Month: April 2020

Adobe Attraction

It’s been awhile since I’ve dedicated a post to the ‘Adobes’ … although I have included scenes now and then, in collections with a different aim. The Adobe Hills or Adobe Badlands are a vast area of more than 10,000 acres in Montrose & Delta Counties, north of my Ouray County home. It is more arid in these counties, they get less snow and it melts quickly allowing spring to appear sooner. It is a playground for hiking, ATV & dirt bike enthusiasts, jeeping and this photographer! I find the area a bit ‘otherworldly’ and at times, being there has made me feel like I’ve landed on the Mars! I remember thinking the landscape looked like piles of dirt from a gravel pit when I first saw them. Now I think the Adobes are beautiful and I enjoy shooting there from time to time for a change of scenery. I find the contours and shapes very attractive, especially when complemented with an interesting sky and light. Well, because a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll let these images from different seasons take it from here!

A tall hill in the Adobe Badlands near Montrose resembles a pyramid.
‘My Private Pyramid’ © Denise Bush
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A winter sunset adds some pretty pink on top of the tallest hill.
‘Sunset Over Adobe Layers’ © Denise Bush
A canal winds through Montrose Colorado ranch land with the Adobe Hills in the background.
‘Autumn Canal’ © Denise Bush
Yellow wildflowers grace the sides of the road in the high desert near Montrose Colorado.
‘High Desert Bloom’ © Denise Bush
The Adobe Badlands in Montrose County, Colorado are offer interesting, arid scenery.
‘Adobe Badlands Pyramid’ © Denise Bush
Twilight falls on the snow-covered adobe hills near Montroce, Colorado.
‘Adobe Twilight Zone’ © Denise Bush

Magnificent Mountain Peaks

I’m used to always being out there, trying to out-do my best work while adding to my portfolio. I’m picky and don’t always come away with something I like enough to show, but that’s OK. It’s all good … being out in the fresh mountain air and taking in the scenery never gets old. In recent weeks I’ve stayed at home except for a couple of cabin fever drives and stops with no one else around. I’ve been shooting from our property at sunset which gets me out of the house and enjoying that special time of day. I wait, watch and hope that something wonderful happens with the light and sky … like the last image here, shot from our property. The other scenes are from some of my usual stops on days when I got lucky. I hope you enjoy seeing these magnificent peaks … they are expecting a fresh coat of spring snow tomorrow, Easter Sunday!

The San Juan Mountains of Colorado light up to feature Hayden Peak and the North Pole
‘Amber Glow At Sunset’ © Denise Bush
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Teakettle Mountain reveals its peak as clouds lift after a winter storm.
‘Teakettle In The Clouds’ © Denise Bush
A wintry scene in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado featuring Hayden Peak and North Pole Peak.
‘Winter Light On Hayden’ © Denise Bush
Looking west from Ridgway we see the end of the Sneffels Range On the left and West Baldy on the right with Pleasant Valley in between!
‘Western Winter Panorama’ © Denise Bush
(Hard to see at this small size but felt it belonged in this group!)
Hayden Peak and the North Pole are featured in this San Juan Mountain, winter scene.
‘Painted Sky Over North Pole’ © Denise Bush
A knobby peak reveals itself as a winter storm clears in the mountains of Ouray County, Colorado.
‘Knobby Reveal’ © Denise Bush
Warm light bathes the mountains as clouds lift after depositing a fresh coat of snow.
‘Warm Light Over Cold Peaks’ © Denise Bush

Critter Collection

Although I’ve dabbled over the years, I don’t consider myself a wildlife photographer by any means. I do however like to take advantage when an opportunity presents itself, and always enjoy observing animals in their environment. I have great respect for those who shoot wildlife well! It takes a lot of patience, skill and the right equipment. My equipment is geared for landscape shooting but I do have a long lens (a Sigma 150-600mm) and it is plenty sharp. On my full-frame camera, the animals are very often, still too far away. Unlike behavior you might see in places where the animals are used to visitors, here they are wild and scare easily. I’m often not quick enough, especially when my camera is set for landscapes and all wrong for fleeing subjects. Following are some of the critters I’ve had the good fortune to observe, out in the landscape.

A red-tailed hawk is captured at take-off with spruce needles and feathers flying!
‘Red-tail Take-off’ © Denise Bush
(Note the spruce needles in the air)
A red-tailed hawk perches in a spring tree against an aspen forest background.
‘Ready & Waiting’ © Denise Bush
(The background looks like I converted it to sepia but, not the case.)
A mule deer buck shows off his rack against a wintry background.
‘Hello Big Boy’ © Denise Bush
A mule deer doe Is coated in snow, blending in with the brush.
‘Hidden In Winter’ © Denise Bush
Some horses perk up and ask, "are you going to feed us"?
‘Horses In Fog & Snow’ © Denise Bush
(Are you here to feed us?)
A bear wakes up from a long winter’s nap to find some dandelions as a tasty little snack.
‘The Scent Of Dandelions’ © Denise Bush
(A tasty little snack after sleeping all winter.)
A 10 point bull elk turns to bugle to his herd.
‘Bull Elk Bugling’ © Denise Bush
Today is the day an elk calf learns to jump fences as mama coaxes.
‘You Can Do It!’ © Denise Bush
(Today Mama teaches Baby to jump a fence!)
A porcupine peeks from behind a branch it’s been nibbling high up in a tree.
‘Porcupine In Tree’ © Denise Bush
A young big horn sheep is at home on the rocks near Gunnison, Colorado in March.
‘At Home On The Rocks’ © Denise Bush
Three young bighorn sheep observe with caution.
‘Three Young Amigos’ © Denise Bush
A bull moose is spotted in a wet area near Silverton, Colorado.
‘Bull Moose In Wetland’ © Denise Bush
A bull moss is in his habitat among some red autumn willows in a wet area.
‘Landscape With Bull Moose’ © Denise Bush
(A bull moose seems to complete this autumn scene.)