Colorado has an abundance of wild flowers, and flowers as a whole are a beautiful subject. I'm not very good at keeping flowers alive, but hopefully the images here will show that I do understand their beauty and nature.

Seemingly everywhere in the Pacific Northwest, this small clump of Foxtails was the first for me to photograph.  I have since learned that around the world the also go by the name "Thimble Flower," which seems wholly appropriate!

This was going to be a waterfall hike, but this Fox Glove needed to be celebrated, so Wahkeena Falls became the setting and not the show.

I stopped because of the contrast.  Something ominous in the redwoods, with the light perfectly playing on the flowers.  

Finding your subject is how photography works.  Finding your subject, in a compelling setting, is how photography works.  Finding your subject, in a compelling setting, bathed in light, is how photography works.  Composing your subject, in a compelling setting, bathed in light, is how photography works.  Finding a wild iris, on the side of the Hot Creek, with Mt. Tom in the background, as the morning light bathes it, is how photography works.  I hope you agree.

A morning of motorcycle riding in search of wildflowers took we into the Flat Tops Wilderness of Northern Colorado. Trapper's Lake was originally surveyed in 1919 by Arthur Carhart. As the nation's first designated Wilderness Area Carhart decreed that the the Flat Tops should never be developed and that it was to remain road free.  A sixty-seven mile scenic byway does cross the wilderness, though it and all other roads are dirt, discouraging all but the most curious.

Summer 2017 has been less than predictable, weather-wise.  A heavy snowpack held on, then high temperature and dry days in June slowed the wildflower blows.  July monsoons have brought relief to the mountains, and the wildflowers  are starting to burst.  Finding flowers in their unique settings just adds to the joy of the journey.

Flowers always seek the light.  Sometimes it is subtle, sometimes it is obvious.  Some are in bunches, some are solitary.  But always, at some point, they seek out the light...

Aspens provide such vibrant color in the Fall.  During the spring and summer their starkness and green canopy create the perfect contrast and shelter for the color growing at their feet.  Morning and evening light amplifies this display.

The Ten-Mile Range and the town of Breckenridge far below in the valley provide a perfect backdrop for this clump of Fireweed.  Boreas Pass connects Breckenridge with Como following the 20-plus mile course of the long gone narrow gauge railway.  

I guess I got lost in the Paintbrush and Lupine.  The contrasting colors and the pure but delicate vibrancy couldn't be ignored.  For whatever reason they seem to magnify the light, and radiate it with every petal.

A late night finding a muddy campsite didn't deter me from waking up before the light to seek out patches and bunches of colorful brilliance.  I didn't find the massive carpets that I was hoping for, but isolated flowers in dynamic settings provided perfect subject material.

I was struggling with the light and the composure.  Setting and subject were easy; blooming wildflowers in the high alpine meadows, how could I get any of it wrong?!

Its always interesting to come home after an intensive photography session and to begin to take a “second look” at the images. I’m always amazed at the “gems” I find, and enjoy getting them out to share,

Crested Butte is surrounded by just so many valleys and peaks that its easy to get confused trying to orient oneself there. The Columbine lay in all sorts of places, low ravines, stream side, in the thicker forests and even these high meadows. The real challenge with photographing this flower is not finding it, but getting it to sit still. There are so delicate that the slightest breeze can upset them. So, patience is a must with these, as really all flowers.

Not all flowers have to be colorful to be beautiful.

I don’t normally shoot this high up along the river. I tend to prefer the sweeping curves as the course slowly meanders around Mt. Crested Butte. But with wildflowers blowing everywhere, I felt a trip up to Emerald Lake was a worthy detour. The flowers along the way did not disappoint.

Some sites are more startling than others. Waking up early, to catch the rising light is so rarely disappointing. Finding green, and cotton colored bulbs, wispy tendrils blown by a morning breeze, makes it all worth those uncomfortable first moves.

Given this name in an earlier time, for an earlier reason, the name was ringing true this sunset.

There are depths that we all have to go to.

The act of discovery is something I have always relished. This set of images would fall squarely in that category of things that were just “found.” I have only been to the American Basin one other time, but I didn’t even make it out of the lower parking area and so had very little of what to expect. I had a few compositions in find; certain features and elements that I was really hoping to capture, but the shock and surprise of the variety of compositions and the richness of the colors and the heavy volume of water still cascading off of the mountain completely caught me off guard.

The act of discovery is something I have always relished. This set of images would fall squarely in that category of things that were just “found.” I have only been to the American Basin one other time, but I didn’t even make it out of the lower parking area and so had very little of what to expect. I had a few compositions in find; certain features and elements that I was really hoping to capture, but the shock and surprise of the variety of compositions and the richness of the colors and the heavy volume of water still cascading off of the mountain completely caught me off guard.

The act of discovery is something I have always relished. This set of images would fall squarely in that category of things that were just “found.” I have only been to the American Basin one other time, but I didn’t even make it out of the lower parking area and so had very little of what to expect. I had a few compositions in find; certain features and elements that I was really hoping to capture, but the shock and surprise of the variety of compositions and the richness of the colors and the heavy volume of water still cascading off of the mountain completely caught me off guard.

The act of discovery is something I have always relished. This set of images would fall squarely in that category of things that were just “found.” I have only been to the American Basin one other time, but I didn’t even make it out of the lower parking area and so had very little of what to expect. I had a few compositions in find; certain features and elements that I was really hoping to capture, but the shock and surprise of the variety of compositions and the richness of the colors and the heavy volume of water still cascading off of the mountain completely caught me off guard.

The act of discovery is something I have always relished. This set of images would fall squarely in that category of things that were just “found.” I have only been to the American Basin one other time, but I didn’t even make it out of the lower parking area and so had very little of what to expect. I had a few compositions in find; certain features and elements that I was really hoping to capture, but the shock and surprise of the variety of compositions and the richness of the colors and the heavy volume of water still cascading off of the mountain completely caught me off guard.

Wildflower season in Crested Butte. Not much else to say. Actually, I have a lot to say. This was an extra ordinary view, one that I almost missed. There are so many incredible compositions in and around this town, and the variety and intensity of the flowers have lead to their own wildflower festival. While I didn’t specifically participate in the events, it was easy to get swept away by the beauty of the forests and meadows teaming with color.

This shot was special, something completely different than most Columbine shots.

I don’t normally shoot this high up along the river. I tend to prefer the sweeping curves as the course slowly meanders around Mt. Crested Butte. But with wildflowers blowing everywhere, I felt a trip up to Emerald Lake was a worthy detour. The flowers along the way did not disappoint.

The afternoon light was finally growing long. The flowers were no longer washed out, and cloud created depth behind the upper ridge of the Basin.

The roll of the wildflower season is a fascinating one to witness. My first summer in Colorado was spent in a summer camp, taking 13 and 14 year old campers up into the Colorado Backcountry to summit the 14’ers that are so awe inspiring, and camping out in lush Basins like this, ripe with flowers that were all new to me, yet would become familiar to me over the course of 30 years.

There have been many summers that I have completely missed this spectacle, but this composition reminds me of the balance and the fragility, and that everything seems to have it’s time, regardless of our impatience.

Following the East River to find the fields of flowers was all I could hope for.

The afternoon light was finally growing long. The flowers were no longer washed out, and cloud created depth behind the upper ridge of the Basin.

I think I got the light just right in this one.  I will be printing it for myself.

Vibrant red, deep pink, and a rich purple, I'd not seen this variety in Paintbrushes before.  The sun's early glow casts these colors in a dreamy light.

There is an active caldera underneath the Owens Valley, it's a byproduct of being part of the Ring of Fire.  There are dozens of spots in the valley where the heat is close to the surface, percolating through to create small pools and springs which if not being used by the cows, can be very pleasant.  Hot Creek is meanders through the valley.

Wildflower season in Crested Butte. Not much else to say. Actually, I have a lot to say. A new blog entry will be coming soon.

Scrambling along the side of Washington Mountain to frame this composition, and then sitting, and watching the sky evolve from soft and subtle grey, to violent pinks and orange; I can think of a more humbling experience. Then sitting, waiting for night to grow, such a perfect sight.

Digitalis, or Foxtails, or Thimble Flowers...  I wished I'd taken more pictures of these while they were available.  Certainly they were one of the happy surprises on this trip; their quiet confidence and vibrant colors. Their image stands well against a cold winter's day.

I know I’ve commented in other spheres the uniqueness of this particular evening. It seems that every few months this sort of event happens, where all the right light and all the right compositions just show up, and I’m able to feast on the beauty. This was definitely one of those times, I truly hope to share many, many more.

Simple, serene.  Last of the morning dew, still drawn to delicate petals.  Hidden but in plane site.

It should be pretty obvious by now that photography has given me a tremendous amount of emotional support over the past few years. There is a very painful truth in this photo, although very unintentional, that a lot of that pain started here, very near this spot. I set down a path of that was equal parts self-preservation and self-indulgence. I lost a best friend, and struggling to find the balance for what I’ve gained.

Flowers on the Front Range arrive much earlier than anywhere else in Colorado. The summer of 2019 was no exception. Winters heavy snows would not retreat until July and many of the best blooms would not arrive until August. So finding a few flowers along the urban corridor in June only served to whet an appetite that longed for fields fo Columbines, Fireweed and Lupin.

A lot of wind after the storm blew through… Some things stayed pretty, others were put in motion.

I finally had a chance to share this with Tanner. We sat through the sunset after a long, long ride that day.

Some things stand near the edge; this little cactus showed no fear, basking in the fading light.

It wasn’t the right light, it wasn’t the right sky, but the Mule’s Ears wouldn’t let go of my attention.

The forests and meadows around Crested Butte are beginning to fill again with these lovely scenes. The Lupine basking in the final light of the day. 

The slopes of the Almont Triangle are littered with these plots of thick and colorful bouquets. But I found it so challenging to frame and compose the first day out. I’m not sure why that happens; either being overwhelmed or in a rush for perfection, or simply lacking the insight needed to see through the mass?  But fortunately the second night out, I was able to slow down, take in the infinite moments and find the images that I was hoping for. 

Aspens take many, different and interesting shapes as the grow. Not a single, rooted plant, but a colony, each tree is merely a shoot off of a much large and complex root system. This creates a imagery of codependency when really it’s a seamless boundary. 

I wrote last year about a broken heart, while sitting in this same spot. The view hasn’t changed, but maybe the heart has…

Mt. Wilson - Lupine

It snowed, and it snowed, and in snowed, until the locals were sick of it and the avalanches swallowed up thousands of Aspens and pine groves. But then, the flowers bloomed…

Yep, the movie was filmed along this road. Iconic scenery and empty spaces make this an easy location for filming. Add movies like True Grit (both) and City Slickers, and one can begin to appreciate the West for what it is; simple beauty.

Some things need to be found. The Asters were the goal; In the past two weeks the variety of blooms has exploded on the Almont Triangle. But, I wanted a composition that showed the Asters off. Earlier in the day I’d scouted them out, and made a mental note on how to approach them when evening was coming on. But, I really wanted to take the evening in, so intentionally parked further away than I needed to so that I could explore the hillside and take it all in. Exploring was exactly what I needed to do…

I’ll put down more thoughts in a bit, but for now, it was good.

Snodgrass Loop

The Snodgrass Trail is a beautiful hike, connected Mt. Crested Butte to the Washington Gulch, but climbing through Aspen Meadows and meandering through cattle pastures. There’s a quiet truce in the community; one that’s built on the knowledge that people will continue to visit and move to the area, so management, and cooperation are the keys to preserving the beauty. Groups that were once opposed to each other now work together to ensure the new comers can experience and appreciate what they’ve just found.

Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado

Snodgrass Loop

The Snodgrass Trail is a beautiful hike, connected Mt. Crested Butte to the Washington Gulch, but climbing through Aspen Meadows and meandering through cattle pastures. There’s a quiet truce in the community; one that’s built on the knowledge that people will continue to visit and move to the area, so management, and cooperation are the keys to preserving the beauty. Groups that were once opposed to each other now work together to ensure the new comers can experience and appreciate what they’ve just found.

Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado

Snodgrass Loop

The Snodgrass Trail is a beautiful hike, connected Mt. Crested Butte to the Washington Gulch, but climbing through Aspen Meadows and meandering through cattle pastures. There’s a quiet truce in the community; one that’s built on the knowledge that people will continue to visit and move to the area, so management, and cooperation are the keys to preserving the beauty. Groups that were once opposed to each other now work together to ensure the new comers can experience and appreciate what they’ve just discovered for themselves.

Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado

They only seem to grow in smaller clumps, and not the big, overwhelming bunches that other flowers do. They can be found along the side of a road, or stream, or bury themselves in amongst their towering neighbors, like this group did with the Corn Lilly.

I didn’t find many of the blue and purple Columbine, just the pale and lighter kind. Still, their opacity makes them glow. Capturing them as the sway in the slightest of breezes is never and easy task, but so worth the effort.

This whole area was so scoured by winter avalanches, so many of the trees and interesting elements from the past few years are now at the bottom of that valley. But, it’s still a beautiful place to watch the sunset

I’m not sure what the other flower is… Common Yarrow? Cow Parsnip? Wild Carrot? Queen Anne’s Lace? I just don’t know? It’s abundant on this hillside, and tends to form a beautiful composition; it’s easily backlit and glows with it’s own light.

It wouldn’t be summer without wildflowers, and the best wildflowers are usually found in Crested Butte! It is still early in the 2020 summer, but a quick trip to scout out conditions and get away from the city proved far more fruitful than I’d ever imagined!

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/10 sec. - 20mm

Lupine 2020 - #1 - Crested Butte, June, 2020

It wouldn’t be summer without wildflowers, and the best wildflowers are usually found in Crested Butte! It is still early in the 2020 summer, but a quick trip to scout out conditions and get away from the city proved far more fruitful than I’d ever imagined!

ISO 100 | F/8 | 1/10 sec. - 20mm

June, 2020

It wouldn’t be summer without wildflowers, and the best wildflowers are usually found in Crested Butte! It is still early in the 2020 summer, but a quick trip to scout out conditions and get away from the city proved far more fruitful than I’d ever imagined!

To see the full rainbow of Mt. Crested Butte, go to the Rocky Mountain Gallery on this page and look for the image, - Cliche #3.

ISO 100 | F/2.8 | 1/60 sec. - 20mm

It wouldn’t be summer without wildflowers, and the best wildflowers are usually found in Crested Butte! It is still early in the 2020 summer, but a quick trip to scout out conditions and get away from the city proved far more fruitful than I’d ever imagined!

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/10 sec. - 20mm

Lupine 2020 - #2 - Crested Butte, June, 2020

While they didn’t produce the bruising storm they hinted they would, the foreboding clouds shutter the sunset light and cast an uneasy mood over the evening. The clouds would hold on through the night, blocking the starry night I hoped to shoot. Such is landscape photography.

But the Fireweed stood out in the moody afternoon light, with the rough and avalanche worn hillside as the mid ground, and Yule Pass as the background the whole scene created a beautiful composition.

Fireweed Illusions - Paradise Divide

Crested Butte, June, 2020

It wouldn’t be summer without wildflowers, and the best wildflowers are usually found in Crested Butte! It is still early in the 2020 summer, but a quick trip to scout out conditions and get away from the city proved far more fruitful than I’d ever imagined!

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/10 sec. - 20mm

Lupine 2020 - #3 - Crested Butte, June, 2020

A year with ups and downs for us all so far. A moment of respite in a time of chaos. The monsoon season in Southern Colorado has perfectly timed itself with the wildflower bloom. The stillness in this photo hides the gusts and blustery rains that whipped around - but in it all lies the simple beauty of nature.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/60 sec. - 16mm

American Basin - 2020 #1 - July, 2020

Two iconic sites - the Colorado State Flower, and the ridge of the American Basin. In 1899 Colorado school children voted on what should be the state flower, and the Aquilegia Coerulea won.

ISO 100 | F/9 | .60 sec. - 16mm

Simple patches of beauty litter the American Basin. Trying to capture the scenery and the scale of the basin presents so many challenges and opportunities - something that keeps me inspired and motivated to pursue more and more.

ISO 100 | F/9 | 1/60 sec. - 24mm

July, 2020

An obsession with color? Maybe. The primary colors are intoxicating, how else can it be described? The American Basin just doesn’t disappoint, only my vision and technique are subpar.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/200 sec. - 16mm

July, 2020

Every composition, every season, every trip back offers a subtlety that that is both bitter and sweet. Going in with an expectation is so easy to do, and it offers such an easy trap for disappointment. I’d hoped for sunny skies, or at least the sliver of light on the horizon; instead the dull, grey mantle hovered at dusk and at dawn, and the rain soaked tendrils held a solemn sway.

ISO 100 I F/7.1 I 1/60 sec - 16mm

July, 2020

This story feels a lot like a story from five years ago - out on the road, exploring this beautiful and intoxicating state, looking for new routes and new images, and what do I find, a trail that I really shouldn’t have been on. This last time I did this I was on a motorcycle, at the end of five days on the road, with too little information, too little daylight and too little self-regulation, I set off to cross Taylor Pass and make camp near Taylor Reservoir. The 20 hour ordeal that I was about to embark on was one of the most frustrating and humbling adventures I’ve ever encountered.

This trip, of an equal distance down Engineer Mountain trail was different in that I was in a four-wheel vehicle and it was begun early in the morning, but was similar in that the information I was going off of was wildly off base having mistook this trail for a much tamer Poughkeepsie Gulch, which was compounded by the fact that while a stock 4Runner is capable of such a descent, it really should have better tires and suspension, especially on a rain soaked trail, and while the trail is not marked as a one-way, it is pretty clear from the traffic that I encountered that I was definitely going the wrong direction.

In the end I was able to make the descent, with only a few scuffs and scratches to the undercarriage, but a whole lot more appreciation for having the right information for each and every situation.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/60 sec. - 16mm

July, 2020

A year with ups and downs for us all so far. A moment of respite in a time of chaos. The monsoon season in Southern Colorado has perfectly timed itself with the wildflower bloom. The stillness in this photo hides the gusts and blustery rains that whipped around - but in it all lies the simple beauty of nature.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/60 sec. - 16mm

American Basin - 2020 #2 - July, 2020

From drought, to deluge, and back again. Colorado’s weather has been true to form for 2020; startling, shocking, and leaving us wondering what will the next day bring?! But, the flowers thrived, and the mountains glowed, in a foggy delight.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/60 sec. - 16mm

July, 2020

A year with ups and downs for us all so far. A moment of respite in a time of chaos. The monsoon season in Southern Colorado has perfectly timed itself with the wildflower bloom. The stillness in this photo hides the gusts and blustery rains that whipped around - but in it all lies the simple beauty of nature.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/60 sec. - 16mm

American Basin - 2020 #3 - July, 2020

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #1

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 24GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #2

Sony a7iii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #3

Sony a7iii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #4

Sony a7iii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #5

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 50G

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #6

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 50G

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #7

Sony a7iii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #8

Sony a7iii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #9

Sony a7iii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #10

Sony a7riv and Sony FE 50G

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #11

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 24GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #12

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 24GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #13

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 24GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #14

Sony a7riii and Sony FE 14GM

Colorado’s summer weather pattern seems to be influx once again this coming week. June began with rain and cooler temperatures, but this quickly turned extreme heat, with multiple 90 degree and even a few 100 degree days. So far summer has been productive with one major rental property project completed, another one stands waiting to start, a second round of teacher training is finished up in preparation for the 2021-2022 school year, and a quick trip to the San Juans was taken in to find the early season Lupine and get back on track for wildflower photography.

At the lower elevations, along County Road 7/9, the Last Dollar Road, and the Wilson Mesa, the fields and patches of Lupine and Mule Ears were vibrant and alive. I hope the all hang around for a few more weeks.

June, 2021 - San Juan - Lupine #15

Sony a7riv and Sony FE 50G

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

ISO 100 | F/11 | 1/5 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 35GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Ohio Pass

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

This little summer lodge in a field of Arrowroot wasn’t just serene, it was surreal to have this sight all to myself for the hours around sunrise this particular day.

ISO 320 | F/8 | 1/500 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 14GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Washington Gulch

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

This little summer lodge in a field of Arrowroot wasn’t just serene, it was surreal to have this sight all to myself for the hours around sunrise this particular day.

ISO 320 | F/8 | 1/400 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 35GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Ohio Pass

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

The Almont Triangle provides a unique topography when compared to the mountains around Paradise Divide and Gothic, which adds to the charm and makes an evening adventure all worth the effort.

ISO 100 | F/8 | 1/50 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 14GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Almont Triangle

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

Peanut Lake was one of the new destinations this year to photograph. While I’ve walked around it and photographed the Paradise Divide looking over the lake, to set up for a sunrise with the lake reflecting the morning light made for a compelling start to the day.

ISO 100 | F/8 | 1/200 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 14GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Peanut Lake

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

Snodgrass and Lupine are quintessential “Crested Butte.” Of all the sites visited on this particular trip the Lupine were by far the most prolific along the Snodgrass trail.

ISO 160 | F/1.4 | 1/5000 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 35GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Snodgrass

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

Snodgrass and Lupine are quintessential “Crested Butte.” Of all the sites visited on this particular trip the Lupine were by far the most prolific along the Snodgrass trail.

ISO 640 | F/6.3 | 1/400 sec. ~ Sony a7iii w/ Sony FE 16-35GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Snodgrass & Lupine

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

Brush Creek is one of the less photographed locations around Crested Butte, so it tends to be visited more by those seeking off-road adventure. Like all West Elk locations, it is worth the effort and time to explore.

ISO 100 | F/1.2 | 1/8000 sec. ~ Sony a7rvi w/ Sony FE 50GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Brush Creek

A drier June seems to have slowed down this season’s wildflower crop, and with travel plans already in place, making it to the Wildflower Capital in 2022 meant an earlier than ideal window.

Regardless this is a beautiful destination and it opened up the opportunity to explore some new settings and to return to others I hadn’t been to in a while. The real bones was getting out of the 4Runner more and hiking consistently without worrying about how much time I was taking.

Brush Creek is one of the less photographed locations around Crested Butte, so it tends to be visited more by those seeking off-road adventure. Like all West Elk locations, it is worth the effort and time to explore.

ISO 100 | F/7.1 | 1/500 sec. ~ Sony a7riii w/ Sony FE 14GM

June, 2022 - Crested Butte - Brush Creek Reflected