This year’s annual fall color trip provided challenging conditions. The entire first week of the trip was hot and dry with cloudless skies – not our typical Colorado fall weather. The heat and wind caused the leaves to drop early in many locations. And the clear skies were not conducive to grand scenics. So my approach to making images was a little different this year. But I enjoyed getting out of my usual comfort zone, and I’m happy with quite a few of the resulting images.
Reflections
Throughout the trip, clear skies provided opportunities to discover the autumn colors reflected in the mountain creeks and lakes. This requires looking at a scene in a completely different way – abstractly, and often upside down.
Leaf Swirls Study
I spent an entire morning entranced by the colors and patterns of the fallen leaves flowing and swirling in Beaver Creek. The variety of leaves is endless. And long exposures of 2 to 4 seconds show the swirling movements in the dark currents. Experimental and fun!
Leaf Droplets Study
Much like the leaf swirls above, I spent well over an hour one afternoon making similar images of a common subject – leaves with water droplets floating down an old canal. This happens sometimes as leaves tumble through faster, splashing currents. Water droplets get “captured” as they land on top of leaves. And although the images look calm and relatively static, the leaves were floating by very quickly. Making the images required fast shutter speeds, accurate autofocus, quick shutter-finger reflexes, and some luck. I had to identify the approaching leaf and try to compose them as they sped across pleasing reflections – very challenging and engaging.
Leaf Portraits
Wandering quietly through the forest is one of my favorite fall pastimes. I love perusing the undergrowth for intriguing compositions of fallen leaves. I’m a bit of a purist, in that I prefer to search out these scenes as they occur naturally. I love spending hours walking under the canopy of yellow and orange, gently stepping over and around fallen trees, carefully observing and looking for pleasing compositions. Billions of leaves fall from their trees each year. Most are misshapen, cracked, broken and crumpled, anonymously smashed together in piles. But some, to my eye, are just right; exemplifying autumn’s beauty, as they tumble down to land perfectly on log, boulder or forest floor.
"Peak" Futility
If you spend any time on social media sites that report on fall colors, you’ll be all too familiar with the questions, predictions and reports of “peak” fall colors. It’s become a common obsession. Everyone wants to make their trip plans to coincide with the “peak.” Many make predictions for the timing of the “peak.” Forecasts and ruminations for the “peak” start even before leaves begin to change. “Peak will be early! No, it will be late!” And everyone wants to report that they experienced “peak” during their visit, no matter the actual conditions. “It’s was peak yesterday when I was there!” I guess it’s understandable. Many people have limited time to view the fall colors and desperately want to make the most of it. The fear of missing out (fomo) is palpable and abundant.
But it’s a futile pursuit. There is no common definition of “peak.” Some argue that “peak” means all the trees have turned, but none have dropped their leaves (this almost never happens). Others prefer a little green mixing in with the yellows. Still others will say that “peak” consists of ALL leaves changed, even if some have dropped. So the constant fret about the timing of the “peak” is often an exercise in mis-communication, altogether. And… this is nature, the natural world, not some controlled laboratory in the city. Each grove (aspen clone), in every location, experiences different weather and soil conditions every year and leaves change color accordingly (even if it’s not totally understood). Some years it’s a earlier. Some years it’s later. And usually, the timing is different in various locations. There are averages and trends, to be sure. But don’t count on the typical armchair internet surfer to predict or report on “peak” colors based on factual, unbiased experience, or be free of self-promoting motivations.
Besides, after photographing Colorado fall colors for 30 years, I’ve learned that it simply doesn’t matter. Early, or late, or at the very pinnacle of “peak” (whatever that means to you), there is ALWAYS beauty to be found in Colorado fall colors. Just go – sometime in September or October. With open eyes and heart, you’ll find the fall color beauty.
Autumn's End
I missed “peak” color this year in many of the locations visited. (Gasp!) So here is a collection of images that showcase the beauty of the Fall season winding down into Winter.
Courthouse Tower (Jack's View)
Aurora Borealis
The last night of our trip we were pleasantly surprised by the Oct 10 Aurora event experienced by much of the United States. It was intensely beautiful from our camp at 10,600 feet elevation.
Night Sky Timelapse
Although this year was different than most, there was still much beauty to be found and the time in the field with friends is always one of the highlights of my year.
