Tag Archives: fall

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada

Green and Yellow Aspens

October 14, 2014 G Dan Mitchell 2 Comments

A grove of green and yellow autumn aspen trees in the eastern Sierra Nevada

Since I just spent some days photographing autumn color in the Sierra Nevada, I’m going to interrupt the continuing series of early September Yosemite back-country photographs to share at least one of these recent autumn photographs. I began in the Tahoe area and this year I followed a path partly dictated by a fall color project that I’m working on, heading south through Hope Valley, then over Monitor Pass and continuing on the Bishop Creek area for a day of shooting before working my way back up into areas roughly around the intersection of routes 120 and 395 near Lee Vining.

As much as we all have “our places” to look for aspens, I was reminded again during this little jaunt that you can pretty much go anywhere in the Sierra or along its eastern slopes this time of year and quickly find tons of autumn color. I have a few favorites, indeed, and I understand that those just discovering the fall colors may want to go to “sure bet” places, but I’m having more and more fun just poking around and finding color in lots of odd little places. This location is very close to an area where many, many people were stopped to photograph some very spectacular color in a well-known place — but here, just a ways down the road, I was the only person shooting as cars whizzed past on their way to those other places.

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Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Northern California, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Lake Shore, Autumn Bilberry

September 29, 2014 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

A harbinger of Sierra Nevada autumn, red bilberry plants carpet the shoreline of a sub-alpine lake

This photograph evokes, for me, that special feeling of the end of summer in the high country, when the awareness of the changing seasons is heightened and there is an odd combination of relaxation as the pace of mountain life slows and a feeling that the time of year when access to such places is easy is rapidly coming to an end — and that in a matter of weeks places like this one will be snow-covered and largely inaccessible for another year. It is also a time, perhaps for these very reasons, when the recognition of the natural cycles of seasons and lives becomes more acute.

The red carpet on the close ground along the shoreline consists of small bilberry plants. This small plant is normally easy to overlook. It stands perhaps an inch tall, often in clusters in clear areas along lakes and among trees. During the summer it is, frankly, just another little green thing among many. But in September it transforms into something that you cannot help noticing, especially if you look across a patch into the sun — backlit bilberry suddenly becomes flaming red. Beyond the near shore, trees scattered along a rocky peninsula and small islands catch the last warm and soft light of an “almost-autumn” evening.

Morning Musings

My Favorite Season (Morning Musings 9/23/14)

September 23, 2014 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Autumn Afternoon, Merced River Cottonwood Trees *

Just a quick note today to celebrate the autumn equinox and the start of my favorite season of the year. Summer is the time of easy travel and access to the backcountry, winter brings appealing extremes of weather, and spring the greenery of a new season. But autumn seems to have a bit of all of these things, at least here in California, and in some ways the best of each of them.

Today the calendar says “fall,” but the weather is still more summer on this part of the west coast. The edge is off the heat for the most part, but it is still pleasantly comfortable. Yet, after the relative stasis of the summer season, things are beginning to change once again. Back in early September I saw the hints in the Yosemite backcountry, but they are even more unmistakable by now. Up there the aspens are starting to turn colors and will soon drop their leaves. (See “Sierra Nevada Fall Color Season – Coming Sooner Than You Think!“) Even here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the air feels different — and we are watching the weather forecasts, hoping for the first real rain (which may come later this week) and for snow in the mountains. Soon that snow will fall up there, and we’ll be fully into the interesting weather season. And it won’t be long at all until migratory birds return to my favorite locations in the Great Central Valley.

So, here’s to autumn!

* “Autumn Afternoon, Merced River Cottonwood Trees” was originally posted here.

Morning Musings are somewhat irregular posts in which I write about whatever is on my mind at the moment.

Morning Musings

Aspen Color Update (Morning Musings 9/20/14)

September 20, 2014 G Dan Mitchell Leave a comment

Aspen Tree, Morning Light - An aspen tree with morning backlight, photographed high above Bishop Creek Canyon — An aspen tree with morning backlight, photographed high above Bishop Creek Canyon *

Today’s Morning Musings post is a brief summary of some things I’m hearing about the development of the eastern Sierra fall aspen color. With the exception of some things I saw a week and a half ago in the Yosemite backcountry, what follows is entirely second-hand information, gleaned from descriptions and photographs I’ve seen posted here and there on the web. (That means that you will likely want to do whatever other checks you normally rely on if you want more detailed and specific information.)

I usually target the first week of October for my first serious aspen photography in the eastern Sierra, but in recent posts I have mentioned the widespread feeling that the color just might come early this year. I also wrote about seeing some strong signs of autumn color in northern Yosemite during the first two weeks of September, earlier than I would usually expect to see such things.

After reading some years of the annual excitement of “the aspens are changing early this year!” following the discovery of an odd tree here or there with some yellow leaves, I’m usually pretty cautious about reports of early color. However, I’m starting to hear and see a significant number of reports and photographs suggesting that things really are getting underway early this time. Continue reading Aspen Color Update (Morning Musings 9/20/14) →

G Dan Mitchell Photography

Tag Archives: fall

Green and Yellow Aspens

Lake Shore, Autumn Bilberry

My Favorite Season (Morning Musings 9/23/14)

Aspen Color Update (Morning Musings 9/20/14)

Photographer and visual opportunist. Daily photos since 2005, plus articles, reviews, news, and ideas.