This fall season left me in a state of frustration as I kept choosing the wrong area to set up. No matter where I went the sunset/sunrise was always just around the next mountain or in one case just around the corner.

It had just snowed with everything covered in a pure white blanket with the fall colors at their peak. I set up on a particular mountain base that I’ve had a hard time getting a really good shot before. Well, this time was no different as the mountain just around the corner went crazy with light dancing all over it while my location lit up not so well leaving me in a state of near panic. I thought about making a run for it but knew I’d never make it there in time and decided to focus on the shot at hand. The snow quickly melted the next day leaving me with a nice shot but I knew how much better it could have been (the curse of a landscape photographer).

The next evening I was in a rush as I planned on leaving for a photo shoot to the Pacific Northwest the next day. I actually arrived early for once and had time to hike to my spot and preplan the composition. As sunset approached, the clouds thickened and it appeared I would get skunked once again. However, the sun was stubborn as it broke free and lit up a large section of the mountain. I started firing off shots just in case it ended premature as it so often does around here.

Then just as the sun seemed to be gone for good, the tops of the peaks took on a beautiful alpen glow so typical of this mountain range. I have seen this happen here even when it is completely clouded over. It’s as if the mountain itself has its own light source. This is where I got really serious snapping off shots as the last beams of light painted the colorful aspens and tops of the peaks. Finally! – I got a break and felt fortunate to capture a decent shot… I was hoping this meant my cold streak was over for now as I would need some good fortune when traveling to Washington State and BC, Canada in the next few days.

Above pictures taken in the Needle Mountains and Engineer Mountain located in the San Juan Mountain Range of Southwest Colorado.

Below are a few miscellaneous shots taken this fall in the alpine above 12k showing queens crown stems turned brilliant red and other wildflowers gone to seed.  One picture showing turned aspens taken near Silverton, CO.

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End of August snow took me by surprise! Just several minutes before I was shooting out in a steady drizzle. Then without warning, the sky broke loose with thunder and lightning flashing all around and then the hail came roaring in. I took cover but ventured back out soon afterwards with a flimsy umbrella separating me from the pounding pellets of ice. The hail gave way to snow which was a great relief. It was coming down so hard that it only took a few minutes to pile up 2″ of wet slushy powder.

Then as soon as it came, it was gone with the wind howling as the clouds broke free revealing the distant Grenadier Mountains now covered in fresh snow. Photography was nearly impossible as I was being blown around while trying to get a shot before the clouds moved in again. It was a wonderful moment with the mountains alive with natures fury and there before me was the last stand of paintbrush on the mountain still alive and well after taking a severe beating moments before.

I came back the next morning which revealed an a eerily beautiful sunrise. It only happened for a moment so I had to rush my shot as the obscured sun came up between a gap in the distant mountain for only a moment before the fog reclaimed it again. Then out in the dense fog, a pack of coyotes started howling nearby by which caught my faithful companion’s attention as she intently listened to her ancestors now dominating the scene.

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Canon 6D, EF16-35mm f/4L, F’14, 16mm, 1/10 sec, ISO 250, Dolica carbon fiber tripod, Manfrotto monopod, and Adobe Lightroom 6 to edit.

With my life turned a little upside down the past few months, I have really gotten behind in posting my shots so I decided to go back a ways and place them in a more chronological order so the next few weeks will seem a little out of season.

August 16,  I was counting my blessings sitting in a high alpine field still loaded with wildflowers thanking God for my return to better health when the dark clouds suddenly opened up allowing the now setting sun to paint a beautiful golden glow in the sky above. It only lasted for a few seconds and then the clouds once again took over. I didn’t get a shot off but my mind certainly recorded it. At this point I was so thankful for being back up in the mountains again that it didn’t bother me. I literally laid down in the thick wildflowers and took in the fading views as darkness was quickly setting in.

Then I noticed a slight glow towards the eastern horizon and couldn’t believe what was happening. A near full Moon was peaking over the horizon! Now I had another opportunity to get a shot that was fairly unique. The wind was blowing slightly, just enough to cause problems with the flowers in foreground especially with a long exposure. I bumped the ISO up a bit but kept the aperture around f/16 to allow both the foreground and sky and moon to be in pretty good focus.

It was so nice to return back to the place that I love especially being welcomed by the Moon on a beautiful night in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado!