Tag Archives: eastern

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

Autumn Grove, Evening

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

Autumn Grove. © 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.

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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

Aspen Layers

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Aspen Layers
Layers of colorful autumn aspen trees ascend the slopes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Aspen Layers. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Layers of colorful autumn aspen trees ascend the slopes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada.

We spent time in the Eastern Sierra Nevada this past week, mostly searching for autumn color up and down the range. It seemed like a good year for fall color. If 2023 has a “fall color personality” it might be that the colors seemed to take off all at once across a broader range of locations and elevations than is typical. While things may have peaked this past week, at least by some measures, there should still be fine color for another week or so, especially at lower elevations and in more sheltered areas with larger trees.

I made this photograph in soft evening light, generally my favorite type for this subject — along with soft morning light of course. While intense sunlight can produce extremely saturated colors, especially when the trees are back-lit, soft light tends to reveal details, especially in the shadows. Here layers of trees march up the slopes of the Eastern Sierra toward the crest.

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: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Ridgeline Trees, Incoming Storm

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Ridgeline Trees, Incoming Storm
A late-summer storm sweeps over high mountain terrain, Eastern Sierra Nevada.

Ridgeline Trees, Incoming Storm. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A late-summer storm sweeps over high mountain terrain, Eastern Sierra Nevada.

My favorite time of year in the Sierra Nevada high country is right now — roughly between mid-September and mid-October or a bit later. I love the place all year, wonderful stuff happens during this season. The overbearing crowds of summer are mostly gone — and I can just show up and get a campsite! The sun is often still warm, but its intensity has diminished. The light trends toward warm and soft and golden. Fall colors arrive and, of course, we sense winter out there on the seasonal horizon. These last easy, warm days seem even more precious as they come to an end yet again.

On the other hand, this transitional period brings surprises including cold, rain, graupel, hail, wind, snow… all of which I experienced on a few recent late-September days. I made this photograph from my camp at 9000’+ of elevation just outside Yosemite’s eastern border. Shortly after I set up my tent the sky darkened and soon rain, hail, and graupel arrived. The trees on this rocky prominence we in the last bit of soft light before the storm arrived and I took cover.

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.