Aspen Layers. © Copyright 2019 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
Layers of autumn color in shaded aspen groves.
Overall, the current Eastern Sierra Nevada fall color season has seemed less stunning than in the best years. The start was promising, with good high elevation color arriving on the expected schedule. But later on a number of areas that frequently offer up amazing color did not quite deliver. However, a few points are in order. Even in a less-than-astonishing year there is great color to be found if you just look around a bit. (And some of it is not in the usual iconic locations.) And a lot depends on the specific moment you arrive — the day and even the time of day.
This grove may serve as an example. We first spotted it while driving past in the early morning, when the sun had not yet arrived on this spot. We continued up the road a bit, thinking we’d turn around and photograph it a bit later. It turned out that “a bit later” produced some pretty uninspiring light on this subject… so we returned the next day and timed our visit more carefully. Photographing fall color in shaded light can produce a very different effect than photographing in full sun, with more color subtle and varied color with more shadow detail. This grove offered an additional compositional detail — the heights of both the small and large trees produced a sort of arch shape.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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