January 2021 – Denise Bush's Photo Blog

Mountains In The Clouds

For this post I have collected images that feature mountains, along with interesting clouds. I feel each image here gives equal importance to the mountains and clouds … more or less. For me, clouds can make or break a scene. As a matter of fact, I can get quite picky about them! The clouds need to be balanced and have more interest than ordinary clouds. Shapes and composition enter into the equation too. I have been collecting images for this post since the summer … so don’t be surprised by some green! Along with some very recent additions they represent a collection I feel combines the mountains and clouds successfully.

An unsettled sky creates cloud interest over the Sneffels Range near Ridgway, Colorado. — ‘Crazy Clouds’ © Denise Bush
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The peak of Mount Hayden peaks out of illuminated clouds at sunset. — ‘Hayden Peak Peeking’ © Denise Bush

A smoky sky turns pink over Sunshine Mountain, near Telluride, Colorado. — ‘Smoky Sky At Sunset’ © Denise Bush

A a hovering cloud makes peak in the Grenadier Range of Southwest Colorado look like it's smoking. — ‘Smoking Mountain’ © Denise Bush

Sunshine Mountain is one of the more recognizable mountains near Telluride, in San Miguel County, Colorado. — ‘Last Sunlight On Sunshine Mountain’ © Denise Bush

A peak in the Sneffels Range, S9 peeks out of the clouds in time to shine in the setting sun. — ‘Above The Clouds’ © Denise Bush

Sunset illuminates a rain storm over Hayden Mountain in Colorado’s San Juans. — ‘Sunset Rain Over Hayden’ © Denise Bush
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Clouds drift over Sneffels peak in a game of hide n seek. — ‘Hide ‘N Seek’ © Denise Bush

Alone

I have been on the lookout for interesting lone tree subjects since the beginning of my photo journey. Trees with a nice shape, trees that standout against the sky or have an interesting background, catch my attention. In my previous post I featured an image of a lone tree in a small B&W collection. The image, ‘Little Tree In Pasture’ was the most popular in that post and it got a lot of likes on my Facebook page too. I wondered if it was that we feel empathy for the little tree, out there all alone, surviving in the cold snow. Thinking about lone trees as subjects a little further, I decided the stories can vary. A mighty cottonwood in a farm field might tell a story of strength and independence. Another serves as a sturdy sentinel to a distant scene while a small tree perched on a cliff tells the story of bravery against the elements. In conclusion I suppose what makes lone trees so appealing is that they are fun to personify in the stories they tell. Giving them human qualities exercises our imaginations! What stories do you see? I’d love to hear them!

A small tree clings to the side of a cliff as it enjoys a mountain view. — ‘The High Life’ © Denise Bush

A big beautiful cottonwood tree stands out, all alone in a winter field. — ‘Lone Tree In Field’© Denise Bush

A small gambel oak creates a silhouette to contrast with the sunset sky. — ‘Little Silhouette At Sunset’ © Denise Bush

A lone pine tree hangs on tho the side of a slope with remarkable resilience. — ‘Slopeside Survivor’ © Denise Bush

A cottonwood silhouette up on a ridge has a good view of the distant San Juan Mountains of Colorado. — ‘Tree With San Juans View’ © Denise Bush

Two gambel oaks intertwine to form an charming arch in winter. — ‘Together We Are One’ © Denise Bush
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I also like to find interesting groupings of trees but that is a work in progress and for a future post. If you like trees like I do, check out my ‘Tremendous Trees’ collection HERE.

Winter Scenes In B&W

Time to get 2021 started with my first post of the year. I’ve been out shooting when the conditions seem promising and my mood cooperates. Sometimes one shot will spark an idea for a self-assignment that gives me something to work on. And while out I’m always keeping my eyes open for subjects that fit any number of the new, or recurring themes on my list. Mini collections that I post here often add to past examples with the same subject, creating larger collections of what interests me most. This post includes rather random landscapes but the common threads are winter, snow, and black and white conversions. What I’ve learned over the years is that not all captures work as monochromes. I like to use DXO’s (f.k.a. Nik) Silver Efex Pro and experiment with favorite settings to discover an image’s potential. Exploring the color filters within Silver Efex or other conversion tools offers variations to compare results, and decide upon the best solution. I don’t venture far with filters because my style is to keep my photographs looking like photographs. Here are some images I feel worked well as monochromes … I hope you like them!