Fall in the Santa Cruz Mtns.

Well,

Since I wasn't able to make it to the Eastern Sierra this Fall I thought I would look a little closer to home. After a bit of research online I was ready to go check out Sunol and found a good Fall report of it here:
http://weekendsherpa.com/newsletter/color.coordinates/58

But my wife talked me into the Santa Cruz Mtns. So I thought what the heck. Our kids always enjoy hiking in the Redwoods. Here are a few shots form today:

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/6234693_bgVA8/1/393627101_wQ2fZ#393587128_KUqbd-XL-LB

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/6234693_bgVA8/1/393627101_wQ2fZ#393687548_D8z4r-XL-LB

http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/6234693_bgVA8/1/393627101_wQ2fZ#393627101_wQ2fZ-A-LB

try using UBB code to get the image to show here.

There is more to be found than noted in the link but almost all is smaller intimate landscape subjects as trees that have such leaves tend to be scattered. Sycamores are probably the least interesting of the group with their dull yellowing leaves though the mottled white and gray trunks have interest. There are areas of black oaks mainly above 1000 feet in the hills though the lower Western Sierra has far more interesting areas. Bigleaf maples are the most interesting tree with their large bright yellow leaves. There are many more shadier creekside areas that have some of these trees than noted. For instance Uvas County Park. The only reds one is apt to find are poison oak leaves. The noted in your link Fall Creek location has some nice areas. Otherwise one will not find any red leaves except from urban non-natives like the common Japanese maples (in your pic). In any case a single day about Yosemite Valley or Giant Forest at the right time would likely be more productive finding worthy fall leaf images than weeks locally.

David,

While I agree with you about Yosemite, et al. I didn't really have the time to get up there. So I was looking for something a little closer to home.

I am also curious if anyone else has shot any N. Cal. Fall colors further West of the Sierras? We did see a lot of big leaf maples along the Fall Creek trail. They didn't have much color. Some were still green and others had fallen and were brown/yellow. Here is one shot from the trail:
http://landandseaphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/6234693_bgVA8/1/393627101_wQ2fZ#393649700_aPogm-XL-LB

It makes me wonder if that trail will get more colorfull later or if this is more of the norm (green->brown->fall). Anyway we took a detour through the Mt. Herman Christian Conference Center and I found these rather large Maples turning color among the Redwoods in the camp area. They must have been planted but where beautiful none the less.

Jefferey, I do sometimes show the image vs. the link. However the size limitation doesn't always do it justice.

Best of luck locating good subjects. If you can find something locally, it will always be something you will be able to more easily return to when weather and light are optimal. That is why I have in the past spent quite a bit of effort trying to find worthy subjects. Although I've found some nice subjects, none so far have been exceptional. Still especially with more intimate subjects, just some fallen maple leaves atop a quiet stream pool has potential given the right elements.

I particularly like the strong diagonals in the first image linked. That creates a good tension to go with all those nice colors. I also like the vertical image linked in your follow up post. The "s" shape found within the illuminated leaves is a nice arrangement.