Photographer in Colorado

Recently, I discovered a new app (Waterlogue) for the iPhone. I made an image of the Christmas decoration on the walk from light rail to work. I used this image in Waterlogue, to convert to a watercolor-like image that can be seen below.

Christmas Decorations, Arapahoe Station

This last week has been one with really frigid weather. We have had two days with ice and freezing rain. Leaving the light rail station, I pass Chinook Tavern. At this time of the year, the low sun streams through the glass windows at the entrance. I have made similar images at this location in previous years. The orange cover is for an outdoor umbrella that sees use in warmer months of the year.

Orange Cover And Long Shadows

Further along the walk to work, a thin sheet of ice formed in a shady road intersection. The  sun reflects off the building to light up the road surface.

Street Reflections, Araphahoe Station

Currently, construction of the Arapahoe Station III building is in progress. Construction cranes are in continuous use to hoist precast concrete sections into place. Looks like they are busy with the 9th floor in the image. On a clear day, the red booms of the cranes contrast against the blue sky, as can be seen below.

Construction Crane Over Arapahoe Station Building

I stopped by Samson Park to make some iPhone images in the snow. Later I processed in Snapseed and Tangled FX.

Snow In Samson Park, Tangled

Later in the week, we had the second day of icy weather, with freezing rain that formed ice on roads, cars and sidewalks. During the commute on light, an elderly guy on the other side of the train was preparing for walking through icy conditions. I captured and image and immediately gave it the Waterlogue treatment. This app also finds and exaggerates any bright colors that appear in the image. The purple backpack of the girl (on the left) and her blond hair were enhanced by the app, as were the red stripes in the light rail seating.

Light Rail Commuter

The icy conditions lasted most of the day, under warmer conditions at night caused melting to occur.

Yesterday was the first Friday of the month — Art Walk time on Santa Fe. I made my way to Santa Fe early last night. It was very quiet in comparison to warmer months. People have probably been reveling earlier this week too! I also decided to do another Project 52 again this year. Shoot every week and post here.

I stopped at a gallery along Santa Fe that was run by Laurie. Hope I spelt her name correctly. She does weaving. It also turned out that she does photography with alternative processes (eg, tintype, calotype, ambrotype, etc). After chatting with her a while, I made these images of her colorful glass bottles.

Laurie’s Bottles

And her colorful knitting needles.

Laurie’s Needles

During visits to various galleries I passed an antique store, where I was attracted by the warm glow of the lamp in the window.

Antique Store On Santa Fe

I made a few other compositions of lampshades, including this one with a similar color palate.

Lampshade In Antique Store

Later, I was in the Point Gallery. They have this galvanized steel ceiling that reflects the colors of artwork. I moved around until I got a pleasing abstract composition reflecting blues from a painting hanging on the wall.

Reflections In Blue, Point Gallery

Returning home I passed across the road from an architect’s office. Outside were 10 lights on a low wall. The blue of the street lights provided contrasting colors. It also complements the blues in the picture above!

Ten Lights Outside

Best Wishes and a Happy New Year for 2015! Come back to see more new images throughout the year.

Recently, I signed up with Ello. You can see some more images by following this link.

Last night was the monthly Illuminate Workshops meetup group night shoot. In December, the holiday lights event takes place. Some other images from our meetup group may be found here. We met outside the Ink Coffee Shop. On the way there, I made my way from the Union Station light rail station over the Millennium Bridge. Looking up the Millennium Bridge Tower, I made this image to include the lights of the Da Vita office building.

Millennium Bridge Tower

Crossing the bridge, down the other side, I made this image of the stairs leading up the bridge towards the the tower and building.

Stairs Leading To Da Vita

After getting started with the photowalk, I made this image of the base of the tower, with fencing lit up in lilac.

Lilac Millennium Fence

The planned route was to head along 16th Street, to Union Station and then catching a free bus ride to the Denver City and County Building. Along the way we stopped to make images of reflections. I found the blue lights from an adjacent building reflected in the street. This contrasted nicely against the orange sodium lighting the sidewalk.

Blue Reflections

Next to a construction site we made our way through this blue tunnel.

Blue Pedestrian Tunnel

I made my way to Union Station for this “Travel by Train” image.

Union Station, Travel By Train

While at the station, the Chicago-bound Amtrak train had made a stop. I spent about 20 minutes in the station, chatting with some of the passengers who had left the train from some exercise and fresh air.

Amtrak Train, Chicago Bound

After the train departed, I made one final image or the pillars that support the station roof. This station has been rebuilt in recent months and has a spectacular roof that circles the platforms and railroad tracks.

Union Station Pillars

At sometime while make images at Union Station, I had lost touch with the rest of the group. Earlier there had been some protesters demonstrating along 16th Street. Apparently, the buses had stopped running, so I had no idea where the group had headed. I decided to call it night and head back home.

Continuing with last month’s road trip… Leaving Zion, I headed out to Death Valley. After setting up the camp site, I headed out to the Mesquite sand dunes before sunset. I located a spot where there were few footprints so I could capture pristine ripples in the sand.

Sand Dune Ripples, Death Valley

At this time of year, the sun is very low in the sky, so I had limited time to capture the dunes. The following day, I explored the area around the Furnace Creek campground. Along the edge of the golf course are several palm trees. These would make a distinctive image with infrared.

Palm Tree, Furnace Creek Golf Course

My trip continued on to the Alabama Hills, where I made this image of the Mobius Arch after sunset on the following day. Through the arch one can see Mount Lone Pine, one of the peaks in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

Sunrise, Mobius Arch

I met a Swiss photographer who had spent the week making images around the South West. He had made some panoramas with his iPhone. That gave me an idea for my first image that I made with an iPhone on this trip! This image was made from the other side of the arch.

Mobius Arch Panorama

After leaving Moab, I headed out to Escalante, stopping at Hanksville and later at Capitol Reef National Park. At the entrance of the Park are several Cottonwood trees along the banks of the Fremont River. There was light overcast which allowed me to capture the contrast of the dark branches against the fall colors of the leaves.

Fall Cottonwood Tree, Capitol Reef

The drive from Boulder to Escalante is over spectacular terrain, often along a knife-edged ridge. Along the roadside are views directly into Calf Creek.

Looking Down Into Calf Creek, Escalante

Before arriving at Escalante, I headed off to Devil’s Garden. With all the clouds scudding across the sky, the sunset promised to be spectacular that evening. For this image, I positioned myself int the shadow of one of the “statues” to make this image.

Statues In Devil’s Garden, No 2

After spending the night in Escalante, I headed to Zion the next day. Along the way, there was a snow storm in Red Canyon that deposited some 6 inches of snow. Continuing on, I headed on, stopping at Lidia’s Canyon, where a small pond reflected the fall colors from trees on the opposite bank.

Fall Color Reflections, Lidia’s Canyon

The east entrance to Zion follows Pine Creek down to the tunnel. I always like to stop here to capture the Maple bushes along the Creek.

Fall Colors, Pine Creek, Zion

As sunset approached, I was located near the camp sites. I setup camera, facing The Watchman, and made this image before the sun dropped below the canyon walls.

Sunset Detail On The Watchman, Zion

A couple of weeks ago, I made a road trip that included driving to Moab along the Colorado Riverway. Here are a sample of some images made on that first day. They sky was full of fabulous cloud formations, with the moon just visible among the clouds, in the late afternoon. I stopped near Castle Valley, just past Fischer Towers, that may be seen on the far left of this image.

Castle Valley, Colorado Riverway

Further along the road was a knoll, that I climbed to make the following image.

Parriott Mesa, Castle Valley

Before the sunset approached, I stopped beside the Colorado River, for this image of the sandstone cliffs on the north side of the river. The river marks the south boundary of Arches National Park.

Colorado Riverway Sunset

This image shows one feature of sandstone in the south west — the blue-black patina on the rock face is known as “Desert Varnish”.

Here are some more images from the Zombie Crawl this weekend.

Green Girl

More elaborate and colorful footwear.

Colorful Footwear

Minnie was out with her friends…

Minnie Mouse And Friends

Here is Teddy with with his chainsaw. I did not notice that guy in the left sided background until this evening. That gave made be laugh!

Chainsaw Teddy

I really love this gleeful expression of the lady! Must have been tasty!

I Love That Expression

There are a bunch of really creative costumes that people have made, as can bee seen by Maleficent, below.

Maleficent And Diaval

This was one of the last images that I made for the day.

Come Play With Us… Forever

Play forever at your own risk!

For more images, head over to the Illuminate Workshops meetup group here.