I arrived in western Colorado a week too early for peak color. One of my destinations was the Colorado mining icon, Crystal Mill which is located 6 miles south of Marble, Colorado. I was planning on hiking the road but Ron Bailey offered me a ride in his jeep a few days prior via the RMNP forum. We met in Marble in the afternoon and headed up the 4x road which was everything as advertised. I have no idea how we made it over some of the boulders but Ron knew his jeep and the road well. Once at the mill Ron showed me all the great locations to plant my tripod and then he took me up to the town of Crystal to meet Ralph Neal who lives there during the summer. Ralph invited us into his small cabin and the three of us discuss the history of the area. The mill was built in 1892 to supply compressed air to pneumatic drills in the mines. Recently, Ralph caught some kids connecting rope to the mill’s penstock. They were going to pull it over with their ATVs.
After spending a few hours in the town, we returned to the mill late in the afternoon and all the other photographers had left. Ron told me to wait for the sun to warm the wood with a lower angle. I used a location to emphasize the flow of the water, the details in the rock, and the warm wood planks. Once the sunlight left the wood, we drove the nasty road once again and stopped at Lizard Lake for some reflections of the foliage surrounding the lake. We had to use the headlights on his jeep to get back to Marble. It was one of my favorite sites. We left Marble for a night in the parking lot at Maroon Bells. Polarizer only. No blending or HDR. Metered of the rock and stopped down two f/stops. Levels and Curves in LAB to pop the colors.
Red Mountain
I thought I had arrived too late at the north shore of Crystal Lake which is located on the Million Dollar Highway (550) near Ouray, Colorado. I saw a huge group of photographers located to the west so I settled in next to a lone photographer and asked if I could join him. He told me the group was a photo class and I wondered why they were in the corner and looking into the sun. I looked around for some foreground subject matter and didn’t find. Ahhhh, that’s why they are over there; foreground subject matter! I began complaining about being too late for the right lighting and he explained that I had arrived at the best time because the sunlight doesn’t hit the aspen on the western slope until around 9 am in the fall. He frequently shoots this location and certainly knew what he was talking about. It was sharp and crisp lighting and the air was still enough to create an amazing reflection. After a few minutes the wind picked up and the mirror image was lost. He packed up, said goodbye and left. I packed up and hiked down the Red Mountain stream that ran near the lake. It’s hard to find any color beside blue (clear sky) and yellow (aspen) in western Colorado and when I saw the colors at this location I thought it was of another world. The image is not blended and the colors are not altered. They have been enhanced slightly using Curves in LAB. Jarv
Three great images Jarv, super beautiful, especially that 2nd one, wow what a reflection! I also really enjoyed your narrative, you really put us there with you, thanks
Jarv, wonderful images. The exciting and exceptional composition in the 1st (there is so much in there showing the location and its surroundings, and I won't speak about the abundance of fine detail), the beautiful symmetry in N° 2 and the otherwordly feeling elicited by the last.
A super set of image. I particularly like the first one - an extraordinary composition and delicious light in the trees and on the face of the mill. Thanks for sharing the adventure.
Ron is a good guy. Hope you enjoyed hopping in the jeep with him. I know him from RMNP and CNP.
I like #2 the best of the series, but it seems based on the dark circle in the sky that you used a polarizer. That's a big problem in our Colorado high country, often causing the sky to go black and always resulting in weird rings with wide angles.
Nov 24, 2008 at 04:06 PM
David Leask Offline • • • • • • • Upload & Sell: Off
Terrific set, Jarv. Really love the symmetrical 2nd....incredibly calm reflections.
I really like the first, too, but I feel the shadows could be a little deeper. And, yeah, on what world was the last taken?? Extraordinary color in the river!!
A terrific trio of pics. I love the first it has a real old-time feel about it and would probably also look great in a conversion. Super reflection in the second, with great light and shade on the hills. I love the light and colours in the third - that river colour is extraordinary, must be something (like sulpher) in the water!
