I have been having a great time this fall capturing the beautiful San Juan and Cimarron Mountains. I made a deliberate effort this year to explore and expand my autumn photo collection.
At first, I went out cameras locked and loaded and tried to shoot everything I could. As I looked over my images, I realized that I wasn’t being true to myself and my photography. It felt as if I was just collecting images and not focusing on the essence of the scene. I needed to slow down and remember what I love about capturing images.
Photography is like a form of meditation. It is where I can go and just be. Either with a friend or by myself, I find it is so gratifying to observe and be inspired by what God created.
This morning I went out for sunrise. It was cold and everything was blanketed with a fine layer of frost. While I was composing the snowy mountains against a clear blue sky, I could hear turkeys gobbling and elk bulging in the distance. It was so peaceful (and cold). I truly enjoyed myself. I haven’t looked at those images yet but it doesn’t matter. What matters is spending time outdoors and finding time to enjoy the benefits that nature bestows.
Below are some inspiring reflections that I was fortunate enough to capture.
The image “Impression” is an image of a reflection itself. I really like the soft pastoral feel of it. What emotion is stirred inside when you view one of these images?
Morning’s Light
Sundowner
Impression
A Little Spice
Rowdy’s Surprise
They are all so beautiful!
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Thank You! I appreciate your comment! Talk to you soon!
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I was in the San Juans myself last fall; beautiful area.
These are some very nice images. The first two–“Mornng’s Light” and “Sundowner”–appear to be from Crystal Lake…is that correct?
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Thanks for the compliment. Yes, they were taken at Crystal Lake! Glad you have visited the area! So much to photograph and the fall season is so short in the mountains. Hoping to capture Crystal Lake with a good sunrise / sunset next year as it proved elusive with my work schedule this year.
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I was there on three consecutive frosty (literally) mornings before sunrise in late September and there wasn’t a single cloud on any of the three occasions, so I envy the clouds you captured.
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Thanks! It is very challenging for sure! I have several shots with no clouds at Crystal as well. They seem to move in an out quickly or not at all.
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All expertly captured and processed. Being true to yourself is all-important!!! I have two favorites … Sundowner for the clouds and their reflections, and Rowdy’s Surprise for its perfect lighting and reflection.
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Thanks, Denise! Sundowner is one of my favorites as well. I wanted to show that evening shots at Crystal are just as beautiful as sunrise. The light was so pretty and the clouds added the extra punch. Rowdy’s Surprise was a delight and unexpected at sunset. I saw the clouds turning pink and literally ran to the lake shore and managed to capture the scene. Could not have planned that one!
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I really like Sundowner, there is a crispness to it that really appeals to me.
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Thank You! One of my favorites as well. I loved the evening light spilling over the side of the mountain.
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Love those! Last time I had a lake as calm as this one in front of my camera, i turned the pictures 180° and irritated some viewers :-).
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Thanks! It is so hard to get the right mirror reflection at times!
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Morning’s Light – Rich colours and serene water! It’s always nice to have some clouds available and the bonus of the sun just striking the tip of the mountain and the crystal reflection. What do you like to shoot with? Do you usually use a tripod? I’ve had a Panasonic Lumix G85 (mirrorless) for a year and love it but I’m hoping to get a Fuji XT-2 which has a larger sensor and 24MP instead of 16MP to be able to make some large prints.
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Thanks! I shoot a Nikon d750 which is a full frame camera. I do use a tripod most of the time. I find that it really helps!
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