2018 Colorado Fall Color Road Trip – Day 3 – Part 2

After the early morning photo shoot, I continued along Owl Creek Pass Road, enjoying the fall scenery and looking for a place for mid-morning photography and some experimentation with PC (Perspective Control in Nikon terms) lenses, commonly referred to as tilt/shift lenses.

Tilt/Shift lenses are typically used in product and architectural photography.  The shift allows one to make vertical objects, like buildings, look vertical, rather than tilted, as they do with ordinary lenses.  The tilt function of the lenses allows one to get a deeper depth of field with a large aperture, rather than having to go to a small aperture for a deep DOF.

Within the past twelve months I purchased a couple of used PC lenses from local photographers.  The lenses are quite expensive, if purchased new and not cheap, when a good used one is found.  The first one that I purchased was a Nikon PC-E 24mm.  The photographer that I acquired it from had used it for wedding photography, a surprising use of this lens, I thought; but one can get some special effects with it that makes for unique photographs.

The second tilt/shift lens that I acquired was an older Nikon PC85mm.  The photographer from which I purchased it had used it for product photography.  I had seen some interesting landscape photos taken with such a lens,  so I wanted to experiment with one and not wanting to spend a fortune on a lens that I might not use often, I knew it would be more economical and practical to get a good used lens.

These lenses are all manual focus, which can be a challenge for us older folks as our eye sight becomes less sharp.  The metering is also manual with PC lenses.  The PC-E (E designating electronic) will meter with the lens in the non-tilt, non-shift mode, so the exposure needs to be determined prior to shifting or tilting or one might shoot test shots and adjust the exposure by trial and error.  I found it best to estimate the exposure prior to tilting, shoot a test shot after tilting and tweak the exposure as appropriate.

Thinking that a forest might be a suitable place for experimentation, I found a couple of places near Silver Jack Reservoir where I could walk into an Aspen forest just off of a roadway.  A few of the test shots are posted below.

Experimenting with a tilt-shift lens, Nikon PC85mm. Note the line of focus in the upper third horizontal portion of the image with blurring to either side. Nikon D850, Nikon PC85mm, f5.6, 1/125s, ISO 64. Note the large aperture. It is possible to get a large depth of field with large apertures with tilt-shift lenses.

Many of the Aspen trees along the roadway into a parking area at Silver Jack Reservoir had initials or names, etc. carved into the trunks.  I happened to note that the tree on the left of the above image had my initials on it.  (No, I did not put them there).  Your eyes are ok, the image is blurry except along a horizontal band in the upper 1/3 of the photo.  The technique for getting such an image is to focus on a nearby subject, then tilt the lens to bring more distant subjects into focus.  You will notice that the large f/5.6 aperture gives a good depth of field through a portion of the image.

Experimenting with a tilt-shift lens. Nikon D850, Nikon PC 85mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 64. Moving to smaller apertures gives a broader area of focus through the central portion of images.

The photo above is also taken with the PC 85mm, but with an f/8 aperture.  Moving to a smaller apertures seems to widen the area of focus, as it increases the DOF.

A PC-E 24mm image in an Aspen forest. Nikon D850, Nikon PC-E 24mm, f/8, 1/125s, ISO 64.

The 24mm PC-E is a bit easier to work with than the PC 85mm.  It seems to give more leeway in acquiring focus while tilting than does the PC85mm.  In the above photo, I first focused on the rough bark on the tree on the left, then tilted the lens to increase the DOF.  Tilting the lens also affects the near focus a bit, so that a portion of the near object goes out of focus as the more distant objects come into focus.

Nikon D850, PC-E 24mm, f/6.7, 1/125s, ISO 64.

The lower photo above is the same composition as the previous one, but with a larger aperture.

Nikon D850, Nikon PC-E 24mm, f/11, 1/125s, ISO 64.

The same composition as previously, but at f/11.  I think the wider focus area is apparent.  The lighting changed, as well as the aperture, so the exposure is a bit different.

Perhaps these are not the best images for illustrating the effects obtained by these lenses, but I’m thinking the tilt function can be useful for emphasizing certain aspects in an image, perhaps with a “tunnel” vision effect.

These lenses also rotate, so one can put the tilt and shift at various angles.  So far, I’ve only experimented with vertical tilts; but I think tilting at various angles to the camera will be appropriate in some situations.

These lenses all are configured by the manufacturer with the tilt and shift at 90 degrees to each other; but, as I have learned in my research on these lenses, these can be easily reconfigured to have the tilt and shift aligned in the same direction, making it possible to keep vertical objects vertical, while also increasing the DOF with the tilt function.  I have not yet tried this, but I am thinking that I might.  One might pay Nikon or a professional camera shop to reconfigure a lens, but it is an easy do-it-yourself operation, just be careful with the E versions, since there is wiring within these lenses and one cannot rotate the lens parts more than 90 degrees or damage to the wiring is probable.  Information on how to modify these lenses (Nikon and Canon) can be found via an online search.  Here is one link that describes the procedure for Nikon PC lenses http://www.achim-sieger.de/en/axis-change-pc-e-nikkor-24mm/

The 24mm PC-E is a very sharp lens and can be used in a non-tilt, non-shift mode as an ordinary 24mm prime.  While shooting with no tilt and no shift, I noted that occasional breezes shook loose leaves and I thought shooting them as they fell might make interesting photos and maybe brief time lapse videos.  I could not use the built in time lapse function of the D850 very easily, since the breezes were not predictable, so I elected to just shoot a series of shots using the remote release, whenever the leaves began to fall.  I did not even take time to set the camera to continuous mode, I just used the remote release to shoot as quickly as I could press the shutter release button.  It is best to view the following photos and time lapse videos on a large screen, otherwise the falling leaves are not easily observed, in this very brief video.  To make a longer video, would have taken much more time and many more shots and I did not think it worthwhile to expend that much effort to do so. (This video is also posted to my Flickr page).

Falling Aspen Leaves. Nikon D850, PC-E 24mm (cropped), f/11, 1/125s, ISO 64.

The falling leaves are fairly easily seen in this cropped version (just above) of one of my images.

Look for very brief yellow spots within the video to see the falling leaves.  If nothing else were moving, I might have made gotten leaf trail type images (similar to star trails); but if nothing else were moving, there would be no falling leaves, either.

I got feedback from one of my blog followers regarding the video format (mp4).  Apparently, not everyone can view these formats.  While I can convert an mp4 to an avi and other video formats, I cannot view an avi on my MAC computer, so I have no idea how the avi looks or even if it will work in this post.  I tried to insert an avi into this post, but I’m rather sure that it would not be visible, so I removed it.  At this time I have no solution for this problem.

I later used the PC-E 24mm to photograph at Bisti in New Mexico and I will post photos from that shoot in a later post.  I’ve not yet had time to review those photos in detail, so I hope I have suitable ones to share from that shoot.

2018 Colorado Fall Color Road Trip – Day 3 – Part 1

Arising early on September 20, after coffee and a light breakfast, I set out in the Sportsmobile to select an advantageous spot for early morning photos along Owl Creek Pass Road just a short distance from my campsite.  I drove back and forth along one particular interval on the road, before picking what looked like a suitable place, gathered my selected gear for the morning shoot and set out across an open range pasture towards the drainage between the pasture and the mountains to the east.

It was a very cloudy morning, after a rainy night, but not completely overcast as most of the previous day had been and the rain was gone, so I had some hope of getting some early morning light highlighting the mountainsides nearby.  It was a bit dicey, as all of the clouds were moving towards the light from the sun, which was still hidden behind a mountainside to the east of the roadway.

As I walked across the open range pasture, I recalled the statement credited to Ansel Adams, “the secret to getting a good photograph is knowing where to stand”.  Photographers are always going to extremes to find the best place to stand and sometimes get into uncomfortable or precarious positions in doing so.  This morning I noted that a corollary to Adam’s statement had to be “knowing where not to stand”, as I carefully selected each step to avoid the numerous cow patties in the pasture.  There were so many that I had to be very careful, not only where I stepped, but where I set up the tripod to avoid sticking one of its legs into a cow patty.

I wandered around in the pasture, looking for various possibilities for suitable places from which to shoot.  The broad drainage area between the mountainside to the west and the pasture to the east of it was filled with scrubby vegetation, which would make for a messy foreground, no matter where I stood with my 14-24mm wide angle lens.  There was no time to scout any other area prior to sunrise, so I had to make the best of this area.

Pre-sunrise test shot. The clouds are adding drama to the sky, but might prevent early morning light on the mountainside. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/3s, ISO 64.
The clouds moving to the east might totally obstruct the early morning sun rays. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 0.8s, ISO 64.
Pre-sunrise, early morning clouds and mist or campfire smoke in the valley. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 0.4s, ISO 64.
It is getting close to sunrise and the clouds are still a major concern. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 0.8s, ISO 64.
Nice clouds, but I am becoming more concerned about getting good early morning light on the mountainside. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 0.8s, ISO 64.
Pre-sunrise. I kept seeing either mist rising or camp fire smoke wafting in the valley, but I was never ready to shoot, when it looked the best. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 0.4s, ISO 64.
A crop of the previous shot, better showing the mist or campfire smoke in the valley.
Surprise! Even with the heavy clouds, sunlight is beginning to highlight the mountainside! Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/6s, ISO 64.
A crop of the previous shot.
I’m liking the clouds thinning and the ribbon of light highlighting portions of the mountainside. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/6s, ISO 64.
A crop of a photo very much the same as the previous one, leaving the dramatic sky and emphasizing the diagonal mountainside slope with the streak of light along it.
Rotating to the left, I get this view with a thin ribbon of light along the mountainside. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/10s, ISO 64.
A crop of the previous shot, emphasizing the clouds and the thin ribbon of light along the mountainside.
With the light now highlighting the vegetation in the wash, I had to get a shot with the mud splattered Sportsmobile in the foreground. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/8s, ISO 64.
This is entirely about the clouds sweeping overhead. I just happened to note that the thinning clouds, revealing the blue sky background, made the sky look very attractive. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 14mm, f/11, 1/125s, ISO 640.

This was, perhaps not the best morning nor the best location for sunrise shots, but the views were quite good, even though I might not have captured the scenes as well as I would have liked.

Part 2 of this post will continue with mid-morning shots and experimentation with tilt/shift lenses.

Until next time, best wishes to you all,

Ken

Colorado Fall Color Road Trip – Day 2

The sunrise photo shoot on day two of this trip was mostly a disappointment.  The features that I had hoped would get good sunrise light did not get sufficient illumination and those that did get light did not make really good subjects.  With a big zoom, I was able to get only a couple of fair shots of a distant feature with colorful foliage in the foreground and middle ground.

Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 400mm, f11, 1/80s (soft)
Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 400mm, f11, 1/160s (sharper, but no clouds).

I, also,  tried shooting along the little creek behind my campsite, but the compositions were limited and not very appealing.  There were some reflections of colorful trees in small portions of relatively still water, where I tried to get good images and even tried to get a number of images to focus stack, but I was not happy with any of those images.

The creek just to the west of my first campsite along Owl Creek Pass Road, Nikon D850, Nikon 24-70mm at 32mm, f16, 1/20s, 09192018.

Soon after breaking camp and beginning to scout for another site for late day shooting, it became very overcast with intermittent rain.  I managed to get a few good shots of Courthouse Rock, standing in a light rain, shooting from the far side of the meadow, where the scene from True Grit (1969) of Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne) and Lucky Ned Pepper (Robert Duval)  charged at each other with guns blazing.  I shot a sequence of photos here with clouds passing across the rock face.  The shots vary from ones with nearly completely visible Courthouse Rock to ones with Courthouse Rock completely cloud enshrouded.

Court House Rock in the clouds. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 80mm, f11, 1/40s.
Court House Rock with clouds. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 80mm, f11, 1/50s.

This looked like a good scene for time lapse movies, so I experimented with the built in time lapse feature of the Nikon D850, shooting short sequences of shots to convert into time lapse movies.

It may take a few moments for the videos to begin, so be patient after clicking one.

{This is open range cattle country and the meadow from which I shot Courthouse Rock was so covered with cow dung that I had to calculate each step to avoid it.  I assume this was not the case during the shooting of the True Grit scene}.

I drove around quite a bit on this day, scouting locations for the next day’s shoot and looking for other places to shoot on a rainy, overcast day.  I ended up going all the way back down to just before the start of forest road 858 to a campsite/view point from which the entire profile of Courthouse Mountain is visible.  I had hoped to be able to shoot sunset photos from that view point, since I had seen a brilliantly lit sunset view of this profile from Ridgeway State Park, but obviously today was not going to be the day to do that.  However, since I was there, I hiked up and over a ridge to the east of the parking area and made a few images with the big 80-400mm zoom.  The images are not great, but here are a couple.

Court House Mountain from a view point along Owl Creek Pass Road on a rainy day. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 120mm, f11, 1/40s.
Courthouse Rock shot from a view point along Owl Creek Pass Road on a rainy day. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 340mm, f11, 1/100s.

I did not find a campsite that really appealed to me more than the area near my first campsite.  So I ended up setting up camp no more than maybe a half a mile from the first campsite.  It rained off and on through the night and got fairly cold, but the temperature inside the van was still only down to about 50 degrees the next morning and I only switched on the furnace for a few minutes just after getting up, while preparing for day 3 along Owl Creek Pass Road, which will be the topic of the next post.

Colorado Fall Color Road Trip – Sunset Photos – Day One

As promised in the previous post, this article will include the DSLR photos from around sunset time on the first day of this trip.  The photos in this article are all shot from locations within a few feet of my first campsite.

Not long before this trip, I saw an article about an intensifier filter that was touted for bringing out colors in foliage and in night photography, so I purchased one to test.  I used that filter for many of the fall color photos during this trip.  My impression of this filter is mixed.  Maybe it was effective and sometimes maybe it was a bit too much.

An early afternoon test shot. Nikon D850, 80-400mm at 250mm, f11, 1/125s, ISO 64, Hoya Intensifier filter.

According to the time stamp on the photo above, this was shot just after noon.  I really do not remember shooting that early, but I have to assume the time stamp is correct.  I do know that I made a few early test shots to check compositions.  Even though shot around mid day, cloud shadows  muted the light and I like the color contrast in this image and the diagonal lines formed by the color variations in the trees.  There were many clouds moving over in the early afternoon that I hoped would hang around to add interest to the sky near sunset.

An early test shot, about an hour prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 105mm, f11, 1/250s, ISO 250, Hoya Intensifier filter.

The photo above is a test shot about an hour prior to sunset.  I like the layering of the colors formed by the tree colors and the rock exposures with a little drainage valley near the center of the photo,  forming a Y shape of colors and shadows.  Also note that there are more colorful trees and color variation, in general, on the left side of the image than on the right side.  Note that there are no clouds in the sky, otherwise, I might have included more of the sky in the image.

Another early shot, about an hour prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 80mm, f/11, 1/160s, ISO 250, Hoya Intensifier filter.

The photo above is another test shot about an hour prior to sunset.  It is a similar composition to the shot prior, but shifted to the left to include more of the rock face in the middle left and the rock outcrop just above that rock face.  Again I like the horizontal layer of colors and the near vertical line formed at the drainage from the peak at the top right of the image.

About 45 minutes prior to sunset. Nikon D850, 80-400mm at 80mm, f/11, 1/200s, ISO 200, Hoya Intensifier filter.

The image above, about 45 minutes prior to sunset, shows how shadows are already enchroaching in the bottom foreground.  This is one problem of shooting with mountains behind one at sunset.  The shadows begin to move up the mountainside rather quickly as the sun goes down.

About 25 minutes prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 135mm, f/11, 1/20s, ISO 64, Hoya Intensifier filter.

The above shot is a zoomed in shot of the most prominent mountainside feature, while still including the foreground features and colorful trees. Already at about 25 minutes prior to sunset the foreground is rapidly going into shadows.  The shadows accentuate the drainage line near the center of the photo.

About 20 minutes prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 360mm, f/11, 1/60s, ISO 200, Hoya Intensifier filter.

The above photo is an “extreme” zoom of the dome like feature on the mountainside with close up of the smaller rock features in the foreground and the trees near its base.  This image is a bit soft in the foliage due to a slower than desirable shutter speed, but I am not sure that this matters in an image such as this, unless one is making a large print.  The softness might also be affected by the lens, which is not super sharp, and maybe a poor choice of focus point.  Big zooms always present an issue getting sharpness throughout an image with so much depth variation between objects in the foreground and background.

Maybe 15 minutes prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 400mm, f/11, 1/80s, ISO 200, Hoya Intensifier filter.

For the image above, I zoomed to maximum for my lens and shifted the view a bit to the left to include the left edge of the dome feature and removing the smaller feature on the right.  I like the three small rock outcrops in the foreground, the color layering and the colors against the blue sky.  (I really wish there had been some scattered clouds).

No more than 10 minutes prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 400mm, f/11, 1/30s, ISO 200, Hoya Intensifier filter.

Similar to the previous photo, but shifted a bit to the right, a few minutes prior to sunset, good lighting, but the shadows are now at the base of the dome.  In the three prior photos, if one looks closely, the tops of the trees on top of the dome/ridge are highlighted by the sunlight, while the lower portions of the trees are in shadow.  I like this subtle feature, but one might need to view a better resolution image to really see it well.

Maybe 5 minutes prior to sunset. Nikon D850, Nikon 80-400mm at 300mm, f/11, 1/10s , ISO 64, Hoya Intensifier filter

Looking to my far right, I noted that the rocky feature above was really glowing in the sunset rays.  It is with great reluctance that I even include this shot here, since in my haste to shoot before the light went away, I forgot to push the ISO higher to get faster shutter speeds and the foreground foliage in all of the shots is very soft.  This shot shows only a portion of the outcrop, which extends over a much longer distance.  There is much cragginess with good shadows and brilliant color in all of my images of this feature; but it is unfortunate that the images turned out so disappointingly.  It is possible here that the intensifier filter adds a bit too much warmth, but the sunset highlight was really quite good.  I really need to work on my mental checklist prior to shooting and I think such disappoints as this will aid in firming up that process.  (As they say in professional football parlance, “It is a rookie mistake”).

I have a full schedule for the next couple of weeks and I may not get around to another post for a week or so.  Therefore, dear readers, you get a break from these posts.

As always, your comments and critiques are welcome.

Until next time,

Ken

 

Colorado 2018 Fall Road Trip – Owl Creek Pass Road, Day 1 – Photo Scouting

After shooting near Dallas Divide in the early morning of September 18, I stopped  at a little coffee house in Ridgway for a cup of coffee and a breakfast taco, then topped off the fuel tank, since I planned to be in the mountains with no services for several days.

I then proceeded to Owl Creek Pass Road, aka County Road 8 and forest access road 858, when it enters the national forest.  There are spur roads off of 858, along which are dispersed forest campsites.  The campsites are free and available on a first come basis.  The best sites are always popular, so it is best to find one before very late in the day.  There are also several fee campgrounds near the Silvercreek Reservoir that are run by the National Forest Service.  Those campsites are nestled in Aspens, have trash service, pit toilets and potable water available (no RV hookups at the campsites).  There are also pit toilets near some of the dispersed camping areas.

Most of the dispersed campsites have fire pits constructed of local rocks and some even have free firewood stacked at the sites, which I did not take advantage of, not wanting to reek of smoke and having to tend to the fire late into an evening;  even though, I would have really enjoyed a cheerful, crackling fire.

Free firewood at a campsite. (iPhone photo).

Owl Creek Pass Road is rated as an easy, maintained, 4-wheel drive road and usually drivable by an ordinary passenger vehicle.  It is wide enough in most places for vehicles to pass and there are pull outs along the road, otherwise.

There was road maintenance (new gravel and grading) work going on over the lower portion of the forest road during my visit, which caused very little delay; but I did have to follow a grader over one stretch during one day on the road and shared the roadway with dump trucks a couple of times.

The road can be washboarded, which was the worst condition, other than mud after a rain, that I encountered.  Most of the worst washboarding was on county road 8 prior to getting to the forest road.

The drive itself is quite scenic along all of the forest road and along the spur roads, which I explored, scouting for a good campsite that would allow for late afternoon and maybe even early morning photos without having to drive to another location.  I was fortunate to find a very nice, secluded site with great view from the site and good photo opportunities within short walking distances from the site.

Somewhere along Owl Creek Pass Road. As you can see, it was a bit hazy and partly cloudy and the Aspens are in mixed color change. (iPhone photo)
Along the route, I could get glimpses of large patches of Aspens in full color. (iPhone photo)
The sign at the top of Owl Creek Pass. I could tell by the colors here and elsewhere along the route that I should have plenty of fall color to photo and enjoy. (iPhone photo)

In fact my site was so good that a couple walked by as I was setting up the solar panels, came back by in a few minutes and hailed me.  They asked how long I would be staying, since they wanted to bring friends up to camp and they said my site would be perfect.  I told them that I anticipated only staying for the night and would then move on in search of another site.  We chatted a bit.  I learned that they had a place in Telluride and Tucson, Arizona, staying in Telluride in the summer and Arizona in the winter.  They were intrigued by my camper vehicle, as most people are that see it, asking lots of questions about it.

A panoramic view near my first campsite (iPhone photo)

After setting up the solar panels, I walked around near my selected campsite shooting scouting photos with my iPhone mid to late afternoon, checking locations which I thought would have favorable sunlight near sunset with interesting features to photograph.

This fence line blocked off an area near my first campsite to keep campers out so that damage caused by vehicles as seen in the lower right of this photo could be healed. (iPhone photo).
A wide angle view of the mountain side to the east of my first campsite. These features looked like they might get good sunset rays. And the clouds would add interest to the sky, if they were still around at sunset. (iPhone photo)
I think this craggy rock wall with the shadows within it would look awesome at sunset, but I was a bit concerned about the angle of the sunlight on these at sunset. (iPhone photo)
Another view of that craggy rock wall. (iPhone photo)
Another wide angle view of the mountainside to my east from a different view point. (iPhone photo)
A zoomed in view of a prominent feature on the mountain side east of my campsite with a variety of fall color. This should be a prime candidate for sunset photos, especially if the clouds hang around. (iPhone photo)
A view of the most prominent feature of the mountain side to my east, framed by trees. (iPhone photo)
Another view with slightly different framing. (iPhone photo).
If the light holds until near sunset that peak is looking better for sunset photos. (iPhone photo)
Those clouds are awesome, but I hope the clouds do not block the sunset rays or it becomes completely overcast at sunset. (iPhone photo)
The clouds are definitely putting some features in their shadows at this time. (iPhone photo)
Another view of the prominent mountainside feature with colorful foreground trees. (iPhone photo)
This photo was shot from the clear area just to the west of my first campsite.  It is a great view from a campsite. (iPhone photo)
A view of the creek just to the west of my first campsite. Those peaks in the background might get good light at sunset and maybe I could shoot along the creek at sunrise. (iPhone photo).
A natural, early Christmas Tree? Sitting in my camp chair, about an hour and a half prior to sunset, having a quick sandwich, I noticed that the very top of this evergreen tree was lit up like a Christmas Tree star ornament. (iPhone photo)

All of the photos in this post are via an iPhone.  I will follow up later with DSLR photos made at sunset at this location.

On the topic of iPhone and/or point and shoot cameras, one of my former work colleagues, an avid photographer and photographic mentor, has recently posted articles on National Parks Traveler about shooting with point and shoot cameras, including phone cameras.  [Check out her webpage, you will like what you see and may not want to come back to my site afterwards : > )].  I sometimes forget that I have a fairly good point and shoot camera (iPhone) in my pocket; but I have been trying to get into the habit of using it more often to capture scenes for scouting, reminders and documentation, when getting out the DSLR is not practical.

Thanks for following and don’t forget to comment and/or critique the photos or blog writing.

Ken

 

Dallas Divide, Colorado – Day One of 2018 Colorado Fall Color Trip

In the late afternoon of September 17, as I lounged around a picnic table near my campsite in Ridgway State Park, Colorado, a park attendant stopped by, checking the occupancy of the sites and made a comment about my only staying one night.   I struck up a conversation with him and asked if he had gotten any information about fall colors along Owl Creek Pass Road.  He said no, but he knew the colors were good along Dallas Divide (Colorado Route 62, aka San Juan Skyway) between Ridgway and Telluride.  I immediately changed my plans for early the next morning.  I had planned to drive up Owl Creek Pass road the next morning, but I knew to do so would cost me one morning of photography, since I had no specific destination on that road for an early morning shoot and I thought it unlikely that I would be able to find a good spot on that route before late in the morning.  So I decided to get up early and drive the San Juan Skyway route, taking a chance that I would find some place to pull off to shoot fall color scenes as the sun was rising, then drive the Owl Creek Pass road afterwards.

I’m not sure that I found the best place to shoot near the Dallas Divide, but I began to see the fall colors appearing as the darkness gave way to the early morning light as I drove along San Juan Skyway early on the morning of September 18 and I found a pull out near what I thought might be a suitable place just a few minutes before sunrise.

A ranch scene along the San Juan Skyway, Colorado. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/13s, ISO 64, edits in Lightroom and some sky polarization brushed in via Luminar software.

I used the fence line in this composition to lead into the Aspens in the background.  I like the side lighting on the grasses, the fence and the shadows cast by the low angle, early morning light.

A ranch scene along the San Juan Skyway, Colorado. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/20s, edits in Lightroom.

I used the side light on the foreground grasses as a lead in to the large gate framing the Aspens in the background.  I suppose one could say that the ranch road leads into the photo, but it is subdued in shadows.  I especially liked the side light highlighting the fence line and gate.

A roadside fall scene along the San Juan Skyway. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/11, 1/30s, ISO 64, edits in Lightroom.

In the composition above, I liked the early morning highlights on the foreground grasses, the fence and gate and the way the fence line and tree line seem to converge near the gate.

A fall scene along a national forest access road off of the San Juan Skyway, Colorado. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/16, 1/15s, Lightroom edits.

Continuing along San Juan Skyway, I saw a number of national forest access roads and decided to explore one of them.  I eventually stopped at one interesting looking spot and walked  down an embankment into the edge of the forest.  I could not go very far without trespassing, since there was a fence line that appeared to be electrified just a short distance from the roadway.  I shot along and over that fence line.  My main goal was to capture the backlit Aspens, which resulted in dark foregrounds that I had to bring out in Lightroom, but I did not want to overdo that adjustment, preferring to keep the shadows as a contrast to the bright background.

A fall scene along a national forest access road off of the San Juan Skyway, Colorado. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 24mm, f/16, 1/40s, ISO 64, Sunday enhanced via Luminar software.

I’m always drawn to other photographers starburst effects, but I never have gotten a such an effect that I liked in my attempts.  In these two shots I used Luminar software to add an artificial starburst effect over the real one.

A fall scene along a national forest access road off of the San Juan Skyway, Colorado. Nikon D850, Nikon 14-24mm at 14mm, f/16, 1/100s, ISO 64, starburst enhanced via Luminar software.

As a point of self criticism of these shots (and others, to be posted later), I might have gotten sharper images by raising the ISO and/or increasing the aperture to get a faster shutter speed to ensure that the foliage motion was frozen; but most of my attempts at that yielded otherwise poor results.  I attempted to overcome this limitation by waiting for calm, prior to shooting, but there is nearly always some light breeze or residual motion in the foliage.

Your comments and critiques are always welcome.

 

Road Trip Problems and Frustrations

I made a trip to Colorado in middle to late September to see fall colors and then down to the Bisti Badlands to shoot there while the temperature was not so hot, to explore new areas and to experiment with different lenses.

I was not at all sure that the colors would be good in Colorado, since I would be going a little earlier than the colors normally peak, but I only had a small window into which to fit this trip, so I took a chance.  I had seen reports that the colors were early in areas that were in drought conditions, so I knew that I had a good chance of seeing some color, even if not peak color.

As it turns out the colors were quite good with some trees past peak, but many just peaking or not even changed at all.  So it does look like the drought is affecting the timing of the color change and stretching out the color change interval.  Anyway, I’ll have more on the photography of the fall color in a subsequent post.

Looks like peak or near peak color here. (iPhone photo)
Trees seem to be in peak color near Monarch Pass. (iPhone photo)

As the title of this post implies, this trip was fraught with some not so good experiences.  This post is just to vent these frustrations and to reveal the problems one might encounter in any such road trip.  I’m sure others, who do these type trips in camper vehicles, have encountered much more serious problems.

The first negative event happened on the first leg of the journey somewhere between Wichita Falls and Claude, Texas along US287, which is a four lane divided highway along most of that route.  Approaching an 18 wheeler, I pulled into the left hand lane to pass, then the 18 wheeler pulled into the lane in front of me, moving over for another 18 wheeler that had pulled off of the road with some problem.  No problem, I just backed off a bit and the 18 wheeler began to pull back into the right lane as soon as it cleared the 18 wheeler that was parked on the shoulder.  The highway surface there consists of aggregate and asphalt.  As the truck changed lanes, it apparently kicked up a rock which hit the left edge of my windshield with a loud crack, creating not only a rock chip, but a crack about six inches long.  That crack continued to grow throughout my road trip and is now more than double its original length.  When the sunlight falls on the crack at just the right angle, it creates a bright spot that flashes directly into my eyes.  A new windshield will be required and I just had a minor rock chip repaired after my first real road trip in the vehicle.

Windshield crack that was initiated by a rock hitting the edge of windshield. (iPhone photo)

The second negative event happened that evening at my first stop in route.  I planned to sleep in the penthouse bed, since that is usually more comfortable and cooler than the bench seat bed in the back of the Sportsmobile.  I pushed the button to activate the motor to raise the penthouse top and immediately there were loud popping noises from the passenger side of the motorized mechanism.  I immediately lowered the roof (the driver’s side was going up and the other side went up less, creating a tilt to the roof).  I repeated this process, hoping that whatever was causing the problem would be cleared.  I gave up raising the penthouse after several attempts, not wanting to get the top stuck in an up position.  I had just had another issue with the penthouse installation repaired by Sportsmobile in Austin a few weeks prior and I had not tried to raise the roof until this trip.  (Lesson learned:  Always check anything that is worked on before driving away).

So what are the impacts of not being able to raise the top, other than not being able to use the penthouse bed?  Items stored on the platform behind the bench seat have to be distributed elsewhere in the vehicle to make the lower bed, then put back before traveling again.  This takes time and is somewhat of a pain to do.  The bedding (sheets, pillows, covers) all have to be packed away, while these can be left in place in the Penthouse.  The lower bed is much firmer than the upper bed (the bench seat and back platform are covered in leather and quite firm).  On the positive side, when it is cold outside, which it was several nights in the higher elevations, it is warmer sleeping below, rather than in the penthouse, since the penthouse walls are just canvas and/or plastic in the window areas.

A third concern, which turned out not to be a real issue, was noted when I returned from the first morning photo shoot.  I noted a small wet spot beneath the vehicle near the diesel furnace, which I had used for just a few minutes in the cold, early morning just after awakening.  Upon inspection, I saw a slow fluid drip beneath the vehicle.  My fear was that it was a diesel leak, but I quickly ruled that out by an inspection of the fluid, which had no odor or oiliness.  I knew the furnace used some type of coolant, so I figured it was a coolant leak from the furnace.  I had no cell signal where I was, so it was later in the day, as I moved around that I was able to communicate via messaging with Sportsmobile.  Since it was not diesel, it had to be a coolant leak or overflow and the coolant, as I learned from Sportsmobile, is just distilled water.  I did not see any continuation of the leak on subsequent mornings, after using the furnace, so I assume the drip was just an overflow of distilled water and I now know how to check and replenish the coolant.  I did note an electrical connection at the fuel pump for the furnace, that might need attention.  The electrical wiring is contained in a conduit up to near the pump, then the wires are exposed.  It appears that the conduit may have come loose at the pump.

The wet spot. (iPhone photo)

The fourth issue was noted, when I came down from the mountain camping, setting up at Ridgway State Park for an overnight stay prior to heading to Bisti.  Since it was warm during the day and I had electrical hook up at the park, I turned on the A/C to keep the vehicle interior cool during the day.  It was only in the low 80s outside, but the interior of the vehicle can get much warmer in direct sunlight on a sunny day.  I had used the A/C the first night of my trip with no problems; but this time, the A/C ran for a few minutes then shut off.  It restarted after a few minutes, ran for a short time and shut off again.  It kept doing this and I knew that was not normal, since it usually ran continuously, until the target temperature on the thermostat was reached.  Going outside the vehicle, I noted that the sound from the A/C fans below the vehicle was not the normal sound.  Laying on the ground, looking up into the fans, I immediately saw the problem:  dried mud in the fans.  It had rained one day in the mountains and I had driven on muddy roads.  (I actually shifted into 4 wheel drive for the first time, as it felt as if the vehicle was sliding a bit on the muddy roads and there were many places where sliding off of the roadway would be a very undesirable event). The vehicle was quite muddy and I had gone into Montrose earlier that day to a self serve car wash to spray off most of the heavy mud from the upper body, the wheel wells, the wheels and whatever I could get to beneath the vehicle, including the edges of the A/C fans.  But I did not realize that there was mud inside the fan assembly  and the strong jet spray would probably not have been good for the fan and delicate vanes behind the fan, anyway.  I cleared the dried mud with a screwdriver, turned the fan blades manually to be sure there was no remaining obstruction and turned the A/C back on.  The A/C ran a few minutes longer, but still shut off and kept cycling on and off in an abnormal manner.  Since I had cell service, I put in a call to Sportsmobile.  We were able to confirm, via the battery monitor panel, that the current draw,  during the A/C operation was normal.  However, there is an internal automatic circuit breaker in the A/C unit that might be the problem.  It is possible that some damage was done to the system, when it was trying to run before the mud was cleared from the fans.  It would have been good to have been warned of this potential problem by Sportsmobile.  I’m sure this must have happened to others, since these vehicles are intended to be used off paved roads, where mud is frequently encountered.

The step after scraping mud from the top and the edges. The A/C fans are beneath the vehicle just behind this step. (iPhone photo)
Mud splattered van and ladder. (iPhone photo)
The vehicle accumulated a fair amount of mud, while exploring the area during a rainy day. The mud looked much worse before it dried. (iPhone photo)

Fortunately, opening the sliding doors and back doors with bug screens installed, the air flow through the vehicle was sufficient to keep the temperature inside in a comfortable range during the day and it got quite cool during the night, so I only needed to have the side awning window open during the night.

And another issue that I almost forgot:  There is a chirping sound, which I think is from the smoke detector, telling me that I need to replace its battery.  The problem is that the smoke detector is only accessible with the penthouse raised.  So I had to live with and try to sleep through the periodic chirping.

And yet another issue:  The fridge is noisy for a few seconds when its compressor first comes on.  It was not always this noisy.  It is normally rather quite when running.  The fridge comes on periodically and the initial noise is quite noticeable, when trying to sleep.

Other things that I learned and observed on this outing:  1.  I should make longer cables for the solar panels to allow for a greater range in placement to keep them in sunlight.  The downside to longer cables, is that these will result in a greater voltage loss  from the panels.  2.  The storage covers I made for the solar panels need revision.  The industrial strength velcro fasteners are stronger than the self adhesive, pulling some of the velcro off of the covers. 3.  I will need to get a monitor to use with the laptop for viewing and editing photos.  The 15inch MacBook Pro screen is just too small for me to adequately work with the photos and photo software.  I had hoped to live without a monitor, which is just another item to transport and secure within the Sportsmobile. 4.  I need to remember to use hand lotion on a regular basis in cold, dry climates.  My thumb print is apparently altered by dry cracked skin, (a painful, bleeding crack resulted, too) and the touch id on my iPhone still does not work.

As a result of all the noted problems, I will have to make another trip to Sportsmobile in Austin to have the noted issues checked out; but I have no time to do so prior to late October or early November.

A great campsite. Note the solar panels being overtaken by shadows. (iPhone HDR)
As the shadows moved, I moved the solar panels to take better advantage of the sunlight. (iPhone photo)

On the positive side, I was able to survive off the grid for several days in the mountains, during my first real solo trip in the Sportsmobile.  I had more than enough food, water and beverages on board for the entire trip, the vehicle continues to get lots of attention and complements and I met friendly and interesting people on this trip.  There will be more about the people and photos in subsequent posts.

I know that this has not been a very interesting read for my followers, but I felt that I needed to post something in the interim, until I get time to review the photos from this trip.

A view from my camp chair at the first campsite. (iPhone photo)
Courthouse Mountain lit up by late afternoon sun (extreme zoom iPhone photo from Ridgway State Park, Colorado).  I hoped to get a good view of this mountain from a closer distance somewhere along Owl Creek Pass Road and get a better photo.

 

Scenes Along Colorado 4 Wheel Drive Roads in the Ouray, Silverton and Telluride Areas of Colorado, Part 2

As the title implies, this is a continuation of the previous post.  The photos in this post are a combination of iPhone and DSLR photos and were taken while traversing these 4 wheel drive roads:  Imogene Pass, Engineer Pass, California Pass and maybe others. (I neglected to take notes of where we were each day and I can’t positively identify the location of some of the photos that I acquired and I am not using a GPS device on my current camera.  This is an issue that I must address in the future).

A typical view that one sees along these roads in the higher elevations is as shown here:

A typical mountain view from a high mountain pass road (iPhone)

We traveled Imogene Pass Road from the Ouray side, accessing it from US 550, splitting off from the road that goes to Yankee Boy Basin (covered in a previous post).  Imogen Pass is the second highest mountain pass in Colorado at 13, 114 feet.  It is rated as moderate, which means that only suitably equipped 4 wheel drive vehicles should attempt this road.  There are Jeep rentals in the local area and we saw many of the rental vehicles on this road, as well as some specialized tour vehicles with seating for passengers in a flat bed area.  Those tour vehicles looked a bit large for these type roads, but apparently their drivers are experienced in driving these roads.  The seating in the tour vehicles appeared to all be in the open, meaning one might get wet and cold, when caught in one of the frequent mountain showers, if not properly prepared for the weather.  Views along the road can be spectacular.  These two photos show the view looking back down the road that we traveled up to the pass:

A view from Imogene Pass Summit (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)
A view from Imogene Pass summit (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld) (More zoomed in than the previous photo).

A view in the opposite direction, in which we would continue is shown in this photo:

Imogene Pass Summit view (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)

As along most of these roads, there are numerous abandoned mine sites.  The Imogene Pass road goes through the large Tomboy mine site, which was a really large operation, before it was abandoned in 1928.  The remains of the buildings cover a rather large area and one could spend quite a bit of time wandering around the site.  However, these abandoned mining areas can be dangerous and nearly all are on private property with warning signs not to enter old mines or buildings.  Tomboy is one of the highest ghost towns in the US.  There was a store, school, living quarters for miners and even a YMCA.

A few of the many ruins at the Tomboy Mine townsite (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)

One can often see views of other mountain roads from these high mountain roadways.  One of the famously difficult 4 wheel drive roads is Black Bear, which has numerous sharp switchbacks, that typically require at least two point turns, even for short wheel base vehicles.  We got a glimpse of Black Bear as we neared Telluride on the way down from Imogene Pass.

A view of the sharp switch backs on the difficult Black Bear 4 wheel drive (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)

This is not a great photo, a big zoom would have worked better for showing the details of the switchbacks, but I only had a wide angle with me.  Look closely in the green area just below the peak about one third across the photo from the left and you can see the trace of the roadway down the steep mountainside.  There is also a long waterfall almost in the center of the photo in the cliff face.  One has to look very closely to see the waterfall in this photo.

To drive Engineer Pass, we began just off of US 550 between Ouray and Silverton.  This road is rated as moderate and I think most of the difficult part is near the starting point off of US 550.  After passing through that portion, much of the road is fairly easy (easy for me, since I was not driving).  We did not continue the road down into Lake City, electing to go to the ghost town of Animas Forks and continuing along other roads from Animas Forks, over California Pass, down Corkscrew Gulch and arriving back at US 550.

An abandoned mine site as seen from Engineer Pass road (iPhone)
Odom Point along the Engineer Pass road route (iPhone)
Engineer Pass Road (iPhone)
An old mine line shack on the road between Engineer Pass and Animas Forks (iPhone)
Animas Forks Ghost Town near Silverton, Colorado (iPhone)

Animas Forks is a mining ghost town near Silverton, Colorado.  It can be accessed by a passenger vehicle in the summer months along County Road 2 from Silverton or via a number of other 4 wheel drive roads.  There are a number of fairly well preserved building at this site and, as you will see in these photos, is a popular site to visit.

A few of the four wheel drive vehicles in the parking area at Animas Forks ghost town (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)
Old mine building foundation at Animas Forks ghost town (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)
One of the better preserved buildings in Animas Forks ghost town (Nikon D850, Nikkor 14-24mm, handheld)

From Animas Forks, we proceeded along another 4 wheel drive road to California Pass.

A view from California Pass Summit (iPhone)
California Pass Summit (iPhone)
The Jeep at California Pass Summit (iPhone) (Note the GoPro on the driver side front fender).
Long winding 4 wheel drive roads just below California Pass summit (iPhone)

We continued along the road that passes to the left of the lake in the above photo.  The road to the right of the lake goes to another much more difficult 4 wheel drive road.

A lake just below California Pass summit (iPhone) (A closer view of the lake seen in the previous photo)
An abandoned mine sluice along the California Pass Road (iPhone)
Clouds gathering over the aptly named Red Mountains, California Pass Road (iPhone)

We continued back to US 550 on Corkscrew 4 wheel drive, but I did not get any interesting photos along that route.

This marks the end of my July trip to Colorado.  The following photos are a few iPhone shots that I took on the route back home.

The Sportsmobile at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, Texas (iPhone)
A panorama of a portion of Lake Meredith (iPhone)
A warning sign at a Texas Panhandle Rest Stop (iPhone)

 

 

 

 

 

Scenes Along 4 Wheel Drive Roads in the Ouray, Silverton and Telluride Areas of Colorado, Part 1

In late July, 2018 my oldest son and I traveled a number of four wheel drive roads over high mountain passes in Colorado near the towns of Ouray, Silverton and Telluride.  My son did the driving, I just hung on for dear life.

All of the photos in this post (part 1) were shot with an iPhone with some editing in Lightroom.

My son used a GoPro attached to the driver’s side front fender of his Jeep to capture video along some of the drives.  Edited versions of those videos are posted on U-Tube:

Ophir Pass, Imogene Pass, California Pass/Hurricane Pass/Corkscrew Gulch and Engineer Pass.

The videos may make the rides look fairly smooth and fast.  Trust me the roads could not be traversed very quickly and the ride was very bouncy.

In a previous post I shared photos taken in Yankee Boy Basin.  Continuing up the 4 wheel road past those photo areas, the road leads to a lake and a trail head popular with hardy, mountain hikers.

A small lake at the end of the Yankee Boy Basin 4 wheel drive road near Ouray, Colorado (iPhone photo)
A portion of the lake at the end of the Yankee Boy Basin 4 wheel drive road and a mountain peak in the background. (iPhone photo)

Many, maybe all, of the 4 wheel drive roads over these mountain passes were made by miners, during the exploration phase and production phase of mining operations.  There are remains of many abandoned mines visible from these roadways and there are some active mines, as well.

An abandoned mine along the Yankee Boy Basin 4 wheel drive road (iPhone photo)

One may encounter much wildlife along these roadways and almost anywhere in this area.  We saw numerous deer and many marmots.  Marmots are usually rather shy and run away as anyone approaches them either on foot or in a vehicle.  But one little marmot only gave up its ground hesitantly, moving only a short distance away several times as I intruded into its space, while trying to get a shot of a really long water fall.

A not so shy marmot.  The depth of field in this shot is very shallow.  The rock just above the marmot is actually across a deep ravine, through which a stream flows down the mountainside. (iPhone photo)

The marmot was lounging near a very scenic waterfall and cascade with a great view across a valley and mountain tops.  Maybe that is why it was so reluctant to move away as I approached.

Low water flow in this really long waterfall and cascade along which the marmot was lounging. (iPhone photo)
The marmot’s view into the valley and across the mountain peaks (iPhone photo)

There are many small lakes in the mountains that are popular with fishermen and popular places to camp, although the mosquitoes can be quite a bother.

Clear Lake and Fishermen at the end of Clear Lake 4 wheel drive road near Silverton, Colorado (iPhone photo)

The mountains at these elevations are rugged and continually eroding.

Rugged, eroding mountainside above Clear Lake (iPhone)

Wildflowers were past their peak, but there were still quite a few scattered around.

Wildflowers in the meadow around Clear Lake (iPhone)
Wildflower and a busy bumble bee near Clear Lake (iPhone)
A few of the remaining wild flowers near Clear Lake (iPhone)

(To be continued in Part 2).

 

Yankee Boy Basin

Yankee Boy Basin, located in the Colorado Rocky Mountains near Ouray, Colorado, is accessible via a 4 wheel drive road.  My oldest son, who provided the 4×4 Jeep, and I spent several early morning and evenings in the basin, since it was a relatively easy place for us to get to and there were multiple photography opportunities in the area.

Yankee Boy Basin

It is best to have a high clearance vehicle with skid plates and good off road tires before attempting to travel this road.  If the road is not wet, it might be possible for a high clearance vehicle equipped with only stock tires and an experienced driver to make it up the road.  On one of our outings there, a thunderstorm came up at our destination, so we went back down to a safer place to wait out the storm.   We encountered a young man in a Subaru Outback, who was planning to make the trip up the 4×4 road.  His vehicle had stock tires and no skid plates.  My son, who has some 4 wheel drive road experience and has been up this road a number of times, advised him not to try the road with his vehicle;  however, he told him that he could follow us, if he liked, and at least he would have someone nearby in case he had difficulty.   He tried to follow us up the road, but very soon got to a point where his tires could not get sufficient traction on the wet rocks and he turned around.

We ended up aborting one of our planned evening shoots due to a continuing storm.  We had hoped to get gorgeous views with clouds and mountainsides illuminated with the late evening light as often happens after a storm; but the storm and sky showed no signs of clearing, so we retreated to our campsites, where we were treated to sky, clouds and a double rainbow; but I only had time to shoot a few iPhone photos before these all faded away.

A view from Ridgeway State Park, Colorado, after an early evening rain.
This is the kind of sky we had hoped to see during our aborted Yankee Boy Basin evening photo shoot.

Yankee Boy Basin is a picturesque setting and can be covered with wildflowers in the early summer months.  There were some wildflowers remaining during our visit in late July, but they were mostly past their peak bloom.

Early morning view in Yankee Boy Basin

The 4 wheel drive road follows a stream much of the way and there are a number of waterfalls and lovely cascades along the way.

Early morning light above Sneffles Creek
Early morning in Yankee Boy Basin
Sneffels Creek Waterfall
Early morning light in Yankee Boy Basin along Sneffels Creek
Yankee Boy Basin Waterfall
Yankee Boy Basin Waterfall
Early morning in Yankee Boy Basin
Sneffels Creek Cascade
Sneffels Creek Waterfall/Cascade
Close up view of a portion of a waterfall on Sneffels Creek
Close up view of one of the Yankee Boy Basin waterfalls

At the end of the 4 wheel drive road is a small lake surrounded by mountain peaks.  A popular hiking trail begins at the end of the 4 wheel road that takes one to Mount Sneffels, 14,158 feet high mountain, which many hikers like to bag.

The elevation everywhere in this area is high enough that one not used to it might have some difficulty with the thin air.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noted that higher elevations are more of a problem, but so far I’ve not had altitude sickness.  I can move around quite well at altitude, as long as I am not carrying a load; but as soon as I pick up a loaded day pack and camera gear, the effort to walk up an incline becomes noticeable, requiring frequent stops to catch my breath.  I’m sure that my normal sea level life adds to the altitude effect.

One of the fun things about such outings as this is meeting other people with similar interest.  On our first morning in the basin, we chatted with the only other person there, who was also into photography and from the same metropolitan area as me.

I hope that you enjoy this post and I welcome your comments and suggestions.