I consider myself somewhat of a professional leaf peeper. I love finding the best Colorado has to offer and I plan my fall weekends around getting out in the high country and leaf peeping. For my paid subscribers this month, I’ll be offering insight on my favorite hikes for leaf peeping and recommended timing. Mother Nature, of course, decides when she wants to show off her fall colors and when she sends those leafs off into the wind….but hopefully you can at least find some pockets of color using my guide if you time your trip right. I hope you’ll join me for a virtual daycation that you can use to plan your own fall color trip around the state or simply enjoy the information and photos from the comfort of your own home while sipping your Pumpkin Spice Latte.
For my free subscribers I’m offering three photography tips that anyone can use to get the most out of your peepin’ photos.
Put yourself front and center: One of my personal favorite ways to photograph fall colors is have my husband take my photo almost over my shoulder where I’m looking out at a viewpoint. This gives the illusion of being there with the subject and enjoying the view with them. It helps to find a grove of aspens that’s up higher and find a clearing in the trees that scans out into the distance. I’ll cover where I found this spot in my paid subscription newsletter.
**Flannel from Stitchfix.com **
Find a new perspective: Almost everyone you see on social media shoots pictures of aspen trees as a cluster or isolates a singular tree. But don’t forget the view at your feet or up above. Find a bright pair of sneakers or a colorful pair of moccasins and make your feet the center of attention with the aspen leaves as a frame. I also found a small piece of wood at a gift shop in Telluride that I like to make the centerpiece of my photos. I’ll look for aspen leaves with a few drops of water on them or add my own drops of water. Don’t be afraid to arrange or stage leaves how you want if they’re already on the ground!
It isn’t just aspens that change color: There’s many other trees in Colorado and surrounding states that change color besides aspen trees. On the Western Slope we also have cottonwoods and vineyards that put on a brilliant show as well. I feel like I get two falls living in Grand Junction, because after the aspen’s turn in the high country the cottonwoods and orchards will start to bloom. In my paid subscription newsletter I’ll tell you where I found this brilliant Orchard and also my suggestion for where to find turning Cottonwoods.
My personal favorite time a day to shoot fall colors is at sunset but you can use the aspen leaves as a filter against harsh daylight by shooting into the sun with the aspen’s or cottonwoods covering you from above.
I hope this gets you excited for fall!
I’ll be designing a fall color daycation guide in my paid subscriber newsletter this month for those wanting to dive more in depth into leaf peeping and want to know where to go and when to visit. You still have a few weeks to prepare and there’s several hikes close to Denver that you can visit if you don’t have the time to drive across the state or beyond. Remember to bring a great hat and wear a flannel for photos to really bring that fall vibe to your photos. Whether you’re the center of your pictures or not I hope this guide gave you some great tips on how to enjoy Fallordao!