Colorful Aspen Trees near Aspen, Colorado

Colorful Aspen Trees

This shot was taken while getting lost near Aspen, Colorado. I thought I might go for a walk and before I knew it I was all turned around. I was not sure which way was which. So I did what any other photographer should do. Go with the flow. I walked around for a few hours and found some beautiful places I will most likely not find next year. But here are two of the shots from this day lost in Aspen.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/2.8; 1/800 sec ;ISO 100; 3744x5616 Pixels

Focal Length 70mm; EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

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Shot details: f/2.8; 1/800 sec ;ISO 100; 3152x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 200mm; EF 70-200 mm f/2.8 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Maroon Bells Early Morning

Sunrise over looking the valley just below Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado

I woke up at around 3:30am to start my day today. I found a great hill last night and thought it might be a great place to view the sunrise while still having Maroon Bells in the background. I had hundreds of other photographers all standing next to me and the lake and I did not want to have a shot that hundreds of others have. I wanted my own view. So I woke up early and climbed a mountain in the pitch dark. No fear- kinda. I walked straight up until my legs would not take another step. Then went even further. I got to a great view point where you can see the whole valley below. The clouds were just right and I had a bit of good luck. The valley when lit by the sun showed the beautiful yellow and gold colors that fill Aspen Colorado every year.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/11 ; 1/80 sec; ISO 100; 5616x3324 Pixels
Focal Length 36mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Rainbow of Colors on Aspen Trees

Aspen Trees Near Aspen Colorado

A rainbow of colors on a group of aspen trees near Aspen, Colorado. The fall season in Aspen is something that is hard to explain. Its so beautiful everywhere you look there are aspen trees that are gold, red, orange and so many colors. The ground in drentched in gold from the leave that have made their flight. I noticed this group of trees off the road a ways and thought why not. It was the best group of trees that I saw the whole trip. I pulled over, put on my earphones, and started walking. It seemed close but it ended up taking around a half hour before I arrived at this spot. I was all alone, it was dead slient and I took a moment. Man...this is nice!! Anyway I started snapping away for a few hours and this was the shot.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/11 ; 1/320 sec; ISO 400; 5616x3744 Pixels
Focal Length 17mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Sunrise at Maroon Bells in Aspen, Colorado

Sunrise at Maroon Bells

The sunrise at Maroon Bells, Colorado during the fall season was one sunrise I will never forget. It was a perfect morning to be their shooting. I wake up at my hotel at around 4:30am and started driving right away. I arrived at the parking lot at maybe 4:50am thinking I would be the first photog on the scene. Nope. Not even close. There had to have been 150 other people with tripods and cameras all set up waiting for the shot. I met some great people while out there and look forward to meeting more next year. This shot was a composite of a group of five images all taken that morning. You can see the sunlight just barley hitting the mountain peaks. The aspen trees are all yellow with color and the reflection in the lake was just perfect for me and all the rest there waiting to witness this event.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/11 ; 1/4 sec; ISO 100; 5318x3546 Pixels
Focal Length 26mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Morning Frost in Aspen, Colorado

Morning Frost during Fall Season in Aspen, Colorado

Getting up early for photoshoots is what has to happen in order to set yourself up for a great morning shoot. After so many days its hard to keep going, but its worth it to see the great shots from the day that you forgot about. I had done so much shooting I almost forgot about these guys. They had some amazing colors. In fact it seemed like they had every color possible; yellow, green, pink, blue, tan, brown, gold and so many others. The frost was all over the plant life that morning, and yes....that means I was soaked from head to toe from rolling around in the grass trying to get the shot. It was maybe 30 degrees and as I remember a bitter cold wind.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/4.5; 1/25 sec; ISO 100; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 40mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/4.5 ; 1/60 sec; ISO 100; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 35mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

"Winter Water Colors"

As I was walking through the grass looking for the perfect composition I noticed this bush. Its had every color imaginable. It looked as though a painter had been there the night before and painted each leaf a different color. It dried and natuer put a splash of frost on the edges. It was a picture waiting to happen. It was near Ashcroft, Colorado. Aspen has some of the most beautiful colors during the fall season.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/7.1; 1/8 sec; ISO 100; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 40mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

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Shot details: f/9 ; 1/3 sec; ISO 100; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 29mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/9 ; 1/3 sec; ISO 100; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 40mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

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Shot details: f/4 ; 8 sec; ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 20mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

(click image to enlarge)
Shot details: f/4 ; 8 sec; ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 20mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Old Ghost Town near Aspen Colorado

Old Mine Town in Aspen Colorado

Ashcroft Colorado in Infrared. I was driving around looking for a great place to shoot when I can across this old mine town called Ashcroft and it made for some great images. I am selling these through FatTail Art Gallery. (www.fattailgallery.com) They are printed on a sliver metallic paper and framed with a straight black frame. Great choice...for any wall-

(click image to enlarge)
Shot details: f/4 ; 8 sec; ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 20mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

In the spring of 1880 two prospectors, Charles B. Culver and W.F. Coxhead left the mining boomtown of Leadville in search of silver deposits in the Castle Creek Valley. Silver they found and Coxhead promoted their discovery with zeal back in Leadville. When he returned to "Castle Forks City," as it had been dubbed, he found that 23 other prospectors had joined "Crazy Culver." Together the men formed a Miner's Protective Association, built a courthouse and laid out the streets in Ashcroft in just two weeks. Each of their association's members paid a $5, or one day's work, and $1, to draw for building lots. In all there were 97 members in the Ashcroft Miner's Protective Association.(click image to enlarge)
Shot details: f/4; 6 sec; ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 17mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

The town was renamed Ashcroft in 1882 after a rich ore strike was uncovered in Montezuma and Tam O'Shanter Mines. The mines were partially owned by H.A.W. Tabor of Leadville mining fame. Reportedly, Tabor and his second wife visited Ashcroft in 1883 and hosted a grand ball and banquet. Tabor also reportedly bought rounds of drinks for everyone in each of the town's 13 saloons.

(click image to enlarge)
Shot details: f/4; 8 sec; ISO 1600; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 17mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

The same year that Tabor visited Ashcroft the town population had risen to around 2,000. Ashcroft was also home to two newspapers, a school, sawmills, a small smelter and 20 saloons. At this point in its history the town was larger than Aspen and closer to the railroad in Crested Butte.(click image to enlarge)
Shot details: f/4; 5 sec; ISO 1600; 3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 21 mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

By 1885 the town was home to about 3,500 people, had six hotels and 20 saloons. As quickly as the town went boom it went bust (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashcroft,_Colorado)

Night Shots of Maroon Bells Colorado

The Jagged Peaks of Maroon Bells at Night

This is a 5 minute exposure at night of Maroon Bells. Its a few minutes from downtown Aspen and quite a scene. At night it was very dark making it almost impossible to see anything at all. You will be able to see the turning aspens at night, along with star trails in the sky

(click image to enlarge)
Shot details: f/4; 5 minutes ;ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 29mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

These images are of the milky way taken from a hiltop near Maroon Bells, Aspen. The Colorado mountains are real high and the stars you can see are so much brighter than else where. Its really great on a night with no moon-

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/4; 3 minutes ;ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 21mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM

Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

Aspen Colorado at night.

(click image to enlarge)

Shot details: f/4; 1 minute ;ISO 1600;3744x5616 Pixels
Focal Length 29mm; EF 17-40 mm f/4 L USM
Camera Details: Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

What's Coming Up???

I am traveling to Aspen, Colorado to photograph the changing seasons-

It will be up by the end of the month-

Joey

Huntington Boticanial Gardens