Category Archives: Photographs: Utah

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Autumn Hillside

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Autumn Hillside
“Autumn Hillside” — A Utah hillside with autum color from aspens and brush.

The range of colors in this photograph reminds me a little bit — but only a little bit — of the widely diverse autumn colors of New England forests. It is a bit subtler, with lots of softer tones, ranging from the marginal coloration of some of the green plants to the ghostly quality of the leafless brush in the foreground.

The location would usually be considered unremarkable. In fact, we ended up here more or less by accident. While driving a better known route through part of Utah I saw a gravel side road and spontaneously decided to see where it led. We started in a beautiful aspen grove, then climbed up and around a large ridge to west-facing slopes, where we found this autumn color.

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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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Cliffs and Trees

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Red Cliffs and Trees
“Red Cliffs and Trees” — Kolob Canyon red sandstone walls in morning light and shadow, Zion National Park.

There are plenty of people whose knowledge of the red rock sandstone formations of the Southwest exceeds mine. But I have observed tremendous variations in these rocks as I photographed in Utah. The rock generally comes in layers that vary significantly in color and texture. Sometimes they are thick, uniform, and massive. In other locations they are filled with textured sub-layers and contain curves and cracks.

The example in this photograph is one of those massive, solid layers. This cliff is in Zion National Park’s slightly-more-remote Kolob Canyon. It is in a location where you can get quite close to this impressive layer. I made the photograph on a morning with a bit of haze. The position of the sun in front and to the right of the camera produced rim light on the cliff’s edges.

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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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Rock Sunset

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Red Rock Sunset
“Red Rock Sunset” — Sunset light on red rock formations near Fruita, Capitol Reef National Park.

This spot is obviously full of spectacular scenery, though it was a bit tricky to photograph near sunset. One of the “problems” actually turned out to be a plus. There was some overcast that muted the light, but the light was still strong enough to be softly directional, especially on the more distant cliffs. A second issue is geological. The area is on an inclined formation that rises to the west, so the sun actually drops behind the uplifted western horizon a bit earlier than true sunset.

The color was astonishingly red in this sunset light, especially since the soft light reduced harsh shadows and highlights. I don’t often include roads in my landscape photographs, but in this case, a) it was unavoidable and b) it produced a useful leading line heading toward the groves of trees and the campground at Fruita.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Below the Cliff

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Trees at Base of Cliff
“Trees at Base of Cliff” — Dense trees grow at the base of a sandstone cliff, Zion National Park.

The main thing that fascinates me about canyons in the Southwest is, of course, the remarkable colors and textures of the sandstone walls. As a “Sierra Nevada guy,” I am used to a world of mostly rather gray rocks, so the red rock shades are almost shocking. But once I’m in those canyons, especially in spring or fall, the vegetation starts to co-star with the geology.

This little vignette comes from Zion National Park, along a rather popular hiking trail. That trail has a destination that is likely on the minds of most hikers, but I always feel like there is as much to see along the route. These trees at the base of a huge red rock cliff were just barely beginning to show signs of the coming autumn color transformation.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.