Salute To Sneffels

Mount Sneffels is without a doubt the most popular mountain in Ouray County. It gets a lot of attention and rightfully so. At 14,158 feet it joins an elite club called the ‘Fourteeners’. Many very fit hikers/climbers have challenged themselves with the goal of climbing all 53 of the Fourteeners In Colorado. Mount Sneffels ranks 27th and is one of 10 in the southwest portion of the Rockies, known as the San Juans. Like a beacon, mighty Sneffels is visible from many locations in the area and therefore makes its way into a lot of my landscape photos. Some of the following are from shoots this year while others, never posted before are from my archives. Mount Sneffels inspires me … I hope you can see why!

Mighty Mount Sneffels is one of the 14ers in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
‘Mighty Mount Sneffels’ © Denise Bush
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Storm Clouds hover above the Sneffels Range and the vibrant colors of fall.
‘Storm Clouds Over Sneffels Range’ © Denise Bush
Near the end of the day only the tallest mountains receive last light.
‘Sneffels & Tree Silhouettes’ © Denise Bush
This scene of the Sneffes Range, a subset of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains creates the quintessential winter landscape. The snow provides copy space for your message.
‘Loghill Mesa View’ © Denise Bush
The Dallas Creek flows from Mount Sneffels ans surrounding mountains as the snow melts. Most of the snow has melted and the river level has lowered in this summer scene.
‘Dallas Creek & Sneffels In Summer’ © Denise Bush
The last light of day peaks through the clouds above Mount Sneffels, spotlighting the lower slope.
‘Sneffels Side-light’ © Denise Bush
Harvested hay bales lay out in a field at the end o summer in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
‘Valley Shadows With Hay Bales’ © Denise Bush
This May view of Mount Sneffels reveals plenty of snow to melt and fill the rivers and reservoirs.
‘Road To Sneffels’ © Denise Bush
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Shooting stars accompany the Milky Way over Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado.
‘Shooting Stars Over Sneffels’ © Denise Bush

Wildflowers … Grand & Intimate

I’ve enjoyed shooting flowers since the beginning of my photo journey. Living Back East, there were a lot of gardens nearby and I was a member of the renowned Longwood Gardens … an estate outside of Philadelphia, once owned by the DuPonts. I spent many hours photographing on the grounds as well as inside the conservatories. And on other days I might have enjoyed shooting the wildflowers of the South Jersey Pinelands. Then my usual lens of choice was a 100mm macro, to get up nice and close, making the flower and its bokeh background the subject. Now, living in Colorado and being so in love with the landscape I am much more interested in combining the flowers with the grand landscape, or at least part of the environment, for more intimate scenes. I’ve been using my 16-35mm, wide angle lens which allows me to focus close and achieve a greater depth of field. Finding accessible and worthy subjects with interesting backgrounds is challenging for me. And wouldn’t you know it … the best wildflowers often grow on the steepest slopes! Sturdy hiking boots and slow, careful foot placement is needed to avoid falling and damaging myself, my camera or the flowers. Forcing my tripod and myself into a steady position is a challenge as well … one that my muscles might feel the following day! Because it is often windy I compensate by adjusting my settings to quicken my shutter speed. Many of the wildflowers grow high in the alpine basins, requiring driving on narrow jeep roads. Encounters with those coming the opposite way are often sketchy! I am thankful to Brent for driving on roads I do not have the confidence to travel on by myself. I hope you enjoy what I have been able to do this year!

Fireweed grows beautifully on the steep slopes of a mountain lake in Colorado.
‘Lakeside Beauties’ © Denise Bush
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A meadow of Elephant Head wildflowers was too beautiful not to stop and photograph.
‘Elephant Head Meadow’ © Denise Bush
A beautiful cluster King’s Crown grows among other wildflowers in a high, alpine meadow near Silverton, Colorado.
‘King’s Crown Cluster’ © Denise Bush
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Sunny yellow flowers pose before a rock wall in the mountains.
‘Rock Wall Pretties’ © Denise Bush
Wildflowers often grow on rocky slopes which can put the photographer on unsteady ground.
‘On Rocky Ground’ © Denise Bush
Queen’s Crown, a relative of the more common King’s Crown grows in a pretty cluster showing varying blossom stages.
‘Queen’s Crown Cluster’ © Denise Bush
A daisy field below Red Mountain is a happy summer sight.
‘Daisies Below Red Mountain’ © Denise Bush
Columbine, Colorado’s state flower, are tucked away and framed by the surrounding rocks.
‘Tucked Away’ © Denise Bush
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Random Acts Of Nature

When venturing out on a shoot I usually have a particular destination in mind, wanting to add to an ongoing collection, or perhaps find something new. Whatever I’m after I stay tuned in to scenes and subjects along the way. I like to be open to everything Mother Nature presents to me! When it comes to inspiration and what is right with the world, she excels. Being with her brings a sense of awe, peace and hope … especially welcome during these trying times.

A vibrant rainbow apprears over the San Juan Mountains featuring Whitehouse Mountain and Teakettle Mountain.
‘San Juan Rainbow’ © Denise Bush
The sun breaks out through a hole in the clouds to illuminate this scene on a mesa near Telluride, Colorado.
‘God Beams On The Mesa’  © Denise Bush
Two Gambel Oaks create an arch and frame for the setting sun.
‘Sunburst Arch’ © Denise Bush
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Rain clouds light up pink at sunset over a golden field.
‘Alpenglow & Storm Clouds’ © Denise Bush
A rainbow surprise was waiting around the corner as a spring storm clears and the sun peeks out of the clouds.
‘Over The Rainbow’ © Denise Bush