Finally first fall foliage
Late in the afternoon on October 15th, hoping for a good sunset, we drove up to Sandia Crest, which at 10,679 ft. looms over Albuquerque to its southwest. As we climbed into high altitudes we began to see quaking aspen trees (Populus tremuloides) with their leaves turned yellow. Unfortunately those trees were in full shade, but even if they’d been better illuminated, the road didn’t offer safe places to pull over near them. Up we went to the top, and finally I found one aspen with sunlight on it. Whether the trees with yellow leaves that I could see lower down from that sunlit perch were also aspens, I don’t know.
We didn’t have to wait long for the sun to set:
Of the 27 posts so far showing scenes from our New Mexico trip, this is the first one dealing with a place we’d previously visited. The goal was to see new spots, and new spots aplenty did we see.
© 2022 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Lovely sunset photo. Autumn is on its way out! Aspens here getting naked.
Alessandra Chaves
November 22, 2022 at 7:23 AM
We caught many aspens at their peak in northern New Mexico five weeks ago. Their leaves have long since followed the progression that yours are following now. I’m still hoping to squeeze some fall color out of our central Texas trees and other plants.
Steve Schwartzman
November 22, 2022 at 7:30 AM
Both photos of the aspens are lovely — the second is especially interesting — but my favorite is the last photo. The rain shafts were a nice catch; I like the vertical touch in the photo’s horizontal lines.
shoreacres
November 22, 2022 at 8:56 AM
You’ve got it: a few vertical shafts contrasting with the picture’s otherwise predominant horizontal sweep.
As for the aspens, fortunately this was only the beginning of encounters with them, and therefore photographs of them.
Steve Schwartzman
November 22, 2022 at 9:05 AM
Beautiful views! I like the rain clouds, and the faded look of the colors. It reminds me of the film my Dad used to use. I think it was Kodak but, I’m not sure.
It’s winter here already!
circadianreflections
November 22, 2022 at 9:46 AM
The other day I checked to see what the temperature was in Albuquerque and found that it was below freezing every night. You’re considerably further north, so yes, for you it’s winter already. Down here we’ve barely even had a trace of frost.
Kodak made various kinds of color film, and the pictures taken with each one had a distinctive look. The two main ones for slides were Kodachrome and Ektachrome.
Steve Schwartzman
November 22, 2022 at 1:28 PM
😀
circadianreflections
November 22, 2022 at 1:37 PM
Now that is the kind of autumn splendour you would see here in the Arrow Lakes region especially after a good solid frost.
Peter Klopp
November 22, 2022 at 10:47 PM
For once I could join you in widespread fall foliage. All I had to do was go 750 miles northwest of home.
Steve Schwartzman
November 23, 2022 at 5:38 AM
[…] Crest, which at 10,679 ft. looms large to the northeast of Albuquerque. The previous post showed views from there. The next morning in our hotel’s parking lot I noticed that the view back toward the […]
Looking back at the Sandia Mountains | Portraits of Wildflowers
November 23, 2022 at 4:28 AM
While ours is now just a memory, it is a pleasure to see the changing foliage in other locations. Of course we’ll have browning oak leaves throughout the winter and the beech leaves will grow paler until they fall in the spring, but the raucous display of color is over. Enjoy yours while it lasts.
Steve Gingold
November 24, 2022 at 6:58 AM
The fall foliage we found in New Mexico five weeks ago coincided with what you were experiencing then. I’m still hoping to find some good color here in the next week or two, even if on a smaller scale.
Steve Schwartzman
November 24, 2022 at 8:35 AM
The cool blue and warm yellow work nicely in your second image! Nice composition.
denisebushphoto
December 2, 2022 at 12:24 PM
Thanks. Like you, I noticed how blue the farther mountain appeared, and how well it contrasted with the yellow leaves. Here in Texas five and four days ago I used a bright blue sky to contrast with fall foliage.
Steve Schwartzman
December 2, 2022 at 4:55 PM