Anatomy of a Composition - Finding Fall

So far September has provided a welcome change in the weather as well as some opportunities to get outside for some much needed Colorado autumn scenery.  Last fall was a busy one with Andrew and Tanner, working on the car for Tanner, so a fall outing and photography were much less of a priority to me. The time that Andrew and I got to spend together with one Tanner’s Beetle, and the adventure the entire group was able to take part in, well outweighed any time out in the mountains with the camera.

But a few motorcycle rides, one down to Phantom Canyon, the other out and along the Arkansas River were each beautiful days, taking in the sun and some familiar sights without the worry of a deadline or accommodation for a particular light. Phantom Canyon Road follows the abandoned railroad grade from Canyon City to Victor.  This route still utilizes bridges and tunnels first installed over 100 years ago, when the Pikes Peak mining district was in its heyday. The route is slow and winding, which on the motorcycle means a lot of time standing up and stretching to view the surrounding forests and mountains. Much of the day was spent with various views of Pikes Peak, the most formative mountain in Colorado to me. I always enjoy seeing it from so many different perspectives, and today the perspectives and pace were constantly changing, adding to the overall sense of adventure. The next weekend was a bit longer, and it started with a ride up and over Mt. Evans Highway, a summits of Loveland Pass and Fremont Pass, before dropping into the upper Arkansas Valley, following the river south before climbing back into South Park and taking in the big view of Pikes Peak once again, before heading back to Denver.

This weekend I find myself in Steamboat, at the schoolhouse, an appropriate place to be after a hectic week and what is the end of our first grading period of this year. I was able to get out one evening, back up to Mt. Evans Highway, and there are some truly beautiful Aspen displays viewable from the road. Steamboat is rich with the gold colors of Aspen and Cottonwood, and the Oak underbrush adds a flare of red to the scene. This photograph was taken on the drive up from Denver, along Highway 9.  Most often I’ve gone up over Ute Pass to photograph the Gore Range, but have wanted to photograph from the north for a long time. There are a couple of different vantage points to do this from, I chose to stay on the east side of the highway, climbing much higher than I’d expected to watch the sunrise stretch over the highest peaks of the wilderness area.

September, 2021 - As always, thank you for the support and for joining me on this adventure.

For more thoughts on some of these images, and life’s other travails, head to www.wordpress.com/alma175w  

Finding Fall - ISO 100 | F/8.0 | 1/25 sec. - 35mm - Sony a7riv & Sony FE 24-105G