The Magic of the Aspen Leaf

Unique and Magical Aspen Leaf Portraits

Nearly every year since I started as a photographer, I have embarked on a multi-day journey to photograph one of my favorite subjects here in Colorado - autumn and fall colors. While the popular trend is to go to iconic locations and capture these recognizable locations for fine art prints, I personally think that smaller, more intimate interpretations of fall color can be just as powerful and offer a more refined and unique artistic presentation. One subject that has particularly captivated my heart is the aspen leaf. This gallery is a collection of my absolute best autumn & fall photographs that are focused more on the finer details of aspen leaves from Colorado.

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Colorado Fall Color Photography Print - A single vibrant aspen leaf on a wet wood log in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado in fall. — Colorado Fall Color Print - Fallen Electricity (2020)

Two yellow aspen leaves suspended by a cow parsnip plant in fall near Crested Butte, Colorado. — Catch me when I fall (2019)

Golden aspen leaves floating in blue oil caused by decay in Colorado. — Beautiful Decay (2020)

Backlit saplings showcase decaying leaves of black and yellow on a frosty cold autumn morning — Leaf Web (2022)

Aspen leaves on a blanket of snow in fall — Aspen Leaves Adrift (2022)

Stacked up aspen leaves on a rock in a stream in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Leaf Dam (2020)

A small set of decaying aspen leaves from a sapling showcase hoarfrost deep in a forest near Dolores — Sapling Hoarfrost (2022)

A single wet aspen leaf. — Shimmer (2022)

Decaying aspen leaves in fall on a forest service road near Telluride, Colorado. — The Smell of Aspen Leaves (2021)

Decaying aspen leaves and corn lilies on the forest floor in fall near Crested Butte, Colorado. — Decay and Rebirth (2018)

Unusual green aspen leaves — Green Goblins (2022)

A bed of pinecones gathered by a restless squirrel with colorful aspen leaf — Pinecone Bed (2022)

A yellow dew-laden aspen leaf near Telluride, Colorado during a rainstorm in autumn. — Telluride Aspen Leaf Portrait (2021)

Frozen water froze this aspen leaf in place in this slowly moving creek near Dolores, Colorado. — Icy Autumn (2022)

A single red aspen leaf fell onto a sheet of ice — Blazing Ice Leaf (2022)

A small branch full of aspen leaves fell from above into the crack between two aspen tree trunks, making for an interesting scene near Crested Butte, Colorado. — Leaf Hug (2019)

Orange and yellow aspen leaves float in rippling water in the afternoon sun near Telluride, Colorado. — Orange Leaves & Rippling Water (2021)

A rare fog event near Crested Butte in fall. — Sapling in the Fog (2022)

Golden light reflected on a mountain stream in fall near Telluride — Gold Rush (2022)

A single red and yellow aspen leaf in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Fire and Ice (2020)

Colorado Fall Color Photography Print - The white bark and yellow leaves of aspen trees at sunrise in a forest of Colorado near Ridgway in the San Juan Mountain — Ghosts in the Forest (2020)

Ruby red fallen aspen leaves in a pond in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Ruby Raincatchers (2020)

Aspen trees in fall in Colorado. — Near-Far-Bright-Dark (2020)

A single yellow aspen leaf in Colorado. — Yellow and Blue (2020)

Aspen bark and yellow aspen leaves in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Aspen Zipper (2020)

A single orange aspen leaf showcasing chlorophyll in Colorado. — Chlorophyll Fade (2020)

A large puddle reflects glorious aspen trees in fall near Dolores, Colorado — Foggy Reflections of Fall (2022)

A lonely aspen leaf covered in frozen dew — The Dew Collector (2022)

Patterns of muck on a pond look like an impressionistic painting in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Impressionistic Nature (2020)

Autumn Aspen trees and aspen leaves in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — New and Old (2020)

Fallen yellow, green, and red aspen leaves in a pool of water near Telluride, Colorado. — Tapestry of Color (2021)

A yellow aspen leaf floats in water reflecting golden light in an aspen forest in Colorado. — Remembering a Friend (2020)

Ferns, yellow fallen aspen leaves, and aspen trees in a wide angle view of Aspen trees in the West Elk Mountains near Crested Butte, Colorado in autumn / fall. — Ferns and Trees (2019)

Aspen leaves fallen into the trunks of aspen trees. — Pot 'o Gold (2022)

A colorful display of autumn leaves near Telluride — Colorful Frozen Leaves (2022)

Early morning light illuminates four leaves of a sapling aspen tree — Let it Shine (2022)

Aspen trees in fall in Colorado; aspen tree photos. — Aspen Rainbow Layers (2020)

Mud and fallen aspen leaves near Lake City — Fractured Fall (2022)

A single green pine tree sits in a forest of golden aspen trees in fall in Colorado. — Hidden in Plain Sight (2020)

Three green aspen leaves in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Green Trio (2020)

A lone aspen leaf is caught in the air by the decaying remnant of a cow parsnip plant in a meadow near Crested Butte — Suspended (2022)

Fall mountain stream reflecting golden light near Telluride — Golden Leaf Catcher (2022)

Hail from a hailstorm partially melted and froze these aspen leaves — Deep Freeze (2022)

A single branch of aspen leaves suspended over a boulder field in fall — Early Winter's Embrace (2022)

A collection of frozen leaves found on the forest floor near Telluride — Frozen Leaf Study (2022)

A yellow dew-laden aspen leaf near Crested Butte, Colorado during a rainstorm in autumn. — Aspen Leaf & Wood Textures (2021)

Aspen leaves buried by hail in fall — Aspen Leaves After the Hailstorm (2022)

Decaying yellow aspen leaves near Telluride, Colorado in fall. — Remnants of Fall in Telluride (2021)

A single red and yellow aspen leaf near Telluride in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — Drizzle in Nature (2021)

Fine Art Prints of the Aspen Leaf

The advantage of purchasing large fine art prints of the aspen leaf is that they are quite unique and will clearly stand out in your art collection. Every photographer in Colorado has the classic photographs of the Maroon Bells or the Crystal Mill; however, very few offer distinct, unique fine art prints for sale showcasing the smaller scenes of nature that provide context and help to tell the story of fall in Colorado through photos and pictures. My hope is that these smaller scenes inspire my viewers and collectors to learn more about the natural processes at play in fall and autumn in Colorado and by purchasing a ready to hang fine art print from my collection, you can share your love of nature with the world.