Tag Archives: creek

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Aspen Grove, Autumn

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Aspen Grove, Autumn
Evening light on an autumn aspen grove in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Aspen Grove, Autumn. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Evening light on an autumn aspen grove in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

This is another photograph made near the end of the day, perhaps within minutes of sunset and it a deep valley where tall mountains had blocked the sun before that. This is a busy time of the year in these places, and there are often a lot of photographers chasing the fall colors — but most of them seem to leave before this most-beautiful time of day when the light softens and everything tends to become quiet and still. (OK, the wind was blowing more that I wanted on this evening…)

There are little scenes like this all over the place anywhere that aspens or other fall foliage trees grow. (I made similar photographs last year in New England.) It is easy to chase the big name iconic locations — and you probably should visit them, too — but I’ve come to feel that there are photographs to be made almost everywhere if you look around, even in little unnamed places like this one.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Flight, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Autumn Leaves, Creek

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Autumn Leaves, Creek
Trees and bushes with autumn leaves line the banks of an Eastern Sierra Nevada creek.

Autumn Leaves, Creek. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Trees and bushes with autumn leaves line the banks of an Eastern Sierra Nevada creek.

This is another of the “how in the world did I pass by here and never stop to photograph this” images. I’m sure that I have passed this spot scores of times and simply not noticed it… until I just happened to look this direction last week while on my way to something else. I made a mental note, stopped here on my return, and then ended up photographing this spot several times over a two-day period. In truth, part of what I enjoy about returning to photograph familiar places is the inevitable “discovery” of things that have been there all along!

In most years this spot would have been past its prime for autumn colors on the date I visited. It is more typically at its peak several days earlier. But this year in the eastern Sierra felt a bit different. I’m still pondering why it happened but it seemed like the higher elevation trees may have changed a little bit later than usual (or at least retained their colors a bit longer) while lower elevation groves are transitioning on more of a typical schedule. As a result during the second week of October I found color from the highest to the lowest locations — and that’s not typical.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Cascade, Autumn Colors

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Cascade, Autumn Colors
Autumn colors along an Eastern Sierra Nevaa, Cascade.

Cascade, Autumn Colors. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn colors along an Eastern Sierra Nevaa, Cascade.

It continues to amaze me that I can miss things that have been right in front of me for years. I’ve photographed in sight of this little feature for literally decades, but this fall was the first time I noticed it. (I had also barely noticed the nearby remnants of an old gold mine.) And it isn’t the only example. On this month’s first visit to the Eastern Sierra to photograph fall colors I “discovered” a lovely little creek… right alongside a roadway where I’ve also photographed for decades.

This creek is probably seasonal, flowing from a small but popular lake. After leaving that lake in the usual way — through the low end of the valley that contains it — it eventually drops over some very steep terrain where it seems to have carved into the rocks. In this particular spot it is accompanied by a large conifer tree and several deciduous plants that produce some lovely fall color.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Aspens in the Canyon

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Aspens in the Canyon
Autumn aspen trees turn golden in a rugged Eastern Sierra Nevada canyon.

Aspens in the Canyon. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Autumn aspen trees turn golden in a rugged Eastern Sierra Nevada canyon.

My memory may be imprecise, but I recall that Colin Fletcher (author of the classic “The Complete Walker”) describes a scene in one of his books where someone believes they have gone as far from the human world as possible, only to spot someone emerging from the inaccessible wild world looking happy and healthy. Some Eastern Sierra canyons might produce a similar experience. Driving Into such canyons and running out of road, it might seem that you have gone as far as you can go — but then someone emerges from that “beyond” and reminds you. (I looked at this canyon for a long time before I finally ascended it on foot years ago.)

This may be my favorite sort of East Side canyon — one that transitions quickly from high desert to alpine peaks. You can visit aspens by vehicle here — as I did this season — but you can also continue up the trail into the heart of the canyon and walk right through the distant grove seen in this photograph… and on among the peaks.

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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.