Aspens and Golden Light
Colorado

13×33″ prints are $1,500
20×50″ prints are $3,000

In 2003 Ruth and I were photographing in Colorado when we were told about the great aspen forests in the Kebler Pass area. We spent four days photographing there with ideal lighting conditions and no wind. When I reviewed Ruth’s photo log notes from that time I found that even before I made my first photograph there she had written “What a fantastic aspen bonanza!” It was indeed: in those four days I made six photographs that I later was able to make into successful Cibachrome prints.

This photograph was of a particularly interesting section of the forest looking directly south and up a steep hill. Viewed at that angle, the golden light permeated the scene and was almost tangible. The background trees disappeared into that golden glow but the foreground trees were softly lit by natural light of different colors which came from behind my camera. This dual lighting made the foreground trees stand out from the background and gave depth and drama to the image.

I used the rising front and the camera tilts to avoid causing the trunks to converge, using my 300mm lens at f/45 for a one second exposure on Velvia 50 film.

It wasn’t until nine years later in 2012 that I made the first Cibachrome print of this image. When I view it now I’m drawn back to those days of wonder as I once again see this forest going upwards and disappearing into a sea of golden light.

As a footnote, two days later Ruth and I would climb up this same hill by another route and at the top discover and make my photograph “Translucent Forest.”