Autumn Along the Mount Nebo Scenic Loop Byway

The Loop is one of the most beautiful scenic drives in America for Fall colors. As you climb the Loop, maple trees in the valley give way to aspens, and they finally give way to the conifers.

This scenic byway goes from Payson, Utah in the north, to Nephi in the south. You can return the same way you came, or if you're in a hurry, you can drive home via I-15 (at 75 mph). If you enter the Loop via Payson, you'll quickly be greeted by arching groves of Bigtooth Maple trees (Acer grandidentatum) ablaze with autumn colors.


Within a few miles, the Quaking Aspens (Populus tremuloides) will begin to appear. This photo was taken at about the 6,000 feet level, and includes a rustic fence make from older aspens.


Forest Ecology: At about 7,000 feet the conifers begin to crowd in. Aspens are the "nursing mothers" for conifers -- they actually allow conifers to take hold in an area. Sometimes the conifers will eventually push out most of the aspen and become the dominant species!

Wilderness Area: The above photo is actually within the Mount Nebo Wilderness Area. Elevations in the Wilderness range from 5,000 feet to 11,928 feet atop of Mount Nebo, the highest peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range. This wilderness area is located about 2 1/2 hours south of Salt Lake City.

From Film to Digital: These are "resurrected" images -- scanned from older film transparencies. They were photographed on Fujichrome 50 with the Mamya RB67 (6cm x 7cm) camera. (Scanned with the Imacon FlexTight Precision II.)

You can also view my Flickr Photostream to see more of "My Vision." Or, view my most interesting Flickr images on Flickriver.

Autumn Leaves on the Forest Floor

This close-up detail of maple leaves was taken several years ago, and was recently "resurrected" by scanning the original color transparency and converting it to digital. (Click on image for a larger view.)

The image was originally photographed on Fujichrome 50 with a Mamya RB67 (6cm x 7cm) camera. I had used a spray bottle and water to mist the grass and leaves to give the appearance of early morning dew.

A local printer had used this photo as a promotional poster to show off their new 5-color press; but until now, the image has just languished in my files. I think it's about time it start working for me, so I've sent it off to several of my stock photo agencies! Years ago this would have required the making of costly duplicate transparencies. Today, just a few mouse clicks and some uploading time are all that is required. The hardest part is the prep work: making good scans, cleaning and tweaking the image, and creating descriptive captions and keywords so that potential buyers can find the image through search engines. (Want to learn more about stock photography?)

The photo was taken in Millcreek Canyon, near Salt Lake City, Utah; and the leaves are Bigtooth Maple (Acer grandidentatum).

You can also view my Flickr Photostream to see more of "My Vision."