The Last Leaves, Morning Light

The Last Leaves, Morning Light
“The Last Leaves, Morning Light” — Morning light falls on aspen trees nearly devoid of autumn leaves.

I arrived here before dawn on an early October morning, planning to find a spot above a lake where I could photograph colorful aspens, the lake, and the forest and mountains beyond. I began photographing as the first sunrise light struck the peaks, and continued as the reflected light lit nearby aspens and the peaks’ mirror image appeared in the surface of the lake. Eventually the light in front of me became less appealing, and I turned my attention elsewhere.

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Mono Lake, Paoha Island

Mono Lake, Paoha Island
“Mono Lake, Paoha Island” — Mono Lake, Paoha Island, and the Mono Basin in morning light.

This is a different view of Mono Lake than most people see. Most often it is viewed and photographed from the shoreline near the west side of the lake, often in areas with the famous tufa towers. To make this photograph I went south of the lake and up to a mountain ridge — high enough to no longer really be part of the sage brush basin and range terrain.

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Aspen Trees and Beaver Pond

Aspen Trees and Beaver Pond
“Aspen Trees and Beaver Pond” — Sierra Nevada autumn aspen trees line the shore of a beaver pond.

When I first explored this Eastern Sierra Nevada canyon years ago, I went there to find fall color among the aspen trees. I found that in abundance, and I’ve returned every year since then. There were other interesting features, too, including small ponds flooding the canyon floor far up the canyon near where the road ended. Eventually I realized that these were beaver ponds, something I had not really seen in the Sierra. Although I have yet to actually see a beaver here, it wasn’t long before I figured out where their lodges are located.

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Columns, Chester Cathedral

Columns, Chester Cathedral
“Columns, Chester Cathedral” — Light enters the space between old stone colums at Chester Cathedral.

Visiting this remarkable old church was not particularly on our agenda when we stopped in Chester, England. We had some extra time so we made a several-hours layover during a train ride between two other cities, thinking that while it wasn’t worth an overnight stay it would be fun to poke around in Chester. The central part of this English town contains lots of fascinating old buildings, and it is surrounded by an old defensive wall.

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