"High Desert Medley"

I just returned from a two day quest for fall colors along the Eastern Sierra Nevada last week. Overall, the aspens were either past peak or had yet to turn, depending on the elevations. On the last morning, my sister and I decided to head out to the Buttermllk Hills because of high winds at higher elevations. We were graced with a spectacular sunrise over the high desert. Behind us, the Sierra was being enveloped in a winter storm and a lenticular cloud was swirling over the highest peaks. It was here that I would find some of the best in fall foliage for this trip. When we returned to our cabin near South Lake (elevation 9,200 feet), we were greeted with a heavy snowfall, a great ending to our autumn sojourn!

Thanks for offering comments and suggestions. Please take a look at the Larger view!

Mark... Great to see you out and about again. Hope all is well with the baby scene....

 

Beautiful detail and color in this well done medley... Mike

 

 

Muy pictorica.

Saludos.

Mark,

Another beautiful image. Regards, Patsy

Preciosa luz, color y un bello encuadre, saludos cordiales . 7/7 en anon.

Thanks Mike, Rueda, Patsy and Julio for your kind observations. The light was fading in the distance, but was warming the foreground desert brush. I love the intricate understory of the sagebrush, rabbitbrush, desert willow and various dry grasses. Anything dry and grassy works well for me and my camera!

You've taken a very busy scene and really organized it quite neatly. There's a good sense of layering here from FG to the Sierras and the sky in the background. Nicely done. I love how the chamisa (rabbitbrush) just glows with the a.m. light. Excellent work! Cheers! Chris

Thanks Chris! Yeah, I really love the "simply complicated" look. The wind was whipping at the top, but strangely quiet at this protected spot at the lower elevations. It was nearly dead calm.

Beautiful! Wonderful color and texture.....Regards Elaine

Beautifully layered foreground and great light!

Outstanding image. A great mix of interest. My only suggestion might be to crop the left side where the branch is coming into the image. The eye might be more drawn to the exciting light in the distance toward the upper right. As always, a highly detailed image that keeps the eye and mind entertained. Wish I were there.

 

Harry

Very pretty. Lovely colors, well seen + composed.

Thanks Elaine, Anish, Harry and Martin. Harry, I'm torn but I think you're probably right. Meanwhile, I'm not crazy about cutting off the rabbit brush on the left. I think the bush as a whole brings alot to the composition table. Tough call for me, so I may forego your suggestion or perhaps crop in just to the bush and then clone out the branch.

Quite a medley - 6/6

This is a very appealing image - the clouds are like the result of a master painter's brush.

Thanks Bella and Tony for your kind observations!