As 2011 comes to a close I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks to everyone who has supported my work during the past year. From the clients who have been with me for years, to the new friends from around the world who have connected through social networks, I appreciate our relationship and I hope you all have a very happy holiday season.

It always amazes me how fast the seasons seem to change this time of year. Feels like summer was just here and already fall is giving way to winter. By most accounts it was an unusual year for fall color with mother nature not quiet sure what she wanted to do in many parts of the country.  The Sierra Nevada provided another bounty for us in the west although not quite as dramatic as last year. I hope everyone got out to enjoy the colors in your local woods and maybe preserved a few visions of your own from this most colorful season.

As another Thanksgiving approaches I’m reminded of how much we have to be grateful for. In this often crazy world, nature provides a constant source of inspiration and renewal (photographically and in life), and is often as close as our own backyard. I’m looking forward to gathering with friends and family in the days ahead - then exploring the great, white wonderland of winter as soon as the snow starts to fall. Have a safe and fun holiday weekend everyone.

Fall color and fresh snow, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California (click to view larger)

Making great images of fall color obviously starts with the seasonal changing of the leaves. Where and how this happens is dependent upon elevation and temperature and no two years are ever the same. The higher mountains of the west begin in mid-September, eastern hardwoods in October, and the lower red-rock country of the southwest in early November. Once you’ve settled on a destination and found that great grove of trees the next step is to consider the light.

It might seem like the vibrant reds or yellows before you would be faithfully reproduced by your sensor no matter what time of day, but understanding the quality of the light can go along way towards guaranteeing your success. Using backlight or sidelight when the sun is low on the horizon and illuminates the leaves from behind creates a wonderful warm glow, especially when set against a dark background. Softlight is another great light source (illustrated above) that occurs when the sky is overcast and acts like a giant studio softbox. Under these conditions, it doesn’t matter what time of day you’re shooting as the shadows are eliminated and the uniform light both reduces the contrast while intensifying the colors.

So when the scene presents itself, consider the light and don’t be too quick to trip the shutter. A slight change in position or a little patience could make the difference between a good image and a great one.

Fall aspens at South Lake, Inyo National Forest, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

It’s September 1st – the days are getting shorter, and there is a crispness in the air that definitely signals the close of summer. This is my favorite time of year when the crowds give way to the colors of fall, and the natural world seems to come alive once again with a riot of color.

It’s always hard to predict just when the peak of autumn will occur, and temperature changes play a large part in this. Higher elevations in the western mountains tend to peak late September to early October, the eastern hardwoods around mid-October, while desert canyons such as Zion typically show their full colors in early November.

Indications are that 2011 will be another big winter, which means the season may be cut short as early snows cause the leaves to turn brown or drop prematurely. But if your timing is right, you can have the best of both worlds with one season visually ushering in another.

Rime ice and fresh powder on Ponderosa pines, Los Padres National Forest, California

As 2010 draws to a close I’d like to thank everyone who has enjoyed this blog throughout the year, clients new and old who have supported my work, and my friends and family who have shared with me the amazing natural world around us – may the adventure continue.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a healthy, prosperous new year.

The transition from summer to fall can be a sudden explosion of color or a subtle change in hues depending on how quickly the temperature drops as the autumnal equinox approaches. Equally dramatic is the first snowfall signaling the coming of winter. It might be a light dusting on leaves and branches adding a new dimension to the autumn landscape, or a large storm that blankets the slopes at higher elevations in stark contrast to the bold colors below. This image from the San Juan Mountains in Colorado exemplifies the later and is a prime example of seasons competing for attention – and for the photographer’s eye.

I consider this more of a public service announcement than anything (insert wink here).

On the mainland the season is finally in full swing with brightly colored leaves, a crisp change in the air, and perhaps even a touch of snow at the higher elevations. But things in our 50th state haven’t changed much at all since last season, or the season before – in fact, they haven’t changed much in years. The temperature is still a constant 82 degrees, with light trade winds gently blowing the coconut palms. Dolphin frolic close to shore and the golden sun sets into the azure sea most every evening.

So while we’re all excited about the new look in the rest of the country, let’s not forget some things (and places) never change. And in the case of Hawaii, that’s just fine!

Autumn is one of my favorite times of year. The crisp air and shorter days stimulate the senses, and the light takes on a magical quality. Throughout the country the deciduous trees from aspen to maple are a visual reminder that summer has passed and that winter is not far off. And for the photographer, this transition is literally a golden opportunity to capture the landscape in its finest hour.

When many people think of fall color the hardwood forests of the eastern United States immediately come to mind, but the aspen groves of the western states and the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California in particular can rival even the sugar maples of Vermont. Photographing aspens is often best on overcast days when the light is soft and harsh shadows are minimized or late in the day when the sky is clear and the warm back-light makes them glow from within. This image was made along Rush Creek near June Lake just moments before the sun dropped behind the Sierra peaks.

Here’s another image from our recent Southern California wildflower trip made near Gorman in the Angeles National Forest. It was fun to experiment with slow shutter motion blurs (a good creative outlet when the wind is blowing!) and the variety of colors made for some very impressionistic images.

It was banner year for the Antelope Valley poppies.  The El Nino winter followed by warm weather created ideal conditions for the California state flower. Waiting for the constant winds to subside is always the real challenge in capturing these delicate beauties.