Tag Archives: eastern

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

All The Colors

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All The Colors
A large grove of multi-colored autumn aspen trees in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

All The Colors. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A large grove of multi-colored autumn aspen trees in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

When aspen trees transition from their summer green to their brief autumn show they can produce a diverse range of colorful foliage. Most of the trees turn yellow/gold, but the other colors can range between orange and several shades of red. I know some photographers look for the uniform golden colors — and they can certainly be spectacular — but I’m drawn to scenes that include the full spectrum. This is one of those scenes. In fact, here the orange trees predominate, along with green shades on trees that are yet to change. But look closer and you’ll find plenty of gold… and a few bits of red foliage, too.

Soft, shaded light with a bit of directionality is my favorite for photographing this subject. I made this photograph late in the day, just after the sun had dropped behind mountains to the west, but while the sky (and a few white clouds) still provided that slightly directional light. In these conditions the colors may not be quite as saturated, but the soft light fills that shadows and renders more of the details visible.

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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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.

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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.

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

Autumn Grove, Evening

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Autumn Grove
A quiet autumn sspen grove in the evening, Eastern Sierra Nevada.

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

Autumn in a quiet evening aspen grove in the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

It is easy to focus on the largest and most impressive elements of the Sierra Nevada landscape — I know that I often do. The range is full of rugged peaks, deep valleys, forests draped across miles of terrain, and more. But eventually, if you spend enough time in this landscape, it becomes apparent that there are things to see (and photograph) almost everywhere… and not just in the iconic places. If you asked me where this photograph was made, I could tell you the precise location — but why? There are countless equivalent scenes all over the range!

The photograph illustrates another principle of photographing such subjects: sometimes “bad light” is actually good light. I made the photograph after the sun had set behind the surrounding tall mountains, as the day’s light was quickly fading. But I love photographing trees — especially autumn aspen trees — in this marginal and soft light. The harsh highlights and shadows are gone and gentle light suffuses the scene.

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.