion that you get with those super wide-angle shots.
