Beginnings & Endings
Here’s a selection of recent captures I’ve been collecting for this post. It is said that sunrise and sunset imagery is cliché. I ask you … how can anything as beautiful as sunrise and sunset be considered so? If they are cliché they remain enjoyable by many nevertheless. Each day is unique, offering a chance for spectacular light and color. Full disclosure however, is that I have at least as many failures as successes. It’s part of the process … partly because Mother Nature is unpredictable! Other times I am just in the wrong place at the right time! No matter the outcome, it’s worth the effort for those magical moments. I savor being out in the landscape, feeling enveloped by the light and colors, at the beginning or end of a day.
‘Gradient At Sunrise’ © Denise Bush
‘Winter Ridge At Sunrise’ © Denise Bush
‘Almost Gone’ © Denise Bush
‘Just The Beginning’ © Denise Bush
‘Above Ouray’ © Denise Bush
‘Far Off Land’ © Denise Bush
‘Distant Peaks At Sunset’ © Denise Bush
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Filed under: Colorado, Landscape Photography | 48 Comments
Tags: landscape, mountains, photography, San Juan Mountains, sunrise, sunset
Denise Bush\’s Photo Blog
Denise Bush's Photo Blog 
Folks who live along coasts particularly often go to watch the sun rise or set on a daily basis… it never gets old. Same with your beautiful photos, always a delight to see. My favorites today are ‘Gradient At Sunrise’ and ‘Far Off Land.’ The clouds do look like mountains off in the distance!
Thank Eliza! I used to like photographing the ocean at sunrise. At Cape May, at the bottom of NJ, it was possible to photograph both sunrise and sunset skies.
My favorite is Far Off Land because of the contrast between the lighter mountain peaks and lighter clouds against the darker mountains at the bottom and darker clouds. The blue sky adds a nice visual element at the top. Distant Peaks at Sunset is my next favorite because of the layers of silhouetted trees, mountains, orange clouds, dark clouds and lighter sky. Excellent seeing and captures.
Thanks for letting me know your favorites Ken! I love my Sigma 150-600mm lens. It was around 250mm for ‘Far Off Land’.
thumbs up, as always, Denise!!
Hi Rich … thank you!
I feel much the same as you about sunsets and sunrises. I was a bit shocked, when I first discovered that photographers considered photographing sunrise and sunsets as cliche’. I guess that is because these are so commonplace, happening each day.
I’ve seen some spectacular sunrises and sunsets and I never tire of watching the light changing, when there are sufficient clouds in the sky to register the changing of the colors.
I do not photograph sunset and sunrise as often as I used to, but I still enjoy seeing them and photos of spectacular ones.
Thanks for your thoughts Ken!
In your opening picture, I like the “sandwich” of dark layers across the top and bottom enclosing the warm light of the sun. And you’ve got even more of those appealing layers in most of your other shots. Well done.
Your mention of “those magical moments” reminds me of this song from the 1960s.
That’s a great oldie! I’ll play it next time I’m photographing a magic moment! Thanks for your observations and thoughts!
There’s also the version by Jay and the Americans, so you can alternate.
Beautiful!!!
Thank you! I’m glad you like them! 😊
LOVE these!
Thank very much! I appreciate the visit and comment!
Beautiful as always. It’s not called the magic hour for nothing! Never gets old!
Thanks Deb … glad you agree! XOXO
Beautiful! I too never tire of seeing sunrises and sunsets (or photographing them). Even if they might be similar at times, no two are ever exactly the same.
Thanks Diana! It’s been an interesting winter!
Beautiful skies!! I could look at them forever.
Thanks Bonnie. I was thinking … ‘what if the skies looked liked this all the time?’ I guess we wouldn’t appreciate them so much. The moments of peak color can be so fleeting!
That’s probably true!
WOW! Faro Off Land just jumped off the screen to me. LOVE IT!!
Thanks Barry! I put that one on FB too. It was the early favorite here and my favorite too. I’m glad I kept driving down the road that evening. I almost turned around a couple of times!
Beautiful shots. Love all of them probably like “Distant Peaks” the most. Just stunning.
Glad you like them Brian! Thanks so much for visiting and leaving your nice comment.
I never tire of these moments and your collection is wonderful, Denise. Far Off Land is a big hit…I’m drawn also to the pastels in Above Ouray and the layering in Distant Peaks. 🙂
Hi Jane … thank you! Glad to read your observations and know you understand my vision!
Half the fun of sunrises/sets is seeing what develops. Some days, it’s pins and needles, others, don’t bother. I’m always amazed at crowds that gather at sites, especially on the coast, that leave once the sun goes past the horizon. Sometimes they miss the best light.
I like Gradient the best.
I agree Dave! I am rarely looking to capture the big ball and here we get colorful skies in all directions. ‘Gradient At Sunrise’ was shot from my driveway! I’m glad you like it. Thanks.
Thanks to all my blogging friends for visiting and leaving a comment! I always appreciate it and use the list to visit your blogs and do the same!
I rather hate that word, cliché. Yes, I do understand it. But I resent the condescension that bolsters that cheap judgement. It can be carried too far. Certain artists seem to judge aesthetic beauty as cliché. That just bothers me. I love sunrises and sunsets. No two are the same and to capture them well takes not only a great deal of energy and dedication, but also skill.
I particularly enjoy Gradient and I like the softness of Winter Ridge. Far Off Land, oh lala! I love that one. It makes me think a bit of the Himalayas for some reason.
Thanks so much Linda. Those ‘far off land’ mountains are over by Crested Butte. They often light up at the end of the day. Yes, I agree about the word cliche’ … there are so many possibilities! I am making my rounds and you are on my list. Hope your warrior spirit is staying strong!
Thank you for sharing your images, these are truly beautiful.
Thank YOU Isabel for visiting and leaving a comment. Photos like these will keep coming … I love what Morher Nature does to celebrate the beginning and ending of a day!
Oh, they’re all so pretty! I love the soft pink light ones they just felt so peaceful and beautiful.
Thanks Deborah! I’m glad you like the soft, pink pastel skies too!
I think that a lot of photographers make a case for sunrises/sets as cliché to make what they do appear more creative or artistic. One, whose photography and writing I greatly admire, when mentioning straight scenic photography says that it’s okay but not art. I was always under the impression that the definition of art is a moving target. 🙂
Anyway, these are all beautiful, not a cliché among them. With all the cell phone grabs found on the internet these days, carefully composed and processed images are very much art. “Above Ouray” is my favorite but as I’ve said before, favorite isn’t an easy choice amongst your images. 🙂
Thank you for your thoughtful comment Steve! Choosing a favorite is not required … just a nice to know. Glad you like ‘Above Ouray’ with its less dramatic pastel sky.
You captured such beauty!! Awesome work, but I do get the failure rate framing/lighting, etc….etc. Having said this I know we are on the same page….whenever it all falls into place for that “perfect capture”…it’s all worth it!! Thanks for sharing your gift of stunning captures!
Thank you Kirt … I get that you get it! 😄 I appreciate you and your visits and comments!
Beautiful selection! There’s so much serenity there.
Thank you! There are many places to experience peace and serenity here … especially when it is not tourist season! I appreciate your visit and comment!
Fabulous photos. Like you say, sunrises and sunsets are amazing spectacles. And they are free of charge!
Thanks! It’s easy to appreciate sunrise and sunset … that’s for sure!
I like your description – the last sentence especially – and I agree that sunsets and sunrises are wonderful to experience and often make really nice photographs. Your first photo here really makes me imagine standing there and watching that glow increase, little by little, Very nice. I like the subtlety in “Just the Beginning.” The way the cloud banks streak horizontally across the sky over the mountains in the last two photos is very cool.
Thank you … I value your observations and thoughts … I enjoyed shooting them all!
Of course you did!! 😉