Crafting Photographs

Autumn Cottonwoods, June Lake Loop, California

I love autumn, and always have. When autumn color begins, the world looks and feels different, and it makes me very happy at a level I can’t easily describe. 

It should be no small surprise then, that autumn is one of my favorite times to be out in creation making photographs. Photographs let me share that joy with others in a way I can’t with words.

If you are looking to photograph the Sierra autumn, there are many things that make it an exciting time to photograph.

Lighting
Here in the Central Sierra, the sun is at a low angle for most of the day, which creates dramatic shadows and reveals texture that is significantly different than the summer sun.

The light also changes more quickly, as the sun changes position faster as a result of the low angle. This means that when working in one area in mid to late afternoon you can see very different light over a course of even half an hour, and as sunset approaches, things change very fast. These conditions can be challenging to work in because you have to choose your subject and photograph it quickly. You don’t have much time to drive and chase the light, but it is very rewarding to work at a furious pace in the last hour of light.

Clouds
Summer is full of cloudless blue-sky days with little “atmosphere” to create drama and colorful sunsets. Autumn still has its share of blue-sky days, but it also brings days with great clouds as the Sierra heads into the start of the rainy season. High, wispy cirrus clouds complement the crisp autumn air, and you are more likely to see a stunning sunset in Yosemite than in summer. 

Weather

Clouds usually mean something is happening with the weather, and I find weather creates exciting photographic conditions. It might be as simple as a cloudy backdrop, or it could be the wonderful light of a overcast day, or overcast with a light drizzle which makes the colors come alive. And if you are really lucky, you may experience an early snow while the trees still have autumn leaves.

The colors don’t last
The fleeting nature of autumn also creates excitement for me as I photograph. Like a symphony or fireworks show building up to a grand finale, the tapestry of every moment seems richer and richer until all of a sudden the leaves are gone and it’s over, leaving me exuberant and breathless at the same time, overwhelmed by the beauty of it all. It is a singular expedience that you can only have for a brief period of time each year, and it’s never the same twice. 

I hope you’ll make the time this autumn, wherever you live, to go out and experience this incredible spectacle, and that your experience will lead to making photographs that are meaningful to you. It won’t last long, so go get busy!