Do you do aspens?

Upper Meadow

A visitor to my studio asked if I did photos of aspens. Sure, doesn't everyone? But I didn't have one printed. And last fall was a banner aspen year and this year with the drought is likely to not be good unless we get our rain on soon.

The Fallen

But everyone and their brother with a camera or an iphone does aspens. Fall becomes a rather frustrating time because of aspens. They are fickle to begin with. Not all of them go to glory at the same time. In preparation for this blog I found I had photographic folders of aspens on my computer from September through October. I went to Chama to see them first. And then to Red River and finally in my own stomping grounds.

And the weather can be fickle in those months. A good rain can drain all the color or knock the leaves to the ground before their time. But weather can also make an aspen picture more interesting. To the photographer at least. We are all looking for the unique photo of a common subject.

Aspens in the mist

Mirror image

 Or a unique way to look at them like as a reflection in a clear blue pond. The temptation is to shoot an aspen vertically because they are tall.

Outstanding in Their Field

Just beginning to turn

 But the horizontal approach shows their impact more. But like I said they don't all do the same thing at the same time even in the same grove as the picture above shows a whole range of fall including aspens that have already lost their leaves.

Upside down

 I frankly love the reflections of aspens. It takes a clear body of water with aspens on its shore and a morning without a breath of wind. But it is worth it.

Then and Again

 But a small breeze can add dimension to the image. Aspens quake in the wind but that effect is very hard to capture. But ripples in the water show the simulation of a quaking aspen.

Shiver and Shake I

Shiver and Shake II

Ode to the Fallen

But so very soon the glory of an aspen fall begins to fade. But even in that process they are very beautiful. They limbs and trunks snow in contrast to their remaining golden crowns.

Fading Glory

This is only twelve of the pictures of aspens I took just this last year. So do I do photos of aspens? Yes.