Autumn bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum) and cliff in Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Coconino National Forest, Arizona
Yes, Arizona does have seasons, and yes, even fall color. Oak Creek Canyon, near Sedona, is a stunning place to begin with, but offers even more opportunities in the fall. This picture of a bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum) juxtaposed against the red rock cliffs is an example of how you can produce unexpected images of fall colors. But don’t worry: there are still opportunities for classic leaf pictures, too.
Autumn leaves of bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum) on forest floor, American Southwest, Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Coconino National Forest, Arizona
Wine grape leaf in the fall, Sonoma County, California
Autumn is coming, and often overlooked locations for great fall color are vineyards, especially in the California wine country. This photo of an autumn wine vineyard is from Sonoma County, California. (Please note that vineyards are private property. If you don’t have permission from the vineyard owner to be on their property, stick to shooting from the road.)
Sabino Canyon Recreation Area (part of Coronado National Forest) sits on the Northeast side of Tucson, Arizona, tucked into the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
Surrounded on three sides by the Pusch Ridge Wilderness, the terrain ranges from relatively flat to rugged canyons and mountainsides. Miles of hiking trails and even a paved road (closed to traffic) allow easy access and provide ample photo opportunities.