For me, this is the quintessential aspen forest photograph. At this point in my career in the early 90s, I had spent several autumn seasons searching for just the right aspen grove. 1993 was my first year living full-time in Bishop. One afternoon on my search, I drove up towards the Sierra Nevada and turned off at Cardinal Village. I immediately saw the light through the trees. With no hesitation I stopped the car and walked straight to the grove. The sun was low over the nearby mountains, providing just a little fill light in the treetops. When I printed the film in the darkroom, I was pleased to have captured the exact quality of light that so strongly drew me to the forest that afternoon. Reflecting after nearly 30 years, I still consider this capture an essential image of my career.
