Tony's Takes Photography

Wildlife, landscape and weather photography

Denver’s Union Station at night

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Denver's Union Station at night and lit for the holidays. (© Tony’s Takes)
Denver’s Union Station at night and lit for the holidays. (© Tony’s Takes)

From one of the few urban photo outings I have taken but one that was a lot of fun and a chance to mix it up a bit from my usual photo fare. Denver’s Union Station is one of the iconic buildings in the Mile High City.

Located within the LoDo district, it is the main railway station for the city. The current building was completed in 1914 and followed by major renovations in 2012 that included the canopies seen here.

Designed in the Beaux-Arts style, the building has welcomed famous guests including Queen Marie of Romania, Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, William Howard Taft, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Today, it is a centerpiece of downtown not only serving as a transit hub but also a tourist attraction.

Image available here.

The Mile High City capped with clouds

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While it does look kind of cool, thankfully this isn’t typical for Denver. Those of us that live here are used to seeing far more sun and warmth this time of year.

A late season storm brought cold, a lot of rain and a bit of snow to the Colorado Front Range this past week. Just to the west in the mountains they were measuring the snowfall in feet. It was a bit of a shock to the system of residents.

In reality, snow in May is not that unusual although this system was stronger that normal for this late in the season. Certainly I hope we are done with the white stuff for the season but Denver’s latest snowfall in history occurred on June 12, 1947 so you just never know.

Denver, Colorado sits under a layer of clouds after a late season snowstorm blanketed the area and the nearby Rocky Mountains in snow. (© Tony’s Takes)
Denver, Colorado sits under a layer of clouds after a late season snowstorm blanketed the area and the nearby Rocky Mountains in snow. (© Tony’s Takes)

Holiday lights at the Denver City and County building

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Taken on Christmas Day last year, The annual lighting of the lights on the building are a tradition in the Mile High City and are an impressive and beautiful display. Now days they do it with LEDs and the colors are constantly changing making it even more fun and always different. I have yet to get down there this year but need to make sure I do. I wish you all a very merry Christmas and happy new year!

The Denver City and County building is lit up for the Christmas season. (© Tony’s Takes)
The Denver City and County building is lit up for the Christmas season. (© Tony’s Takes)

Denver, Colorado: Queen City of the Plains

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Many folks that have never been here before envision Denver as being in the mountains. That is certainly not true. The Rocky Mountains lie just to the west of the Mile High City with Denver itself actually residing on the Great Plains.

This image, taken back in November, gives a good view of the landscape. Looking toward the west from a spot about eight miles northeast of downtown, you can see the city with the mountains towering in the background.

As everyone knows however, the city’s official elevation is one mile above sea level, 5,280 feet, as measured from the steps of the state capitol. That of course is where the city gets its primary nickname but it has also been called the Queen City of the Plains and the Queen City of the West at different times in history.

The Mile High City in fall. Looking back toward Denver from the east. (© Tony’s Takes)
The Mile High City in fall. Looking back toward Denver from the east. (© Tony’s Takes)

Looking up at historical railroad bridge

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I don’t venture to downtown Denver very often – urban settings just aren’t my thing. However, a couple of weekends ago I was down there for family pictures and while I wasn’t taking those images, I took along my camera in case anything interesting came along.

While my wife and kids were taking their turn in front of the portrait photographer’s lens, I found myself captivated by this old railroad bridge.

Found at the south end of Wynkoop Street where it meets Cherry Creek, the bridge was constructed in 1908 for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. Now it serves as a pedestrian bridge over the creek with access to the regional trail system.

The weathered, cold steel look really brought back memories of a bygone era when the iron horse was king. This image looks almost black and white due to the bridge struts’ coloring and the drab skies but is in fact a color image. I cranked up the clarity to add some ‘grit’ to it.

Looking up at an old railroad bridge in downtown Denver. (© Tony’s Takes)
Looking up at an old railroad bridge in downtown Denver. (© Tony’s Takes)

This IS Denver

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For those that have never been here, it can be hard to appreciate what an amazing place Colorado and the Mile High City are. From the golden plains to the rugged Rocky Mountains, the diversity of the landscape is amazing. Throw in wide open expanses of land and an abundance of wildlife and this place is a haven for recreationalists of all kinds, including of course photographers.

This image was taken this past Sunday at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and does a great job of summing up this extraordinary place. Yes, Denver is a bustling, major metropolitan area. However, going west you find those glorious mountains in the background and to the east the Great Plains which have their own type of beauty. Here, a lone bison grazes with the city behind it.

A bison roams at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge with the city of Denver, Colorado in the background. (© Tony’s Takes)
A bison roams at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge with the city of Denver, Colorado in the background. (© Tony’s Takes)

 

Mile High City sunrise

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Urban photography really isn’t my thing but early yesterday morning I found myself in a good spot to capture what was a gorgeous ? sunrise . Brilliant red clouds, deep blue skies and the distinctive skyline of Denver , Colorado made for a very nice scene. Being a Denver-area native I can’t help but be struck by how much the #cityscape has changed over the decades.

The sunrise paints the clouds red over Denver, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)
The sunrise paints the clouds red over Denver, Colorado. (© Tony’s Takes)

Old west meets new

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Taken at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife refuge, this was an image I had seen in my mind for a long time. The weather cooperated with beautiful, clear blue skies and the bison was kind enough to position itself perfectly. This to me is an iconic Denver image.

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January 20, 2013 – Old west meets new. (© Tony’s Takes)
January 20, 2013 – Old west meets new. (© Tony’s Takes)

Photo © Tony’s Takes. Image is available for purchase as a print or for digital use. Please don’t steal, my prices aren’t particularly expensive. For more information contact me here.