One of the best things about taking a tour with my great friend Jeff Clow is that he always finds a new location that will surprise you. I have been on three photo tours with Jeff in Wyoming, and, on my last one, he sprung this great landscape on me. Just outside of Grand Teton National Park in the Teton Wilderness, the Buffalo Fork River (a tributary of the famed Snake River) meanders through the cottonwoods. While this scene must be beautiful all year round, it is even more so when the foliage begins to peak and the cottonwoods turn a brilliant shade of gold.
Standing on a promenade looking down on this scene, this shows the main reason that autumn is by far my favorite season to photograph landscapes. You can argue forever which area of the country has the best colors during peak foliage season. In my opinion, the only right answer to that argument is wherever you happen to be when you see the change of seasons.