Finally, a chance to catch a breath from five weeks on the road of leading photo workshops. So many people when you tell them you're a professional photographer and that you lead photo workshops for a living as well as do stock photography for magazines and other publications think that's the dream life. In part it is. In part, it's more work than they could ever imagine. But, it's the good part that brings back the memories and offers a chance to show others the beauty we have surrounding us.
Late September and all of October was pretty much a non-stop road show. The journey started in Western Colorado doing a scout trip for a new Colorado Fall Color workshop in 2006 for my company - First Light Photo Tours (www.firstlighttours.com). Plenty of great locations were found that should make the trip next year a great one.
Included in this trip was a stop at Maroon Bells outside of Aspen as well as Castle Creek. I've lived in Colorado since February 1992 and this was the first time I've ever been to the Maroon Bells. It was one of those things that I knew I'd get there eventually but never took the time to actually go. With having gone, I now plan to go there at other times of the year as well such as during winter for some different type of shots.
If you've never been to this spot, the first rule during fall is to get there well before sunrise. You might have to stand around for a half hour or more but once the crowd of photographers starts showing up, you'll find the extra time there was well worth it so you can get the best spot. The morning I was there about 50 others were lined up with their tripods.
Next on the route was the area around Ouray, Ridgway and Telluride. There are some great back roads with lots of great fall coloir spots. One back road a local told me about that not too many people go provides a great sunrise spot with Mt. Sneffels in the background. The route is Road 5 out of the town of Ridgway. Another must do road in this area is Last Dollar Road between Ridgway and Telluride. When the color is good, this is probably one of the best routes to take in the state for viewing fall color.
After several days here, it was up over Owl Creek Pass to Crested Butte. Kebler Pass outside of town brought about an evening of unbelievable photography. Storm clouds were rolling in and with light on the mountainside and clouds behind, the scenery laid out in front of us was beyond compare. And then the rainbow appeared, causing everyone there to stand in awe as you heard the sounds of camera buttons being clicked in continuous succession for about five minutes.
After a few days home to catch my breath is was off to North Carolina for a Blue Ridge Parkway photo workshop I was running. Even though the weather in this area had been unseasonably warm and the colors were going to be about 10 days late, the group in the class had a great time.
Even without a lof of fall color, every session in the field brought about great shooting with plenty of subjects still available. Foggy mornings had us exploring some back roads, finding lone trees in the fog and some nice reflections on a lake. Luckily, one of the spots I raved about there being a great cabin with a red tree behind it happened to be in fine form. A nice waterfall finished up a week where those on the trip learned how much there is to an area to photograph when what you went there for doesn't cooperate like you planned.
After two days home, it was then off to Fairbanks, AK for a northern lights workshop. For several years I had wanted to go there and shoot the northern lights but never got around to it. A case of putting it on the 'want to go to' list but never following through. To make myself go, I included it on my schedule and that forced me to do a scout trip so I could help people with their shots and knowing where to go to get the shots.
My first experience with the northern lights was unbelievable as it created a feeling that's hard to describe. Watching the aurora dance around like they do makes me appreciate even more the opportunity I have as a photographer to see some great things in this wonderful creation called earth.
Anyone who has gone to Alaska knows weather is the biggest factor in photography. That was partially the case with this trip. Some fog and coulds on several days during our northern leg ro Coldfoot and Wiseman 70 miles north of the Arctic Circle ended up creating some nice mood shots of a hoarfrost forest as well as at another pullout along the Dalton Highway. A clear day at Atigun Pass made for some nice landscape shots.
But, we were there for the northern lights. Of our three nights north of the Arctic Circle, the lights came out two nights, with one night being the most active. Showing it only takes a little bit to get a lot, one person in my group, Marjorie Carr of Minnesota, got about 90 shots of the aurora that night and ended up with some really nice shots.
After this, it was time for some down time and trying to get caught up with article writing for magazines, going through about 2,300 shots I had taken, getting submissions sent off and catching a breath. We'll it's almost December and it's time for two more workshops - a bighorn sheep trip to Estes Park and wintering birds in New Mexico.
It might be tiring. It might be a lot of work. But the rewards and enjoyment are well worth it. Especially when I get to introduce others to some of the prettiest places around the country.