Hillside with aspens and conifers, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
We were in Colorado for two-and-a-half weeks, and during that time we watched the upper-elevation aspens lose most of their leaves. The lower-elevation aspens followed, going from green, to yellow and orange, and then, in some cases, bare. Rain and snow set in, and we saw the snow level drop from 11,000 feet down to 10,000 feet, then 9,000 feet, and even briefly down to 8,000 feet. It felt like winter was approaching rapidly.
I love that transition, when autumn gives way to winter. The aspens reveal their bones – their beautiful white trunks and branches – while a few leaves still hang on, adding splashes of yellow and orange to the forest. There’s a feeling in the air that the seasons are changing, and the mountains are settling in for a long season of cold and snow.
Trying to capture that feeling in photographs is challenging, to say the least, but here are some of my attempts. I’ll include more in my next post.
— Michael Frye
Late-autumn aspens, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Aspens and mountain hemlocks, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Mountain hemlock among aspens, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Aspens and willows, Ouray County, CO, USA
Aspen trunks and branches, Ouray County, CO, USA
Aspens and Mt. Sneffels, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Aspens etched in snow, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Snow-covered aspens, Uncompahgre NF, CO, USA
Related Posts: Autumn Weather; Chasing the Weather and Color in Colorado
Michael Frye is a professional photographer specializing in landscapes and nature. He is the author or principal photographer of The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, Yosemite Meditations, Yosemite Meditations for Women, Yosemite Meditations for Adventurers, and Digital Landscape Photography: In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams and the Great Masters. He has also written three eBooks: Light & Land: Landscapes in the Digital Darkroom, Exposure for Outdoor Photography, and Landscapes in Lightroom: The Essential Step-by-Step Guide. Michael has written numerous magazine articles on the art and technique of photography, and his images have been published in over thirty countries around the world. Michael has lived either in or near Yosemite National Park since 1983, currently residing just outside the park in Mariposa, California.
Very pretty combinations of autumn and winter. Thanks for sharing your beautiful work.
Thanks Hong!
Just amazing. Thanks for sharing. The two shot in Ouray Co. are truly works of art.
Thanks very much John!
Yes, it’s the annual transformation. I really enjoyed these images, Michael, just lovely. I particularly liked Aspen trunks and branches—bare bones with hints of gold peeking in from behind. I lived in Truckee/northern Nevada for thirty-five years and alway enjoyed the fall colors there; particularly the aspens up at Lake Tahoe. Happy winter!
Thank you Bob. If you like aspens, you should make it a point to go to Colorado. Or Utah, which has almost as many aspens as Colorado.
I’m envious of the aspens of Colorado because we don’t see much of that variety and abundance up here on Toronto Canada. You’ve done a magnificent job capturing the seasonal change Michael. My favorite image is the minimalist “Aspen Trunks & Branches.”
You’re very inspiring… keep doing what you do! 🙂
Well you may not have aspens, but you have lots of other colorful autumn trees up there! Thanks for the kind words Eric.
Great Photos and great compositions. I too have been chasing the colors here in Michigan. However, its been one of those hit and miss years through out the entire state. Some areas have colored early and some have colored late. Still loving it though…….it will be over far too soon.
Thanks Dave. I’m sure a “hit-and-miss” year in Michigan is still pretty good.