Welcome to the first of a series of PFB Images blog posts about outdoor photography locations in the Denver metropolitan area.  I do a lot of my photography within a few hours of my home, and want to give my customers an idea of what I shoot, where I shoot, and when I shoot.  I hope to share one location a month for the next few months.  So … on to my first location – Chatfield State Park.

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.