Sunrise & Sunsets in Walden Colorado

                                              "X-Shot" Information

                                              ISO - 400

                                              Camera - Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III

                                              Shutter - 1/160

                                              F/stop - 22

                                              Lens - 70/200 zoom

All photographs are for sale, contact e-mail address below.

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com 

My goal was to visit the Walden area to photograph moose. By the third morning the moose were located and I made my shots. During the rest of the time, I photographed the beautiful sunrises and sunsets. I decided to use these in this week's blog and run the moose and other wildlife next week. The key to getting good photos was the clouds that were around all day. In the morning they turned beautiful colors but were black and stormy in the evening. I had not seen so many sun rays breaking through the clouds as I did on this trip and that's where my "X-Shot" came from. Shooting a sun ray picture presented a couple of problems. First, you have to get an accurate reading of the rays and this was done by using a large lens to get a reading from the bright sun rays. Then that reading was used with my zoom lens. The second problem was I didn't know how far away the sun rays were from the mountains in the background. Using an f/stop of 22 would give me the best chance of getting everything in focus. The real key to this photo was that I didn't get locked into just looking for and shooting moose. I kept my mind open and shot everything that looked good to me. So if I hadn't found any moose, I wouldn't go home empty handed.

  "X-Shot" Information

1. Drive time from Denver is about 3 hours.

2. If you want to be at a shooting location by sunrise, it comes up about 

    5:30 AM. For sunset pictures, it goes down around 8:30 PM.

3. Good shooting locations cane be found going east out of Walden on

    County Road 12A and all of the roads breaking off of it. Be sure to read all

    signs in this area. Some roads are private but most are county roads with

    private land on both sides. You will see signs saying "Private" but there

    will also be signs telling you that you can travel on these county roads, 

    but you can't leave them. Many great shoots can be taken from the

    roads.

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Nature Photographer

Weekend Flash Back - Monte Vista - 3/20/01

                                                                 "X Shot" Information

                                                                 Camera - Nikon D1H

                                                                 ISO - 400

                                                                 Shutter - 1/125 sec.

                                                                 F/stop - 5.6

                                                                 Lens - 16 mm

This photo was shot near the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge. It was warm for that time of the year and there was a lot of open water. The reflection in the mirror-like pond was great. I took my light reading off the brightest spot in the clouds and made sure my f/stop was big enough to get everything in focus. Many sunsets get even better when the sun actually sets and then the sky lights up. You should always stick around and see what happens.

Ken Papaleo

Colorado Photographer

Photo information contact e-mail address below.

kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com

Genoa Tower & Museum Photos - Genoa, Colorado

                                                   “X Shot” Information

                                         Camera - Canon- EOS Mark III

                                         ISO - 400

                                         Lens - Canon- 70 -200 zoom

                                         F/stop - 18

                                         Shutter - 1/125 sec

  The six story, plus an observation deck, Genoa Tower and Museum (Wonder Tower) was built in 1926 and still can seen today as you drive past Genoa on I-70. In the tower’s handout it says “ Always gaudy and gimmicky on purpose”, describes it best. There are over 50,000 antique bottles, old tools, art work and even a two headed calf. I met tower owner Jerry Chubbuck in the late afternoon last week on a beautiful day. Taking one camera and removing some things from my camera bag, to make it lighter, I set out looking for my “X Shot”. The isle and stairs turned out to be tight, so you have to be careful walking around with your camera bag on your shoulder and if you are afraid of steep stars, don’t go up to the roof. The journey through the buildings was fun and made some nice shots. Outside the sun was getting lower in the sky that was filling with beautiful colored clouds, to the west. To get these clouds and the tower in one photo, the tower was going to have to be back lit. This meant driving to the east of the tower just alittle bit, there I made sure my f/stop setting would be large enough to put the the tower and the clouds in focus. I loved the way the light shown through the windows of this “X Shot”.

                   “X Shot” Location Information

1. Drive time from Denver is about 90 Minutes.

2. Get off I-70 at the Genoa Exit/ 371, east of Limon.

3. Follow signs to Genoa Tower parking lot.

4. Open March - September 9:00am to 5:00pm

5. October thru April call for apt. 719-763-2309  

                                                    Ken Papaleo

                                            Colorado Photographer

                   All photographs for sale, contact e-mail address below.

                                 kenpapaleo@highcountrycoloring.com 

Rocky Mountain National Park Photos - Estes Park, Colorado

“X Shot” Information

Camera - Canon EOS Mark III

ISO - 100

Lens - Canon 24 -70 zoom

F/stop - 5.6

Shutter - 1000

I usually enter Rocky Mountain National Park through Estes Park but this trip I took Hwy. 34 out of Granby, the back way. It was early October, the rut season was underway and the aspens were turning. Trail Ridge Road, the highest major highway in North America toping out at 12,183 feet, runs right through the park. There are 72 named peaks in the park that are above 12,000 feet. Driving up above the tree line, I came across a small herd of elk crossing the road. Traffic came to a halt and park visitors jumped out of their cars, armed with cameras. I stayed back, using my 500 mm lens, to capture the crossing. After all the herd were safe, the bull disappeared over a hill with his ladies. Driving on, I passed two cyclists on a steep climb. I drove by and pulled over at the top. As the first bike approached I started shooting with my 70 - 200 zoom.  Unfortunately the cyclist stared at me the entire time, wrecking the photos. Quickly I changed to my 24 - 70 zoom and dropped behind the front of my car. This gave me a few seconds to shoot before the slower cyclist turned and saw me. This position also gave me a great background view of Long’s Peak in the distance (X Shot.) I arrived at Moraine Park (inside RMNP) late afternoon. The elk were active while I and others took pictures, but some just set in lawn chairs watching. Once the sun went down and the elk settled in for the night, I drove back up above the tree line. Pulling in at the Forest Canyon Overlook, I saw a beautiful sunset behind the Never Summer Mountains to the west. After heavy snows hit, the higher parts of Trail Ridge Road are closed until spring.

“X Shot” Location Information

1. Drive time from Denver 2 - 3 hours.

2. I-70 west to the Empire exit - hwy. 40.

    Hwy. 40 north to Granby. Take hwy. 34 north out

    of Granby to park entrance.

3. There are other ways to get to RMNP

4. Always check ahead to see if Trail Ridge Road is

    open!

Ken Papaleo
Colorado Photographer