Aspens, Snow & Reflections (color)

As the seasons change from Fall to Winter the landscape transforms. The brilliant colors of one season give way to a bare, stark landscape that is beautiful in its simplicity. Over the years, as my vision has matured, I have moved toward a more elegant and refined vision of the natural world. I find myself composing images of subdued color and light.

My newest release, Aspens, Snow and Reflections, represents this evolution in my vision. The landscape, on its journey toward Winter, was presented in these muted tones. I used 4x5 inch color transparency film to capture the soft tones of white, yellow and grey presented here.

This was the morning after the first real snow of the season, which followed several days of rain. I decided to visit several aspen groves near my home in Lake Tahoe, knowing that the meadows that surround the aspens flood in these conditions. As expected, the water had moved into the edges of the aspen groves creating a dark contrast to the light bark and snow covered grass deeper in the aspens. The water also held beautiful reflections of the trees. It was perfect.

I am pleased with this new image and believe I accomplished each of my artistic goals. First, I composed a scene that communicates the tranquility I experienced while standing in this visually chaotic location. Second, I created an elegant image that translates the beauty of the changing of the seasons near my mountain home. This is The Fine Art of Nature.

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