Dallas Divide, Colorado

Ron Niebrugge Colorado, Photos, Travel 26 Comments

Dallas Divide, Colorado.

Dallas Divide, Colorado.

Here is a little tip that I often forget;  digital cameras capture some amazingly rich colors in dark light.  This photo for example was taken at least 15 minutes before sunrise – it was a 20 second exposure at f/11.  The images I captured of this scene with the first warm light of day hitting the hillside are nice and colorful, but look very different, and not nearly as rich as this image captured in very dark conditions.  By the way, I didn’t add any saturation with Photoshop.

The Fall images I have been posting this week were all captured by driving down relatively quite little dirt roads, some after a bit of walking around.  This is where I prefer spending time and photographing.  This photo on the other hand was actually captured from a large, popular pullout along a busy highway.  I said all along I wasn’t going to stop here, but it is just to nice to pass up, so yesterday morning I joined the crowds at this spot.

The other photographers gathered around here waited another 15 minutes before firing up their cameras, and probably thought I was a bit off shooting away in the dark like I was.  Well, I am a bit off, but this time it might have paid off.

Take a look at more of our Colorado pictures.

Comments 26

  2. Don’t know how I’ve missed this section of the country, but you’ve convinced me that next year about this time, Janie and I need to explore Colorado. Wow! You’ve sure brought out the best. Maybe we’ll see you again in Anza Borrego this winter. Again, we’ll be in our travel trailer. How ’bout you?

  4. Ron, This is simply beautiful. I’m happy to see you’re enjoying the CO fall season. You may be “a bit off” 😉 but your images are right on! Great work!

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    Thanks a lot everyone!

    Bart, I think you and Janie would enjoy it here. We will have our trailer in Borrego mid Feb to mid March this winter – hope to see you then!

    Jon, just heard he is going to be in the area – haven’t bumped into him, and we are heading to Moab today so I’m going to miss meeting him.

    Thanks again all!

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  12. When I saw this image yesterday I started thinking about going to Colorado next year. This is truly epic stuff you have been posting Ron. Going to Colorado in the fall wasn’t even on my radar.

  14. Hey Ron,

    Great tip .. something I’ve not paid attention to, but everytime I see some shots like this, I am reminded how true it is.

    Cheers

    Carl

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    Thanks guys!

    Hi Richard – I would add Colorado to your list of places to shoot – it is pretty nice, and not too far for you.

    Ron

  16. Hey Ron. It was a pleasure to finally meet you! Sorry we didn’t get a chance to hang out a bit more, but photography called for us both, I guess! 15-20 minutes before sunrise is about mid-twilight when the peak of the colors is in the sky. Not surprising you got those pinks! I’m very glad you did, this is a beautiful image!

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    Hi Laurent,

    Yeah, it was great to meet you as well, even if it was brief – evening light was calling! Sorry I didn’t get to meet your pups.

    Thanks,

    Ron

  18. Amazing scenery. I can’t get enough of predawn or post-sunset light. The quality of color that surfaces in such long exposures is always great. Everything about this photo is great. As for you being a bit off… I think we all knew that deep down already 😛

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  20. Wow, that was awesome!!!
    Actually I just some this time started to learn about how to take a good picture. But, I just have a common camera, Canon PSA 2000. T_T
    Can I do that with just an ordinary camera??????

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    Thanks Albert,

    Absolutely – you just might need to get a small tripod because of the slow shutter speeds. Otherwise, that camera should be fine.

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  24. I was at this same spot before dawn this past weekend. There were at least 30 other photographers with their fifty-thousand-dollar SUVs and photo equipment that probably cost more than my house. They all lined up along the fence and got the same shot (though not as nice a sky as in your photo). I shot it, too, even though it certainly wasn’t original. But the most fun was photographing the other photographers. What a difference between the Dallas Divide and being home on the LA freeways!

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    Hi Tom,

    You know I usually try to avoid crowded places like this and Oxbow Bend, but every now and then the view is worth it! I hope you had a good trip!

  26. Pingback: MtnAirLover’s Colorado Aspen Color Viewing Top 5 Picks « Mtn Air Lover's View

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