2006 September, Photo

Fall Comes to the Eastern Sierra

View This Blog Post in Google Earth (How Cool Is That?)

View this blog entry in Google Earth
Latitude: 37° 12' 43.31" N, Longitude: 118° 36' 45.29" W, Coord: 37.212033°, -118.61258°
Filed under: Photo of the Day on 9/30/2006

For a few years I have been interested in witnessing the famous fall colors of the Eastern Sierra, but never had the time to drive up Highway 395 and take a look. I finally managed to squeeze 36 hours out of my schedule recently and get up to Bishop, and I was not disappointed. The weather was pleasant, warm and sunny, and the aspen trees were superb. I was particularly happy with images I shot with a fisheye lens, since I was able to cram as much detail into the frame as possible and the resulting colors were deep and rich. This perspective is quite contrary to the conventional images one sees of autumn aspens and mountain landscapes, typically photographed with medium-wide rectilinear lenses, and not for everyone. The photo below was shot just below the dam at Lake Sabrina in the Bishop Creek Canyon, shortly after the sun rose over the peak and lit the lake and tops of the trees.

Aspen trees display Eastern Sierra fall colors, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek Canyon., Populus tremuloides, Copyright Phillip Colla, image #17547, all rights reserved worldwide.

Aspen trees display Eastern Sierra fall colors, Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek Canyon. Bishop Creek Canyon, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Bishop, California, USA.
Image: 17547
Species: Populus tremuloides
Location: Bishop Creek Canyon, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California, USA

Click To View This Location in Google Earth. You must have Google Earth installed for this feature to work correctly.

View this Image in Google Earth!

Eastern Sierra photos
Aspen photos (Populus tremuloides)

I received some excellent and up-to-the-minute advice from Steven Bourelle, a photographer living in Bishop, CA. I imagine Steven knows how the colors are developing and peaking in the Bishop area as well as anyone, and he certainly put me on some great spots. It is worth checking Steven’s webpage as fall evolves for news and great images of Bishop’s fall displays. Inge Fernau, a Bay Area photographer, generously reports to the Calphoto community what she finds in her searches for the Eastern Sierra color; the images she posts are inspiring. Carol Leigh, a photographer and photography instructor based in Oregon, produces Photo Explorations newsletter, the most recent issue of which describes in detail an array of places to see fall colors in the Eastern Sierra — highly recommended.


Sea otter. Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 16940 Species: Enhydra lutris	Steller sea lions (Northern sea lions) gather on rocks. Steller sea lions are the largest members of the Otariid (eared seal) family. Males can weigh up to 2400 lb., females up to 770 lb. Chiswell Islands, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 16977 Species: Eumetopias jubatus	Bald eagle. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17376 Species: Haliaeetus leucocephalus


A large, old brown bear (grizzly bear) wades across Brooks River. Coastal and near-coastal brown bears in Alaska can live to 25 years of age, weigh up to 1400 lbs and stand over 9 feet tall. Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17039 Species: Ursus arctos	Two mature brown bears fight to establish hierarchy and fishing rights. Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17036 Species: Ursus arctos	Alaskan brown bear catching a jumping salmon, Brooks Falls. Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17032 Species: Ursus arctos


Brown bear spring cub, just a few months old. Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17056 Species: Ursus arctos	Brown bear walks through the marshes that skirt the Brooks River. Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17062 Species: Ursus arctos	Two brown bears wait for salmon at Brooks Falls. Blurring of the water is caused by a long shutter speed. Brooks River. Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA. Image: 17048 Species: Ursus arctos

2006 September, Natural History Photography Blog