Canada Geese and Longs PeakA flock of Canada geese and a guest cruise across Barr Lake in the shadow of Longs Peak. Sunset at ChatfieldOne of Colorado's fabulous sunsets is reflected in Chatfield Reservoir. Breaking StormA lone tree basks in evening light as storm clouds break up overhead.

Bee and BloomA bee with full pollen baskets works its way around a brightly-colored flower.

- I have split my Colorado images into two galleries.  One gallery emphasizes the eastern part of the state, including the Denver area.  The other gallery emphasizes the western part of the state, including several of Colorado's national parks.

- I have improved the navigation for my landscape galleries to accommodate the new Colorado galleries and other galleries already on my website.

- I have added several new Colorado images to my website that appear in both of the new Colorado galleries.  I have also added a few new wildlife images to my wildlife gallery.  I've included two of my new images below as samples of what I have been doing recently.

Snack TimeA chipmunk settles down to eat some grass on a sunny Colorado day. Sunset at the ArsenalSunlight is filtered by smoke from wildfies as the sun sinks toward the horizon at Rocky Mountian Arsenal, Colorado.

Back in August, I submitted three black and white images for jurying into the Lines Into Shapes show at the Art Center of Estes Park.  This annual show is in it's 19th year, and attracts artists from across the United States in a variety of mediums.  This year, 180 pieces by over one hundred artists in eight categories have been juried into the show.

Lines Into Shapes Poster

I am proud to say that all three of my images were accepted into the show, which includes almost thirty photographs from sixteen different photographers.  My images selected for the two-week show are shown below.  Although I will not be able to attend the Opening Reception, I encourage you to visit the Art Center of Estes Park (click here for directions) to see fantastic art from across the country.  You might even be able to get a jump on your holiday shopping!

Icy TorrentThe South Platte River continues to flow under the ice in Waterton Canyon on a cold February day.

San Miguel WaterfallA waterfall crashes through the rocks on Colorado's western slope.

Mist ShroudThis intimate view of a waterfall in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge shows both power and grace.

South Platte Park consists of 880 acres with about 6.5 miles of trails (both paved and natural surface).  It encompasses about two miles of the South Platte River and several lakes open to fishing and other uses.  The main trail is the wide, dual surface South Platte River Trail that connects C-470 to Littleton and points north.  Within the park, much of the South Platte River Trail serves as the Mary Carter Greenway, providing access to the various lakes and trails that run around and between them.  Since the South Platte River Trail provides regional connectivity, it is very busy with hikers, runners, cyclists, and other users.  Therefore, stopping on the paved surface to take pictures is difficult and can be dangerous.  Instead, hike on the natural surface portion of the trail (generally along the east side of the paved trail), or get out onto the other trails in the park to enjoy the photographic opportunities the park has to offer.

If you park in one of the south lots, you can hike along the west edge of Eaglewatch Lake to reach the wildlife viewing blind between Eaglewatch Lake and Buffelhead Lake.  Then you can loop south along the South Platte River Trail to reach Ladybug Lake, Blackrock Lake and return to the parking lots.  This is generally a late afternoon hike so you can shoot with Eaglewatch Lake in the foreground and the Platte River in the background.  Morning hikes are better in the area east of the South Platte River.  This area is best accessed from the Carson Nature Center parking lot.  Wildlife is also more common in this area, since it across the river from the busy South Platte River Trail.  The park hosts a wide variety of waterfowl, sparrows, and occasional raptors.  Small reptiles and mammals are also common, and occasionally large mammals make their way into the park from Chatfield State Park.  True wildlife enthusiasts should consider one of the guided Cooley Lake walks hosted by Carson Nature Center staff.  This is the only way to access Cooley Lake, which is a designated wildlife habitat and is closed to the public otherwise.  See the Carson Nature Center website for details.

Your feedback on my photo location blog posts is important, so that I can provide relevant, helpful information.  Please provide comments to help me continue this series.

Thanks to everyone who visited Foothills Green Gallery in their Simms Street location to see my work!

Thanks to everyone who visited Long Trail Glass to see my work!

South Valley Park consists of about 900 acres, including about 8 miles of trails.  From the main parking lot, you can combine the Swallow Trail and a portion of the Coyote Song Trail to create a 2-mile hiking loop.  Swallow Trail is hiker-only, and serves as a boundary between the flatter western meadow portion of the park and the hogback on the eastern side.  The 0.2-mile connector between the Swallow Trail and the Coyote Song trail begins the climb up the west face of the hogback.  The climb continues along Coyote Song Trail, with the highest point on the loop near the Lyons Back Trail junction.  Note that the lands east of the Coyote Song trail (including the hogback rim and portions of the Lyons Back Trail) are owned by the Ken Caryl Valley Ranch Foundation, and are only open to Foundation members.  Grazing Elk Trail is a 2.5-mile loop encircling an elk meadow in the southwest portion of the park, and is accessible from the south end of the Swallow Trail.  This trail is subject to seasonal closures based on elk movements.

Since the Grazing Elk Trail is closed when the elk are most active, the majority of the photographic opportunities are along the Swallow Trail / Coyote Song trail loop.  The park is home to mule deer, rabbits and other small mammals, and a wide variety of bird life.  An occasional elk will cross South Valley Road to graze in the meadow west of Swallow Trail during the fall, and coyotes and foxes can be seen occasionally.  Mann Reservoir (just south of the parking lot) attracts limited waterfowl since the reservoir is small and water levels are not stable.  From a landscape photography perspective, this park provides less crowded access to the red sandstone formations that Colorado’s Front Range is known for. Much of the loop provides close-up access to the formations, allowing for intimate photographs such as this melting icicle photographed along Swallow Trail.  The best time for landscape photography is evening.  The rock formations are bathed in low light until the sun dips below the foothills to the west, as shown in this late-day image taken where the rocks rise out of the meadow.  From Coyote Song Trail, it is also possible to photograph sunsets over the Front Range foothills.  Various other locations in the park can yield decent photographs depending on weather and lighting, including and the intermittent creeks that flow through the park and Grazing Elk Trail.

Your feedback on my photo location blog posts is important, so that I can provide relevant, helpful information.  Please provide comments to help me continue this series.

The image below is one of my new Colorado shots from the Sand Dunes.  You can get a sense of the vast dunes from the three hikers in the lower left of this image.  Overall, there are about a dozen people in this photograph - how many can you find?  Feel free to respond below.

Dune ShadowsLate afernoon sun casts captivating shadows across the dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park.

Since I have added new images to my Colorado gallery, I have removed a few older images to keep the gallery size reasonable.  If you have a favorite that's been deleted, you can still order it - just comment on this post or drop me an e-mail.

Please enjoy looking through all of my galleries, and feel free to purchase prints of your favorites!

Clement Park consists of about 200 acres, including the 60-acre Johnston Reservoir, Grant Amphitheater, picnic areas, athletic fields, and the Columbine Memorial.  From the main entrance on Bowles Avenue, Johnston Reservoir is to the right (west), and the rest of the park spreads to the east. There is a 1.4-mile paved trail that circles the reservoir near the water’s edge.  Other trails serve the athletic fields and the eastern portions of the park.  The lake trail sees heavy bicycle use and many dog walkers, so step off the trail to take pictures where possible.  The reservoir provides habitat for many birds and small mammals that have adapted to suburban life. Ducks and geese can be seen daily at the reservoir, and herons and egrets make random visits to the lake.  Sea gulls, red-winged blackbirds and other smaller birds are common.  There are two prairie dog communities southeast and southwest of the reservoir that draw the occasional coyote and raptor to the park.

The majority of the photographic opportunities are around the reservoir.  Waterfowl photography (such as these ducks) is relatively easy, as many of the birds have acclimated to humans. The three piers along the east side of the lake allow you get out over the water, closer to the waterfowl.  Wildlife photography is best in the early morning, particularly around the cove at the reservoir's southeast corner.  From a landscape photography perspective, the lake provides for interesting sunset reflections from the lawn east of the reservoir.  Pick your location carefully to manage lights from the development across the lake. Unfortunately, the sail structures on the piers were taken down for renovation and have not been replaced.  Various other locations in the park can yield decent photographs depending on weather and lighting, including the amphitheater and the small creeks that flow through the park.

Your feedback on my photo location blog posts is important, so that I can provide relevant, helpful information.  Please provide comments to help me continue this series.

Roxborough State Park is a National Natural Landmark consisting of over five square miles showcasing the park’s hallmark red sandstone formations.  From the Visitor’s Center, trails generally go north and south, providing access to two distinct areas.  Fountain Valley is to the north of the Visitor Center, and can be accessed along the 2.3-mile Fountain Valley Trail.  There are two overlooks in the valley.  Fountain Valley Overlook is only about ½ mile from the visitor center, while Lyons Overlook is about half way up the valley.  Both overlooks provide grand photographic vistas including the red sandstone monoliths, evergreens and scrub oaks, and the surrounding foothills.  I prefer to hike the entire Fountain Valley Trail, looking for intimate pictures of the sandstone formations, wildflowers in summer, and occasional wildlife.

South of the Visitor Center, the park is somewhat more open, and the trails are less busy.  The 3-mile South Rim Trail has some short steep climbs, working its way through scrub oaks and evergreens, and provides some great photographic views of the plains east of the park at higher elevations.  The Willow Creek Trail shortcuts the South Rim Loop, providing a 1.4-mile hike, but it does not provide grand photographic vistas since it does not climb to the top of the ridges.  The Carpenter Peak Trail is the longest trail in the park, and also has the most elevation gain.  However, the photographic views from the top of Carpenter Peak and the viewpoints along the way are worth the hike.

I usually encounter mule deer at some point on my visits to Roxborough.  Their movements vary seasonally, but I photograph them more often along the trails in the morning and along the entry road in the afternoon.  Although they are less common, I have photographed coyotes in the open areas along the South Rim Trail and the entry road, and various raptors visit the park occasionally.

Your feedback on my photo location blog posts is important, so that I can provide relevant, helpful information.  Please provide comments to help me continue this series.

I still have images on display at the Roxborough Arts Council gallery and at Long Trail Glass in the Santa Fe Arts District.  Feel free to visit any of these galleries to see my work!

As the name implies, the refuge is a great venue for wildlife photography.  The bison area (only accessible by car as part of the Wildlife Drive) allows you to drive among and photograph these large mammals if the herd is in the southern part of their range.  In my experience, the herd is most often along the Wildlife Drive in the early morning and late afternoon, but this varies with weather and grazing patterns.  Even if the bison are not around, keep your eyes open.  I have photographed deer, hawks, owls and prairie dogs in the bison area.

The lakes scattered through the eastern section of the refuge allow for further wildlife viewing, adding waterfowl, turtles, and frogs to the long list of photography subjects.  The trail and boardwalk at Lake Mary provide an easy hike, with good photography opportunities for waterfowl around the lake’s island.  I have had good luck with deer around the east end of Lake Ladora, both on the Lake Ladora trail and from the road.  Wintering bald eagles prefer the less busy areas of the refuge around Upper and Lower Derby Lakes.  I spent an enjoyable half hour with several other photographers taking pictures of a group of bald eagles on the ice in Lower Derby Lake last winter.

Your feedback on my photo location blog posts is important, so that I can provide relevant, helpful information.  Please provide comments to help me continue this series.

Sunlight on Mount EvansAs the sun begins to set, light glistens off the exposed granodiorite at the summit of Mount Evans.

Since I have added new images to my Colorado gallery, I have removed a few older images to keep the gallery size reasonable.  If you have a favorite that's been deleted, you can still order it - just comment on this post or drop me an e-mail.

Please enjoy looking through all of my galleries, and feel free to purchase prints of your favorites!

Chatfield is located southwest of Denver, south of C-470 between Santa Fe Drive and Wadsworth Boulevard.  The main entrance is about one mile south of C-470 on Wadsworth.  The park charges a day use entrance fee (currently $8), or you can use your annual Colorado State Parks Pass.  About 1/4 mile past the entrance station, the entry road ends at the main park road, and you can turn left or right.

If you turn left, you can access Eagle Cove, Massey Draw, and the Dam Crest Overlook.  I enjoy bird photography along the north edge of the reservoir between Eagle Cove and Massey Draw.  There is an abandoned Great Horned Owl nest near Massey Draw that I check each spring for new occupants.  The Dam Crest Overlook provides several nice sunrise and sunset views, depending on the season.  I like winter lighting here.

If you turn right from the entry road, you can access the Kingfisher lot, the Gravel Pond lot, the Platte River lot, the Heronry, the Lakeview lot, and two Plum Creek lots.  For bird life, I often hike northeast into the lowlands along the South Platte River from the Kingfisher lot.  I will also hike south from the Platte River lot or the Gravel Pond lot along the South Platte River.  The Heronry lot provides access to several of my favorite locations in Chatfield, including several trails and the Heronry overlook for sunsets and raptors.  The Lakeview lot is also good for sunsets.  I have had limited photographic success in the Plum Creek area, despite it being a designated nature area.

So, that’s my first photography location blog post.  Since this is the first in the series, your feedback is especially important.  Please provide comments to help shape my future photo location posts.

Your camera or cell phone may adjust indoors, but it can’t accommodate every situation.  To fix this during the day, you can dim or turn off the indoor lights and use outside light from a nearby window or door.  If that’s not an option, dim the house lights and use your camera’s flash.  It is color balanced for your camera and can help correct for indoor lights.

Please enjoy looking through all of my galleries, and feel free to purchase prints of your favorites!

Molting Mountain GoatMountain goats inhabit many of Colorado's alpine peaks, and shed their winter coats as spring temperatures rise.

Please enjoy looking through all of my galleries, and feel free to purchase prints of your favorites!

Are your images photoshopped?

My images are taken digitally, and I post process them on a computer.  Most photographers work this way in the digital age.  My post-processing efforts use techniques similar to those I learned in a black-and-white chemical darkroom years ago, like dodging, burning, and overall exposure adjustments.  I also repair camera artifacts (such as dust spots) and I will occasionally blur details such as trademarks or identifiable faces.  However, my goal during this process is not to change the content of the image.

Do you bait wild animals?

As an outdoor photographer, I respect the animals that I photograph.  I do not not bring animal(s) into my camera's view through baiting, calls, or similar techniques.  My wildlife photography is based on learning about the animals, finding them, and photographing them in their environment.

Do you photograph animals in captivity?

I generally avoid photographing animals in captivity.  However, many of my photographs are taken in national / state parks and wildlife refuges.  In these settings, wild animals often adapt to humans.  Further, some parks and refuges manage certain species with fencing, tracking collars, or other means.  I will take photographs in these settings if I am comfortable with the particular facility and its management practices.

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It's official! I have successfully completed the juried selection process with the Roxborough Arts Council, and I can now display my images in the Roxborough Gallery.  I hung my first images this weekend, and they are now available for viewing and sale.  If you see something in the gallery that you like, but you would like a different size or a different frame, all of the images in the gallery are available for sale on this website.

As required by the gallery, I will be rotating my photographs regularly.  If you don't see something interesting when you first visit, please be sure to return.  The gallery hosts Second Friday Receptions each month, which provide an opportunity for the public to meet the artists.  I will also be staffing the gallery for a few hours twice monthly beginning in October.  For gallery hours and directions, please see the Roxborough Arts Council website at http://www.roxartscouncil.org/.

Please visit the gallery and support local Colorado artists!

Clouds over BlackTail PondsTetons, Wyoming

Please enjoy looking through all of my galleries.

Since I moved a few images out of the Colorado Gallery, I thought I should backfill it with five new Colorado landscapes, making it larger than before.

Please enjoy looking through all of my galleries.