Ken Papaleo: X Marks the Shot: Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado.

"X Shot" information.

Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II

ISO - 400

Shutter - 1/125 sec.

F/stop - 18

Lens - 70/200 zoom.

LOCATION.

1. Aspen is about a 4 hour drive from Denver.

2. Maroon Bells Recreation Area was my destination.

3. If you want to drive your car up to the bells, you have to be in the park before 8 am or you can get in

after 5 pm. Otherwise you have to take a bus up.

4. The area is less crowded in early mornings or evenings.

THE CHALLENGE.

The tree bells are the main subject of most photographers when they come to photograph the park.

In the fall they line up along the shore of the lake to capture the bells and aspens reflected in the water,

like this shot of mine.

What kind of shot could I get of the bells, in the summer, with out using the lake's reflection, would be my challenge. I was still going to check the out the lake shot at different times of the day, but to get the lake perfectly calm and the mountains nicely lit, is a crap-shoot.

SOLUTION.

I found out that at sunrise, the bells turn red for a short time. Finding a spot away from the lake I was able to photograph the lit mountains while the foreground was black, still in shadows. The exposure was taking off the bells. Checked out the lake reflection shot many times but never got it perfect.

OTHER PHOTOS OF THE MAROON BELLS.