Collection: The Fall Foliage Gallery: Nature and Landscape Fine Art Photography

My wife and I spent time in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado this fall, and it was a spectacular experience.  These mountains are always breathtaking, and the fall colors and snowy mountains enhanced the beauty. We had been following this river for a while.  I had been enjoying the stately elm (?) trees and colorful shrubs lining it, looking for a public bridge or curve in the road that would allow me a great shot.  Alas, it was difficult to find: either the river didn't lead the eye to a suitable "payoff", the light was wrong, or it was just too 'messy' with brush and dead trees and branches in the river.  That is until we found this location: beautiful lighting, colorful trees and brush along the river, and  the rocky river leading to the mountain replete with aspen and meadows, and interesting clouds in the sky.   Do note the sister image: Fall River in the San Juan Mountains II.  After struggling to decide whether I preferred the horizontal or vertical version of this fine art landscape image, I realized that both are great!  

Hiking in the cold rain isn't always lots of fun, but rain can sure bring out vibrant colors and help create a wonderful nature image!  These aspen in Mueller State Park, Colorado, joined by the granite outcrop, dark spruce, and golden grasses, stopped me in my tracks.  I just had to take this nature photography image to share! 

When my wife and I checked out the Carolinas for our next career move, we spent some time in Smoky Mountain National Park. The fall leaves were starting to turn, and we had a magical drive through the fall foliage. I was particularly struck by the Little River, and I love the way the trees bend over this peaceful, rocky river glowing with the golden light of fall. No wonder this is a favorite nature photography image!

The beauty of sunlit cottonwoods, a life-giving river, foreboding clouds, and the hawk, watching over all.  

It was a cold and wet day when I created this nature image in Mueller State Park in Colorado.  While the weather made for an uncomfortable hike, it brought out the colors of the fall grasses and aspen and made for some dramatic clouds and god rays.  While I don't usually include manmade objects in my landscape photos (even trails!), here the trail beckoned me to keep on exploring - maybe even to the distant mountains glimpsed through the rain!

My wife and I spent time in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado this fall, and it was a spectacular experience.  These mountains are always breathtaking, and the fall colors and snowy mountains enhanced the beauty. We had been following this river for a while.  I had been enjoying the stately elm (?) trees and colorful shrubs lining it, looking for a public bridge or curve in the road that would allow me a great shot.  Alas, it was difficult to find: either the river didn't lead the eye to a suitable "payoff", the light was wrong, or it was just too 'messy' with brush and dead trees and branches in the river.  That is until we found this location: beautiful lighting, colorful trees and brush along the river, and  the rocky river leading to the mountain replete with aspen and meadows, and interesting clouds in the sky.   Do note the sister image: Fall River in the San Juan Mountains.  After struggling to decide whether I preferred the horizontal or vertical version of this fine art landscape image, I realized that both are great: sometimes you need a vertical image, and sometimes a landscape!  

The San Juan Mountains are amazingly beautiful in the fall, whether looking at the rugged mountains or gentler areas within them.  After a long hike, I was taken by the golden meadows and the layers of contrasting spruce trees and groves of golden aspen.  The soft light, diffused from the puffy clouds, adds a sense of peace and calm to the scene.   

My wife and I spent time in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado this fall, and it was a spectacular experience.  These mountains are always breathtaking, and the fall colors and snowy mountains enhanced the beauty.  I captured this fine art landscape photograph as we drove through the San Juans, mesmerized by the endless variety of mountains, aspens, and evergreens.  

The San Juan Mountains are amazingly beautiful in the fall, as the golden glow of the aspen enhances the rugged mountains and cliffs.  Add an early snow to add texture to the cliffs, and the result is stunning, as in this fine art landscape photograph!

My wife and I visited Smoky Mountain National Park while trying to decide where to move for the next stage of our careers.  It was wet and rainy with intermittent sun on the day I took this landscape image.  I had been reveling in the early fall color and dramatic clouds all day, but hadn't had any luck putting it all together to make a great nature photo .... until I saw a sunbeam approaching this valley.  Happily we were able to safely park for me to get the picture!

While the vibrant colors in Fall Colors on Mt Herman: I initially drew me to this location, its transformation to pastel colors with the setting of the sun behind Mt. Herman compelled me to stay to make the landscape photography print.  Changing light can make such a dramatic impact on a scene!  I was surprised how many additional colors emerged once the backlit golden leaves of the Gambel oak were subdued.    

I love the fall colors!  We tend to focus on colorful trees, but grasses and shrubs can take on their own beauty.  I was driving by this area for another shoot when I was awestruck by the vibrant golden colors of the varied plants and Gambel oak against the deep green pines and distant blue mountains.  Compare this nature image with its sister, "Fall Colors of Mt Herman: II" taken about 15 minutes later after the sun had set for this area, turning the palette to beautiful, varied pastels.

It was a photographers dream: there had been a light snow overnight, yet we woke to a sunny morning.  The warmth of the sun quickly created wispy fog and low clouds, playing hide and seek with the gold and orange aspen trees.  It all make for a glorious fine art photograph!