As a child who was born and lived amidst the stunning beauty of Vermont's Green Mountains, I always took the amazing scenery that surrounded me from day to day for granted. Even as the brilliant colors appeared every fall, I just never quite noticed and was even a bit perplexed, "why do people come to look at the trees?"

At about age 19, as I became more and more involved with photography in a serious way, I suddenly began to notice the stunning colors that seemed to blanket the hills in fire each fall as the days got shorter and the nights became colder. Slowly but surely as I gained experience and insight, I began to really understand what a special place Vermont is and I began to fall in love with my home and the stunning colors. From the stark monochromatic white of winter, the green of spring and summer and the stunning fiery reds and oranges of autumn.

For the first time, I set out this year to document the particular beauty of the fall season in the hilly little paradise where I hang my hat. These images are my favorites from this effort.

Mark Collier
Fall, 2012, somewhere in Vermont.