Our October started and ended with photographing fall colors. Early in the month, we stayed close to home in southwestern Colorado, taking our Airstream trailer out for a week to a spot with lovely scenery and very few people. On most days, we saw only a car or two pass by our campsite near the area’s main road and aside from two people we know, did not see a single other photographer in the area. With a little exploration, it is easy to get away from the crowds, even in a place as popular as the aspen forests of Colorado in the fall. With mostly clear skies, we focused on smaller scenes and enjoyed a few frosty mornings. And then a lovely snowstorm rolled in and … we were not able to photograph it. 😓 After getting the COVID and flu vaccines at the same time, we were feeling too tired to head out into the wintery weather. It was disappointing to miss the autumn-winter mix but I should—obviously—not feel bad since I have been able to spend a lot of time on photography this autumn.
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The type of conditions we missed this year in Colorado. I took this photo back in 2013 before this became an iconic view. I heard through the grapevine that beavers have changed the composition at this pond but I haven’t visited it myself for years due to the crowds. This is one of my most popular photos and I am happy that it has been the holiday card for a national conservation nonprofit twice, with more than a million cards printed.