This is gorgeous! If I may offer one critique, it looks as though the luminance in the clouds was dropped to the point where they look a bit dark. Maybe its just my crappy laptop monitor but the oranges and yellows are saturated to the point where they lack detail. I don't mean to sound negative because this is a gorgeous shot, I just wanted to throw in my two cents...

Really nice, Jim. Love the colors and the clouds.

Mark

Gorgeous color, perfect framing!

Those were the conditions I was hoping for. I was in the area for the 4 days before your visit, and as I was headed back to Boulder with some friends, we could see the weather system starting to come in from the west. It was pretty much bluebird days with few clouds the entire time I was there. Made for some good hiking and a drive over Imogene Pass to Telluride. I had all the color, just no snow or crazy atmosphere.

Great job capitalizing on superb conditions.

Absolutely beautiful!

Bev

Love it Jim. Great view and shot.

Great image! Take about colour!!

Happy Birthday.

Ute

What a feast for the eyes! I really like that you got a layer of fog there in between the trees and the mountains; it adds a nice dimension to the scene.

WOW!
Right place -right time, absolutely stunning!

Several years ago, we took a drive through Gunnison, down 149, through Slumgullion Pass, to 160 and down Wolf Creek Pass to. . .downtown Pagosa Springs. It was everything I had dreamed it would be. To quote Chef Ramsey, "I was gobsmacked!"

That entire area is a photographers mecca. You captured it well. There is so much that is beautiful there, that it seems almost difficult to come up with a single composition. Of course, you seemed to do a fine job here. Well thought out, well timed and well captured.

Cheers,
Dennis

nice one !

Colorado is a nice state for pictures
(Mesa Verde NP, GSNP, RMNP, Colorado NM)

ckcarr wrote:
Beautiful Jim!

I blew it not going over there...

Thanks Craig! Yeah, you should have come.over. Well, this next year you will have to meet me there.

Jim

ben egbert wrote:
Gorgeous. I was there a week or so earlier and it did not look anything like this. Great timing.

I really like the mix of colors, the snow and the light.

Thanks Ben, it is all about the timing. The snow sure made all the difference I am glad my timing worked out.

Jim

Robert Snow wrote:
Fantastic! Love the view, the color, and your composition...this is a wallhanger for sure.

I have seen Mt. Sneffels from the Dallas Divide, but never knew how to get down to where you took this shot. Did you go in on Hwy 7 out of Ridgway? If so, will a 2-wheel drive regular vehicle get you to some closer views similar to your image?

Great image!

bob snow

Hey Bob, thanks so much. This is from the Dallas Divide. I shot this though walking right out of the parking area next to the guard rail. I didn't shoot this from where the fence is. I thought that area was too restrictive for the foreground as it keeps you so far back from the edge.

Jim

Fred Miranda wrote:
This is gorgeous Jim!
You got the mixed warm colors, snow and a great sky. All well composed Jim-style!
Thanks for sharing this one.
Fred

Thanks Fred!! I am glad you enjoyed it, it was a joy to take.

Jim

Jo Dilbeck wrote:
Oh why, oh why do I live in California? Stunning shot with beautiful colors!

Ha ha.... thanks Jo.... I live in California too... but that's why they make cars and trucks.... so we can drive to Colorado...

Jim

nugeny wrote:
Well, Jim, You did it again. Beautiful. I am imagining a huge print!!. can you show 100% crop of one or two spots, one close and one far? I presume it was taken with D800?
Bob

Hey Bob, thanks so much. No 100% crops coming. It was shot from a D800, it has fantastic detail as you fully know. I can make out every leaf in the shot... But I am not printing out 100% crops, this will be the view I print. Besides, the gear forums are the place for pixel peeping, in here, let's just enjoy the view...

Jim

Douglas_Bush wrote:
This is gorgeous! If I may offer one critique, it looks as though the luminance in the clouds was dropped to the point where they look a bit dark. Maybe its just my crappy laptop monitor but the oranges and yellows are saturated to the point where they lack detail. I don't mean to sound negative because this is a gorgeous shot, I just wanted to throw in my two cents...

Hey Douglas, thanks so much. And you have a very good eye there. There is a couple small spots in the orange tree's on the right side and the yellows on the left where the colors are a bit hot and blown. But since it's a color area rather than pure white, I have found that when printing one often can't tell. I will do a test print and see how it looks. Thanks for adding your two cents, it's always appreciated.

Jim

ScaryFox wrote:
Great image! Take about colour!!

Happy Birthday.

Ute

Thanks Ute! Yeah, I never thought I would be so excited about turning 55, but this means that very very soon I will be ready to start the new year working my photography full time, leading photo workshops, etc... I am so ready to start this 2nd half of my life!

Jim

Fantastic shot!