Fall colors coverage - California

[Dave Henry]

Hi Everyone,

Just a note to keep you updated on the fall colors coverage in The Sacramento Bee (sacbee.com/leaves/) again this year. The page is active right now but the galleries from previous years still have not been found. The site re-design of Sacbee.com broke all the galleries' links from previous years. They replaced my bio photo from last year with my Tachihara to my Canon this year - sorry.

The photo illustrations for the "Tips" stories are almost complete.

At least you will be able to use the site for daily color even though it will be digital. The map of the Eastern Sierra coverage should be live this evening or tomorrow morning.

Years ago when the paper converted to digital, one of my first stories I mentioned that my digital SLR was my 21st century Polaroid.

Let me know if you need any location suggestions.

[adonis_abril]

I'm interested in locations I know there's Lundy Canyon and Hope Valley but it would be great to have the most current reports as I have to maximize my travel time.

[Michael Gordon]

With no intent to hijack the post or diminish the worth of the Sac. Bee coverage, the Calphoto site maintains some of the most extensive and up-to-date coverage based on user reports. Check it out.

[Dave Henry]

While I tend to agree about the calphoto site, a lot of reports I find myself scratching my head over. This is my 27th year covering the Sierra color (and 31st shooting it) and we get thousands of emails suggesting "new" locations I should take a look at. Most of them I've visited over the years and periodically I re-check them just to make sure. I'm usually underwhelmed.

I make a big distinction between tourist color and photography color. A lot of amateurs consider any tree worth visiting. I don't fall into that category. For me to recommend a location and make a color recommendation, it had better be accurate AND worth the drive. We have hundreds of thousands of viewers and I can't run the risk of an emotional response to a small cluster of trees. My color chart evaluations are usually conservative prior to peak and aggressive post peak just to be safe.

True, I don't cover all the color in California but we do cover the area on the map thoroughly to the tune of about 3,000 miles in the four weeks. The rest of the color in the Sierra is too spotty for me to send hundreds of people chasing to. It may be great for the tourist on a Sunday drive but not to send photographers out to.

The color in Plumas County is predominantly oak and is very nice beginning the last week of October but most is way off and on private land. Wide shots are great but getting up close is trespassing so I can't recommend it.

The folks on Calphoto can say anything with no repercussions, except for the disdain of a few readers, with nothing to loose. I don't have that luxury.

[Michael Gordon]

Hi Dave: you're right about most of what you say. I guess I should have stated that Calphoto reports should be taken with a coarse grain of salt. Same thing with their wildflower reports. Many Calphoto shooters are quite content to put on their kneepads and macro lenses and pixelize into oblivion a small patch of flowers or trees. Still, the reports are useful if you know a particular area (especially when they're accompanied by some snapshots).

I, too, have scratched my head many times after seeing what Calphoto folks have raved over.

[adonis_abril]

I'm fairly familiar with the Eastern Sierras...I guess I'm mostly interested in when the colors Peak on certain locations - i would go anyways if not to just shoot fall colors but I'd like to focus on that since it's very lacking in my portfolio. I have several Aspen groves in mind but don't know when they deliver their most yellows/reds as they vary each year...just trying to conserve my fuel

While I tend to agree about the calphoto site, a lot of reports I find myself scratching my head over. This is my 27th year covering the Sierra color (and 31st shooting it) and we get thousands of emails suggesting "new" locations I should take a look at. Most of them I've visited over the years and periodically I re-check them just to make sure. I'm usually underwhelmed.

I make a big distinction between tourist color and photography color. A lot of amateurs consider any tree worth visiting. I don't fall into that category. For me to recommend a location and make a color recommendation, it had better be accurate AND worth the drive. We have hundreds of thousands of viewers and I can't run the risk of an emotional response to a small cluster of trees. My color chart evaluations are usually conservative prior to peak and aggressive post peak just to be safe.

True, I don't cover all the color in California but we do cover the area on the map thoroughly to the tune of about 3,000 miles in the four weeks. The rest of the color in the Sierra is too spotty for me to send hundreds of people chasing to. It may be great for the tourist on a Sunday drive but not to send photographers out to.

The color in Plumas County is predominantly oak and is very nice beginning the last week of October but most is way off and on private land. Wide shots are great but getting up close is trespassing so I can't recommend it.

The folks on Calphoto can say anything with no repercussions, except for the disdain of a few readers, with nothing to loose. I don't have that luxury.

[Dave Henry]

I'm fairly familiar with the Eastern Sierras...I guess I'm mostly interested in when the colors Peak on certain locations - i would go anyways if not to just shoot fall colors but I'd like to focus on that since it's very lacking in my portfolio. I have several Aspen groves in mind but don't know when they deliver their most yellows/reds as they vary each year...just trying to conserve my fuel

If you'll post the groves you have in mind, I'll check them out for you and post them on the sacbee.com/leaves reports. The color is already wonderful in the upper Bishop Creek areas. I'm here in the Bishop area right now and can let you know if your trees are turning yet. It looks as if we'll have a nice season this year. My estimate is we're about 5 days earlier than last year.

Thanks, Dave