It’s That Time of Year…

Posted by Gunnar on Nov 11, 2017 in Behind the Lens | 6 comments

Aspen Yellow

Just north of Santa Fe, aspen trees cover much of the western face of Santa Fe Mountain, starting at about 7,200’ elevation up to 8,000 – 8,500’, as part of the Sangre de Cristo range. During September and October, aspen leaves change to a range of vivid electric yellows and oranges that are especially striking against their tall, slender, nearly white trunks.

As aspen leaves fall, the white trunks tend to reflect the various shades of each days’ light. And as the leaves disappear, occasional aberrant-colored trunks stand, ranging from a minor color offset to a beautiful bright orange…

During the 13 years I’ve lived in Santa Fe, every year, like so many locals, I can’t resist making the pilgrimage up Santa Fe Mountain with its acres and acres of Aspen.

Continuing Aspen’s Turn: Aspen White

As the aspen trees lose their leaves, their trunks and branches take on a taupe to white cast. More subtle and beautiful, as the emerging hue of their trunks begins to dominate and the day’s light changes…

Completing Aspen’s Turn: Aspen Orange

And as winter sets in, for some reason occasional aberrant orange trunks appear, set off against the aspen stands of taupe and white, providing an incredible contrast to the aspen’s bare trunks and branches; further emphasized by the early setting sun that tends to cast its own more subtle orange light.