Summer Scenics from Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

"X Shot" information.

Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II

ISO - 400

Shutter - 1/100 sec.

F/stop - 14

Lens - 70/200 zoom

LOCATION.

1. Rocky Mountain National Park is about a three hour drive from Denver.

2. All these images were shot from Trail Ridge Road. 

3. Go above tree line when looking for a place for good sunrise or sunset photos.

THE CHALLENGE. 

I have been very blessed when shooting sunrises and sunsets at this park. It seems I never come away disappointed! On this trip I just wanted to see if my best shot would come at sunrise or sunset.

THE SOLUTION. 

The sunrise was spectacular, with vivid bright colors. Starting my shoot at the top of Trail Ridge Road, gave me a clean look at the sky while silhouetting the mountains. I was able to get a number of nice shots from the same location, just by changing lenses. The clouds were pretty thick at sunset and the photos were not very good. I waited until after the sun went down and was about ready to pack it in, when a full moon broke through the clouds for a few moments.  It maid a very pleasing image but I went with a sunrise shot for my "X Shot"

OTHER SHOTS FROM THIS SHOOT.

ALL PHOTOS ARE FOR SALE, CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Landscape Photographer

303-674-0615

Weekend Flash Back - Red Rocks Visitor Center, Morrison, Colorado, 3/31/03.

"X Shot" information.

Camera - Nikon F3

ISO - 400

Shutter - 1/30 sec.

F/stop - 16

Lens - 24 mm

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Photographer

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com

303-674-0615

Summer Wildlife in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado.

"X Shot" information.

Camera - Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

ISO - 1250

Shutter - 1/800 sec.

F/stop - 4.0

Lens - 500 mm

LOCATION.

1. Rocky Mountain National Park is about a 3 hour drive from Denver.

2. Elk were located in the higher elevations of Trail Ridge Road.

3. Best time to locate wildlife is mornings and evenings. 

THE CHALLENGE. 

I wanted to get a nice shoot of a bull elk with its antlers still covered in velvet. Before the elk rut starts, they bulls will rub off the velvet.

THE SOLUTION. 

To get this shot I had to go to the park in mid August, when the antlers would be big and still covered with velvet. Once finding the bulls, which wasn't easy, only saw four during my whole trip, I used a 500 mm lens to get a close shot. The main thing you want to do is have your camera, with your choice of lens, ready to shoot! To do this I put my camera on auto exposure, if the animal sticks around, than I will go to manual exposure, to fine tune it.  I use two cameras, one with a 80-200 zoom and the other with my 500 mm lens. The elk might hang around for awhile or take off as soon as they see you, so be ready to jump into action and shoot quickly. 

OTHER WILDLIFE PHOTOS FROM THIS SHOOT.

ALL PHOTOS ARE FOR SALE, CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS BELOW.

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Wildlife Photographer

303-674-0615

Logan Andrew - our beloved grandson.

Logan

Enjoy your eternal life in heaven with our Lord!

Love Papa!

Summer Scenics in the Aspen, Colorado, Area.

"X-Shot" information.

ISO - 100

Shutter - 1/5 sec.

F/stop - 16

Lens - 70/200 zoom

LOCATION.

1. Aspen is about a 5 hour drive from Denver.

2. Good places to shoot are Maroon Bells, Ashcroft, Basalt and up behind Ruedi Reservoir.

3. If you go to the Maroon Bells, there are driving restrictions during the day, you have to take a bus in.

   You can drive in before 7 am or after 5 pm, which is the best shooting time anyway. 

CHALLENGE.

I was spending the mornings and evenings shooting wildflowers at the above locations. Once the good light was gone I decided to try for a real nice running stream shot.

THE SOLUTION.

First thing to do was find a nice location, totally in the shade. I found this one in the Maroon Bells.  Being in the shade would let me use a slow shutter speed with a high f/stop. This combination would give me the blurry look in the water and everything in focus. I didn't have my tripod with me, don't use one unless it is really necessary, so I found a rock, laid my coat on it and then placed my camera on top, in position. This gave me solid shooting platform. 

OTHER SCENIC SHOOTS FROM THE ASPEN AREA.

All photos are for sale, contact email address below.

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Landscape Photographer

303-674-0615

A Wonderful Soul Goes to Heaven, Aurora, Colorado.

Logan

8/09/12

On this day our grandson Logan was born. Even though he only lived less than an hour, his short life has changed us all. He showed us what is important and not to worry about things we can't control.

We must cherish every moment we have with our family and don't let the earthly things get in our way! Jamie and Andy, and the rest of the family and friends, will get through this, with the love of GOD, but we all will have a hole in our heart!  I'm called "Papa" by my four grand children and love playing with them but will look forward to the day in heaven, when Logan can play with Papa. 

Logan got a direct pass to heaven and will not have to go through the trials and tribulations here on earth. Those he left behind, are the ones who will miss him and hurt the most!  Thank you God for letting Logan spend some time with his mommy and daddy!

WE ALL LOVE YOU LOGAN AND HAVE FUN IN HEAVEN!

Love Papa

Water Baptism and Baby Dedication, Westminster, Colorado.

"X Shot" information.

Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II

ISO - 1000

Shutter - 1/250 sec.

F/stop - 8

Lens - 24/70 zoom.

  I changed the format for this weeks blog to take photos of my pregnant daughter's Water Baptism and the Dedication of their not yet born baby boy, Logan. I asked fellow photographer and best friend, Dennis Schroeder, to help me with this task. When Dennis and I shoot together, we decide one will shoot with long glass and the other wide angle. This is a great way to get different images of the same event, I was short and Schroeder went long.  We got to the lake a little late but the sunset was spectacular and really enhanced the mood. The problem was not much light was left to shoot and the church was making a video, so we didn't use any strobes, to mess it up. So we shot silhouettes, used the reflection and toward the end I was shooting with an ISO of 3200, 1/80 second at f/stop 2.8. It was a very spiritual time for all who intended! 

OTHER PHOTOS FROM THIS HEART WARMING MOMENT.

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Photo by Dennis Schroeder

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Photographer

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com

303-674-0615

With out going into all the details of this event, I want my daughter, Jamie and her husband, Andy, to know I love them very much and think they are the bravest people I know! Their journey has affected

hundreds of friends and relatives, Love Dad.