Another capture from my photo session with this cool Colorado-adorned hot air balloon this past weekend. I soooo wanted it to get closer to the waning gibbous moon but it never did quite line up as I had hoped. Nevertheless, it is cool to capture the two objects against that gorgeous blue sky.
The best thing I saw in Colorado yesterday was…
The best thing I saw in Colorado yesterday was… Colorado itself – above and below.
My morning photo excursion was not going well. I had covered a lot of miles and spent a lot of time to find nothing, it was 8:30am and I had not clicked the shutter once and that is bad. As I made a stop to look for critters, I looked to the south and saw some hot air balloons in the sky.
It had been a few years since I had a quality photo session with the famous Colorado balloon so I raced south to catch it. While I took pics of the other balloons too, this one, of course, stole the show, particularly when it descended and was in front of those gorgeous, snow-capped Rocky Mountains.
We’re lucky to live in a place where scenes like this are pretty routine. I do my best not to take it for granted.
Aerial views along the South Platte River
One day after work last week I made a stop at a local open space to fly my drone. Ideally, I was hoping to get some cool fall foliage pics but the scenes weren’t as nice as I had hoped. Strong winds the day before had knocked a lot of leaves off the trees and it was a bit early in the day so light was harsh. Nevertheless, I managed to get what I think are some pretty cool captures. I am fascinated by just how differently things look from above. Some of the images have quite a lot to take in as you look at them.
A beautiful fall sunrise on the farm
I have been visiting this local open space for years. The old farm was bought by the City of Thornton and it is now a nice little retreat in the middle of suburbia. I have always said I needed to photograph it at sunrise and this past Sunday I finally did.
As you can see, it was well worth it. Mother Nature put on a beautiful show in the sky and the changing of the seasons colored the trees and bushes in hues of yellow and orange. That barn looked pretty cool and the meandering creek just adds to the image.
Drone’s eye view of a fall sunset
I threw the drone up for a look at tonight’s sunset near Denver, Colorado in the City of Thornton. The colors didn’t develop quite like I had hoped but it was still a pretty scene.
The golden road
The fall foliage here along the Colorado Front Range has been quite beautiful, showing you don’t have to go to the mountains to get cool captures. This scene was from last weekend at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.
I am sure some folks thought I was nuts laying on the road to get this shot but I think it was worth it. 😉
The Mile High City looking small from 35 miles away and two miles higher
Kind of a fun, accidental shot. View this image full screen and look close.
You will see the skyscrapers of downtown Denver, Colorado standing tall above the immediately surrounding terrain. Downtown is, however, dwarfed by the mountains to the west where you are viewing this from.
Taken not long after sunrise on Mount Evans in mid-August, I was trying to capture the amber colors in the sky and the silhouetted mountains with the expansive Great Plains in the distance.
After taking the picture, I previewed it and thought the result was pretty darned cool but had forgotten about it until recently when sorting through pics for my end of year photo projects. Definitely a fun shot and worth sharing!
Bison graze on an overcast autumn day with the Mile High City in the background
With thick, low clouds causing dim light, I didn’t have a lot of hope for my photo outing yesterday. However, overcast skies do have the benefit of evening out the light and eliminating bright spots and dark shadows. As a result, I got some pretty neat captures, despite the conditions.
In this image from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, we bring together a bit of everything: The Old West with the bison, the New West with the Denver skyline in the background, and then we throw in the Rocky Mountains and a touch of fall foliage to add even more interest. It was a cool scene for sure and one that I was glad to be able to capture.
The waning gibbous moon and fall colors
My photo outing yesterday wasn’t as productive as I had hoped so I found myself working pretty hard to get some share-worthy images. Thankfully, our only natural satellite provided a cool subject, particularly when thrown in with some of those gorgeous blue Colorado skies and the changing fall foliage. The details you capture of the moon at this stage is captivating to me and I can just sit there studying all the craters and other features, seeing something different each time.
Winter above, fall in the valley
A typically beautiful fall scene in the Colorado high country. Taken on Guanella Pass a couple of weeks ago, it was gorgeous – and chilly. Near and above timberline, a light snow covered the landscape in white. Down below, it was much warmer and drier.
Here, you’re near the summit of the 11,670 foot high pass and looking east northeast. The winding road shows you the way down and in the valley, near Georgetown, you see the aspen are ablaze in the yellows of fall. Above, that always beautiful, blue Colorado sky with some cool clouds to add interest.