RECENTLY UPDATED - Colorado
I'd never heard of Piney Lake, even though I grew up in Colorado, until I appeared at an art show in Avon, and had several people recommend I go there to take some photos. So I did just that. Having now seen and photographed it myself, I can fully understand the recommendations! What a great semi-secret spot! Available in the following sizes (Panorama B): 30x12, 40x16, 50x20, 60x24, 75x30, 75x30 Triptych (3 x 25x30), 90x36, 90x36 Triptych (3 x 30x36), 105x42, 105x42 Triptych (3 x 35x42), 120x48, 120x48 Triptych (3 x 40x48), 135x54 Triptych (3 x 45x54), 150x60 Triptych (3 x 50x60).
I'd never heard of Piney Lake, even though I grew up in Colorado, until I appeared at an art show in Avon, and had several people recommend I go there to take some photos. So I did just that. Having now seen and photographed it myself, I can fully understand the recommendations! What a great semi-secret spot! Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
Courthouse Mountain, in the Cimarron Range, just east of Ridgway, Colorado, isn't super famous, but it is, in my opinion, one of the prettiest peaks in the State. Lying in the Grand Mesa / Uncompaghre / Gunnison National Forest, there is a great deal of dispersed camping in the region, so I found a spot to park my van for the night that afforded me this view only a few steps from where I camped. Not a bad view to fall asleep (or wake up!) to. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48, 80x54, 90x60.
I did a lot of camping in 2020, since there were no art shows, and being outside and away from people seemed a good way to spend time when being around other people was not really an option. In late September, I was near Ridgway, in southwest Colorado, with the goal of shooting the changing leaves. Many of the aspen groves in the area had quite a bit of yellow mixed in on the day I took this photo, but the forests here, along the Cimarron Ridge, were still probably a week away from reaching peak color. However, a lot of the underbrush was already at its peak, coming through in shades of orange and red. I didn't want to miss this opportunity, and the clouds when I took this photo were absolutely perfect. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
I did a lot of camping in 2020, since there were no art shows, and being outside and away from people didn't pose any COVID risks. In late September, I was near Ridgway, in southwest Colorado, with the goal of shooting the changing leaves. I love photographing aspen groves just before they reach their “peak” color. The mix of green and yellow is quite beautiful. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45, 40x60.
I did a lot of camping in 2020, since there were no art shows, and being outside and away from people didn't pose any COVID risks. In late September, I was near Ridgway, in southwest Colorado, with the goal of shooting the changing leaves. I love photographing aspen groves just before they reach their “peak” color. The mix of green and yellow is quite beautiful. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, in south central Colorado, is a fun spot to visit. Well, it usually is. I was there in early September, 2020, when winds like none I'd experienced before in Colorado came through. I was camping in the National Park Campground, and had intended to continue my camping trip for the next week or so, but greatly-reduced visibility caused by the worst wildfires in state history, combined with the just-mentioned winds caused me to re-think my plans, and ultimately cancel the last week of my planned trip. I took this photo on my way out of the park, and heard later that day that the Parks Service had to close the campground and kick everyone out because of the dangers associated with the insane wind. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30.
Mount Sopris, which reaches a peak elevation of less than 13,000 feet in Colorado, a state which prides itself on its many 14,000 foot peaks, is nonetheless the most prominent mountain in the Carbondale (and to a lesser extent, Glenwood Springs and Aspen) area. It's a beautiful mountain, and is easy to spot from several directions. I knew I wanted to photograph this peak at sunrise, and scouted some potential locations the day before, and ended up settling on the shoulder of Price Creek Road, a little-used dirt road just north of the mountain. The early morning horizontal sunlight saturated the normally gray / brown peak in wonderful shades of orange, which contrasted beautifully with the blue sky above, and the green of the forest below. Available in the following sizes (Panorama C): 30x10, 36x12, 48x16, 60x20, 72x24, 90x30, 90x30 Triptych (3 x 30x30), 108x36, 108x36 Triptych (3 x 36x36), 120x40, 120x40 Triptych Triptych (3 x 40x40), 144x48 Triptych (3 x 48x48).
Forest Service Road 520, located between Creede and Lake City, Colorado, is an isolated drive through a beautiful valley. There are several lakes and reservoirs along the drive, and although I'm not a fisherman myself, when I saw this peaceful valley with a meandering stream running through it, I couldn't help but think of a fly fisherman's dream location. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
North Clear Creek Falls Square
North Clear Creek Falls, near Lake City, Colorado, is kind of in the middle of nowhere, and doesn't get many visitors. But it is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Colorado, and it is a one-minute walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint from which I took this photo. Everything around the waterfall is relatively flat, so you'd never know it was there if not for the signs. It's definitely one of my favorite waterfalls, and unquestionably one of the easiest to photograph. Available in the following sizes (Square): 10x10, 12x12, 16x16, 20x20, 24x24, 30x30, 36x36, 42x42, 48x48, 54x54, 60x60.
North Clear Creek Falls, near Lake City, Colorado, is kind of in the middle of nowhere, and doesn't get many visitors. But it is one of the prettiest waterfalls in Colorado, and it is a one-minute walk from the parking lot to the viewpoint from which I took this photo. Everything around the waterfall is relatively flat, so you'd never know it was there if not for the signs. It's definitely one of my favorite waterfalls, and unquestionably one of the easiest to photograph. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45, 40x60, 48x72, 54x80, 60x90.
I'd never driven across Cottonwood Pass, which connects Buena Vista to Almot, Colorado, until the summer of 2020. I went over the pass during the day, and thought it might look nice at sunrise, so I came back before sunrise the following day, and tried a few different compositions of the area. This one is my favorite of the lot. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48).
This is a photo that could have been taken anywhere. It was taken near Buena Vista, Colorado, but I don't think the location is particularly important here. And although this is a color photograph, it could almost pass as a black-and-white. A nice, simple composition with a lot of contrast, and it worked out alright. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
I'd never visited the chalk cliffs outside of Buena Vista, Colorado, until a cross-Colorado camping trip I went on in the summer of 2020. When viewed in the middle of the day, these cliffs are nearly white, but I took this photo at sunrise, and the horizontal light gave the landscape a saturated orange hue. I took this photo with a telephoto lens to bring the detail of the cliffs into focus. It's a much more abstract photo than what I usually chase, but the colors, contrast, and patterns of lines is quite beautiful. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
I'd never visited the chalk cliffs outside of Buena Vista, Colorado, until a cross-Colorado camping trip I went on in the summer of 2020. When viewed in the middle of the day, these cliffs are nearly white, but I took this photo at sunrise, and the horizontal light gave the landscape a more saturated color palate. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30, 50x40, 60x48.
I'd never visited the chalk cliffs outside of Buena Vista, Colorado, until a cross-Colorado camping trip I went on in the summer of 2020. When viewed in the middle of the day, these cliffs are nearly white, but I took this photo at sunrise, and the horizontal light gave the landscape a saturated orange hue. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
Colorado's “Million Dollar Highway,” which stretches from Ouray to Silverton, is one of the prettiest drives on the planet. There are numerous jeep and / or hiking trails, lakes and rivers for fishing, abandoned mining towns, dispersed and organized camping spots, and scenic viewpoints along this amazing highway. One of the easiest spots to reach is the Bear Creek Falls lookout, which is a 30-second stroll from the road. If you were to drive past the small parking lot, you'd never know these falls were here, because the top of the falls begins underneath the road, itself. Quite the feat of engineering! Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45, 40x60.
Colorado's “Million Dollar Highway,” which stretches from Ouray to Silverton, is one of the prettiest drives on the planet. Red Mountain Pass, which reaches a peak elevation of 11,018 feet, is the highest elevation along this route, and it is from this pass that one has the best view of Red Mountain, shown here. The way the red rocks contrast with the green trees and blue sky makes this one of the most picturesque locations in Colorado. Available in the following sizes (Panorama C): 30x10, 36x12, 48x16, 60x20, 72x24, 90x30, 90x30 Triptych (3 x 30x30), 108x36, 108x36 Triptych (3 x 36x36), 120x40, 120x40 Triptych Triptych (3 x 40x40), 144x48 Triptych (3 x 48x48), 162x54 Triptych (3 x 54x54), 180x60 Triptych (3 x 60x60).
Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel
In the summer of 2020, I went on a cross-Colorado camping trip, visiting locations throughout the state that I'd never been to before. One such location was the Grand Mesa – the largest flat-topped mountain in the world, occupying approximately 500 square miles. It was pretty, and I'll have to return some day, and hope for better weather – there were many wildfires burning throughout the state when I visited which greatly reduced visibility. So I didn't get any good landscape photos, but I did stumble across the “Land's End Observatory,” a Works Progress Administration / Civilian Conservation Corps site from the 1930s that affords – in less smoky conditions, anyway – long-reaching views of western Colorado and eastern Utah. And because it gets fairly frequent human visitors, little rodents in the area have learned to act cute and beg for food. I didn't feed any of the cute little rodents (you shouldn't – they can become accustomed to human food and have a hard time making it through the winter), but did get some nice photos, since they weren't afraid of getting close to me. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
In the summer of 2020, I went on a cross-Colorado camping trip, visiting locations throughout the state that I'd never been to before. One such location was the Grand Mesa – the largest flat-topped mountain in the world, occupying approximately 500 square miles. It was pretty, and I'll have to return some day, and hope for better weather – there were many wildfires burning throughout the state when I visited which greatly reduced visibility. So I didn't get any good landscape photos, but I did stumble across the “Land's End Observatory,” a Works Progress Administration / Civilian Conservation Corps site from the 1930s that affords – in less smoky conditions, anyway – long-reaching views of western Colorado and eastern Utah. And because it gets fairly frequent human visitors, little rodents in the area have learned to act cute and beg for food. I didn't feed any of the cute little rodents (you shouldn't – they can become accustomed to human food and have a hard time making it through the winter), but did get some nice photos, since they weren't afraid of getting close to me. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30.
Colorado isn't exactly famous for its waterfalls, but there are quite a few good ones scattered throughout the state. I'd heard of and seen photos of Rifle Falls for years before I made it to Rifle Falls State Park in the summer of 2020, and finally got this image. I can't think of any other waterfalls that are made up of three distinct streams. Quite a sight. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45, 40x60, 48x72, 54x80, 60x90.
Colorado isn't exactly famous for its waterfalls, but there are quite a few good ones scattered throughout the state. I'd heard of and seen photos of Rifle Falls for years before I made it to Rifle Falls State Park in the summer of 2020, and finally got this image. I can't think of any other waterfalls that are made up of three distinct streams. Quite a sight. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
In the late summer of 2020, I went on a cross-Colorado camping trip, exploring parts of the state I'd never visited before. I camped a few nights near Craig, in northwest Colorado, and one evening, while wandering around the campground, I came across a pond with a whole bunch of frogs on the surface. I ran back to my van, grabbed my telephoto lens, and returned to snap this photo. Small animals can be quite tough to photograph, since the best animal photos are always taken at eye-level. Well, it's impossible to get a camera to eye-level of a frog, because even if the camera is on the ground, the center of the lens will be higher than the animal's eyes. But a photo like this is about as close to eye-level of a frog as one can hope to get, and I think it turned out quite well. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30.
Hummingbirds are incredibly difficult to photograph. They are tiny, they move quickly and erratically, and their wings beat in the neighborhood of 50 times per second, so getting a photo where the wings appear still is tough. In the summer of 2020, I found myself at a cafe in the Flat Tops Wilderness in northwest Colorado, and they had a bunch of hummingbird feeders out that were extraordinarily successful in bringing in dozens of these beautiful creatures. So I ordered an ice cream sundae, and spent close to an hour snapping photos. Out of the hundreds of photos I took, very few were in focus, but this one turned out especially well. I have so much respect for the small number of people who are able to make a living on wildlife (i.e. no landscape) photography. I can't begin to comprehend the patience required. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24.
Owls are among my favorite birds. They're tough to find and photograph, so I considered myself quite lucky when I spotted this guy perched above a creek near Craig, Colorado. I grabbed my telephoto lens, plus a 2x teleconverter (which turned my 200-600mm lens into a 400-1200), and set up my tripod. With such a long focal length, several things come into play that make getting a good photograph difficult, but years of knowledge and practice paid off, and I was able to get this nice photo of a great horned owl waiting patiently for his next meal to make an appearance. I hoped to see him again the next day with brighter light – this photo was taken at dusk – but I never saw him again. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30.