Photographer in Colorado

After looking through some images made during the week, I decided to pick images with a theme of architecture. At Arapahoe Station, there are three buildings that were completed in the last decade or so. In this image, I included the oldest and youngest of these buildings. I like the mix of curved and straight lines of these two buildings. For most of the week we had some high altitude clouds that provide a nice texture to the sky in this monochrome image.

Where I work, the building surfaces are covered with marble. The building has some really angular features that create some interesting images.

Here is another image that I made to include some different angles.

This image reminds me of some of the futuristic sea-going ship designs, where the angled surfaces are designed to reflect away radar reflections. This is one building where I have made several images over the last few years. These images just need to be collected into a coherent folio, but that is a project for another day!

This last weekend was the first week of summer. Friday was the Summer Solstice. With the low temperatures over the weekend, it was more like a Winter Solstice! Anyway, we had plenty of overcast weather with rain at the weekend. Also, snow was forecast in the mountains.

Originally, I had planned to head up to Mt. Evans, but the road was closed — probably because of the weather and the wind. So I headed over the Guanella Pass. Heading up the pass from Georgetown, the road follows South Clear Creek. I stopped to make some images of the creek at a location where I found some orange gravels in the creek.

Here is an aspen forest, with fresh new green leaves, close to the location. Yes. No snow-storm and no creek!

With all the snow that we have had this last year, the rivers were flowing strongly. This creek was no exception, with trees under water.

Above this spot, the creek splits into two forks.

Heading farther up the pass, one can hear the waters rushing down the creek. I this log bridge close to some small waterfalls by the roadside.

Farther upstream, the creek makes its way around a bend.

And then flows past this large boulder before heading down by the log bridge.

Higher up the pass, beavers have been busy over the years constructing dams

Over the summit of the pass, a snow storm was busy over Geneva Peak. During the course of the afternoon, the storm was busy dumping snow. At the roadside, there were occasional flurries, but it was not cold enough to stick to the roadway.

Farther down the pass, the Geneva Creek was full of snow melt.

At this location, a few feet from the creek, the flow of the water was quite deafening!

Apparently, we have not reached the peak of the snow melt!

For the last two weeks, many rivers in Colorado have filled due to snow-melt in the mountains. On Sunday, I headed out to Foxton, on the North Fork of the South Platte River, to make some photos of the river. The North Fork is fed from snow-melt and also water from a tunnel to the Dillon Reservoir. At this time of the year, the volume of flowing water can make for some great images. In this image, I used a long shutter speed to capture the flowing water.

Typically, several logs, and other debris from the forests, in carried downstream, to get snagged in boulders and other obstacles in the river.

I found a location where water flowed around some of the larger boulders in the river. Some of these granite boulders measure some 12 to 15 feet in height. In this image, there was a pine sapling growing at the bank of the river. I carefully composed this image with the background boulder and sapling aligned and centered in the frame.

As the water flows downstream, it divides and flows around boulders. In this image, the water flowed over some low boulders, creating foamy turbulence around the larger boulder.

Moving downstream, I found a flowering place that was growing in a fracture running through pink granite.

Farther downstream, is the confluence of the north and south forks of the river. The south fork did not have the huge water flow compared to the north fork.

One location on the north fork has erosion pockets in the granite walls of a narrow canyon.

For most of the late afternoon, the weather was overcast. This allowed for some great images without deep black shadow.

This last weekend, there were two art events. It was First Friday Art Walk and Art Student’s League Summer Market. After visiting one second floor gallery on Friday, I left walking down stairs and noticed one man sitting on the bench outside the gallery. This was an elderly gentleman who was watching the art scene all around him on Santa Fe Blvd. I made several images of him while people were walking past behind him. This was the best images without other distractions of passing people.

Across the street was the “Artists On Santa Fe” gallery was contrasted nicely against the late afternoon skies at sunset.

Looking up above me, the skies started to form some interesting patterns. The exterior lights had switched on to provide some light on the foreground building.

Later, after visiting some other galleries, the setting sun sank lower in the sky, creating shadows on the orange-brown facade.

Farther along the street, I noticed these four buildings with the sunset skies behind. The sunset was also reflected in the second floor windows.

On Saturday, we took the opportunity to visit the annual Summer Market hosted by the Art Student’s League. This is a two-day event where Instructors and Student Members can display their art work for sale. Close to the League building are two sites where apartment blocks are under construction. The yellow cladding on the exterior of the new buildings was reflected from the adjacent building…

I noticed this yellow tunnel formed by two closely spaced dumpsters nearby. All that yellow, contrasting against that thin sliver of blue from the truck and sky in the background, just begged for an image!

Finally, after departing the market, we passed these colorful red porch chairs.

Enjoy.

Here are the final set of images. This is the detail from the art sponsored by “Illegal Pete’s”. I like the small figure and shadow at the lower left.

This pair was working on their artwork.

And here one artist looked up, so I made this image.

There were some interesting hair…

Finally, while waiting for the light rail, I made this image of the sunset on the way home.

The festival continued into Sunday, but I never got to see all the finished pieces.

A few of the artists created 3-D art work. These works have been created to correct for the perspective. This requires the viewer stand at the front of the art piece at the designated view point marked on the pavement. Here is one image of Audrey Hepburn that the artist is completing.

Here is one artist, who I have dubbed “The Gatekeeper”, busy at work.

Here he is working some fine detail.

At last, the artist had to get uP; I could see his face and made this image as he was chatting to a bystander.

Checking on the perspective… And some more footwear!

In the shade, this hat was no longer required.

This lucky girl got a high viewpoint.

Enjoy.

Later in the afternoon, the sun dipped down below the buildings, providing much needed shade for the artists. This is the image of the artists busy with their art works.

Here are some of the artists with their work.

This artist was momentarily distracted before returning to his work.

This image only caught my eye when picking out images to show. The lady in his image appears to be looking directly at the artist as he works on the image

I made several images of this artist. That wrench behind him had jaws that were gripping the chalk.

Wrench.

Pretty soon after start to make images of artists and their art on the pavement, one soon becomes aware of all the footwear that spectators are wearing. This one guy was wearing striking red shoes and red pants.

One also becomes aware of people’s feet, in the case of these two ladies with open toe shoes.

Some kids were also riding electric scooters.

There was now shortage of food at the venue. Brats and other sausages were arrayed on the grill.

Yum. More to follow.