Maroon Bells
First snow of the season brings out all the photogs in the Aspen valley
First snow of the season brings out all the photogs in the Aspen valley
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Sep, 2015Views
8854
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Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Legendary Award
Contest Finalist in Perfect Reflections Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Lakes And Reflections Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Blue Skies Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Anything Reflections Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Composing With Symmetry Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Celebrating Reflections Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in Resource Travel Inspiration Photo Contest vol2
Contest Finalist in The Outdoors Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Superior Skill
Genius
Virtuoso
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Categories
dereksouter
December 18, 2015
great shot - just a shame the water wasn't totally still (damn nature, never wants to cooperate!) :D
Platinum
Platinum
jeffjacobson
December 18, 2015
Man, I take a lot of pictures of the mountains, but, whoa! You got me beat on this one! Humble pie, this is a fantastic shot! KUDOS!
PRO+
RDVPhotography
August 26, 2016
Congratulations on making the finals have won with very similar image in another contest, also have one in the contest taken near here over at Marble on way to Crystal mill. Added you to those in follow good luck
Platinum
toml721
April 27, 2017
This is a place where I'd love to live, ESP in winter!! I'll bet it looks amazing then.
Platinum
Platinum
Platinum
PRO+
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Maroon Bells, outside of Aspen CO, which is a very popular spot for tourists coming to the Roaring Fork Valley. Like hundreds of other photographers, I often attempt to take an epic shot of this popular scenic attraction. Sometimes one just gets lucky, and the wind dies down and the lake in front of the Bells is like glass, enabling a great reflection of these beautiful mountains. Since i live here, I'm able to shoot this scene during many season changes, but i have never before had such a clear image in the water.Time
It is best to shoot The Bells in the morning, as the sun moves during different times of the year, and the daylight wains. I arrived before 8am and waited until mid morning, when the sun was high enough to create shadows defining the craggy slopes, while also providing enough light to catch the trees emerging from the shadows.Lighting
There is often a lot of snow on The Bells, which makes it difficult to get definition. As this was early fall, the trees were not at their peak of color, but the sun was still strong enough to melt some of the snow. That allowed for some natural contrast in the rock face, which created a more interesting and varied surface.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D800, 24-70mm lens. I did not have my tripod with me at the time.Inspiration
The Maroon Bells is an iconic Colorado landscape that has been a favorite of photographers for hundreds of years. Ansel Adams even shot The Bells. Very often there can be a hundred tripods set up around the lake, trying to capture the perfect shot. Since I live in Aspen, I often take my camera and go to The Bells to shoot. Not only is the scenery epic and the location outstanding, it is a beautiful spot to destress and just appreciate the surrounding beauty. It would be difficult to face this natural wonder and not be inspired to capture the moment.Editing
I did some slight cropping and increased the highlights, while lightening up the shadows to bring out the trees.In my camera bag
I like to travel light. Since i live in an area that is highly photogenic, I usually just grab my camera with whatever lens I used last, and head out to shoot. There is always a lens cloth in my bag, and an extra SD card and battery, but I like to be spontaneous so I don't usually take extra equipment unless I know I will need different lenses or a tripod ahead of time.Feedback
Be patient and be prepared to wait as conditions and light often change quickly in the mountains. And expect to shoot a lot of frames, as you never know what you will find in a natural setting with shifting light and sporadic breezes.
