Landscape Photography in Colorado
Over the years, my wife and I have traveled to Colorado a couple of times, one time in the summer, and another in the fall. Both seasons gave us a completely different look at the state, shifting from lush green high-altitude meadows to rolling hills of golden autumn colors.
On those trips, photographing the mountains became one of the main focus, taking us out to iconic spots like the Maroon Bells, Sharkstooth in Rocky Mountain National Park, and Capitol Peak. Working in these high-elevation environments meant chasing early morning light, dealing with changing weather, and looking for strong natural compositions among the aspens, jagged peaks, and alpine lakes.
Chasing light and starry nights in the mountains of Colorado.
Our journey also took us to the sheer, dizzying depths of Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Standing on the rim and looking thousands of feet down to the narrow river below gives you an incredible sense of scale. We timed our visits to catch the changing light across the canyon walls—from golden sunrises and sunsets hitting the dark rock and pink pegmatite dikes, to softer afternoon sun casting shadows across the crags, and even catching a sudden rainbow stretching over the canyon after a storm.
Dramatic light, sheer verticality, and fleeting weather in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
We also headed down to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Standing out against the massive backdrop of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the towering dunes created an incredible play of light and shadow, especially as sunrise lit up the crests and caught low-hanging clouds overhead.
Soft morning light catches the crests of the sand dunes, glowing warm against the deep shadows and the massive mountain range behind them.
Looking back on both trips, these places really showed off the incredible variety packed into Colorado's landscape. From the jagged high peaks and golden aspen groves of the high country to the massive depths of the canyon and the quiet, sculpted curves of the sand dunes, every stop offered a completely different way to experience the outdoors through the camera.