How the Art Happens - Autumn Reds

Autumn RedsBright red leaves cover an aspen tree in early autumn near Crested Butte, Colorado.

Every year about this time there are a few patches of aspen leaves that turn anywhere from orange to red, to crimson. There are a few theories out there that try to tell us what's going on but the phenomenon can change from year to year. Yet, there are other groves of aspen trees that turn red every year. There is even a large grove near my home that turns a dark crimson before falling to the ground.

Whatever the reason, it adds a lot of excitement to the yellows and greens in our fall colors.

This particular image, "Autumn Reds" comes from a pretty consistent stand of trees that you can actually drive through. In fact, the close-up nature of this image is the result of trying to keep traffic out of the photo while still capturing the vibrant colors. I used a long, 300mm telephoto lens with a larger aperture to separate the reds from the yellows and have the trunks razor-sharp.

I hope this photograph speaks to you about the vibrancy and excitement of the fall season like it does to me. I know that soon I'll be looking at scenes of white for about 5 months.

If you would like to know more about the science of leaf colors, here's a link to a great resource. https://inlightofnature.com/why-are-some-aspens-red/