Continuing on from Part 2, the next stop was Maroon Bells for sunrise. Located in the Snowmass Wilderness, this is a very popular sunrise photo location. Unfortunately a storm was blowing through so I didn’t get the alpine glow sunrise that you typically see here. Instead I got a nice pre-dawn shot (above) with some stars visible between the clouds and a late morning shot when the sun came out and the wind stopped just long enough to get a decent reflection in the lake.
From there I traveled south over Independence Pass, stopping at a couple of spots to take photos of the spectacular landscape before heading to Great Sand Dunes National Park.
The Ghost Town of Independence:
I arrived at Great Sand Dunes in a windstorm, so I didn’t spend much time on the dune field. Clouds over the park with clear skies to the west provided some nice storm light on the Dunes.
Dune field from the Entrance Road:
Look for Part 4 covering the two railroad photo charters this trip was centered around in a couple of weeks.
The black and white shots really turned out well with this particular subject matter. I especially love the dune field storm light one in black and white. The shadows and the textures and the dark and light colors totally make that shot in these shooting conditions. Color is always great but black and white is so underappreciated. It takes a shot like that to really bring home the fact that black and white is still relevant in photography. Great job so far with your trip report. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
Thanks Joanie! Photography really is all about the light. I think that the time I spent purposefully shooting for B&W has made me a better photographer because it has taught me to see the light. With few exceptions I’ve come to the conclusion that if a shot doesn’t work as b&w, the light isn’t good enough to work in color either.
The B&W of the dunes is easily my favorite of all your work. It is world class Michael. Congratulations!
Thank you, Dennis! That means a lot coming from you.