When we rented a house in Colorado last week to relax, escape COVID and do some hiking, we didn’t think about the wildfires out there. Staying in Estes Park, they weren’t near us, but we still occasionally smelled smoke and the grand vistas seen in the past were hazy. As a photographer, however, I saw that as an opportunity. Unusual circumstances can make for unusual pictures. Here are a few examples of how I used that in my photography:
I always make a point of driving up Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park for sunset at least once or twice each visit. Yes, the altitude (just over 12,000 feet) can make breathing a touch difficult, and it’s almost always windy and cold. But the reward for all of that is some beautiful views. This time, the smoke created a deep red sunset, and once the sun dropped behind the mountains, reflected that color in the heavy banks of smoke above. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/250 at f/7.1 in Matrix metering, -1.7 EV, Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens at 24mm.[/caption]
While hiking into Moraine Park one afternoon, the smoke in the distance was so thick the sun became a dim red disk. That, in turn, created a soft red glow to the light. Heading to a nearby stream, I tried to combine both elements into one picture. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/80 at f/13 in Matrix metering, -0.3 EV, Nikkor NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens at 24mm.
Continuing to work with that unusual red light, I used a slow shutter speed to emphasize it in the reflections off the running water. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 64, 1/20 at f/22 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens at 102mm.
Driving to a nearby area one evening to do some light painting, I had to stop and make this picture of Longs Peak silhouetted by the strong orange glow just after sunset. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 200, 1/60 at f/6.3 in Matrix metering, -1.7 EV, Nikkor NIKKOR Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens at 130mm.
During a hike with my wife and our dogs one day, I’d found a couple of spots I wanted to return and light paint at night. My first frames were of just the aspen trees, but then I realized there was still a bit of red glow to the sky in back. Zooming out let me include that in the scene as well. Nikon Z 7, Manual exposure, Sunny white balance, ISO 500, 25-seconds at f/5.6 in Matrix metering, 0.0 EV, Nikkor NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S lens at 37mm.
Coming back from a day hike in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area, the sun kept changing in intensity as the smoke shifted from thick to thin. Saint Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock is along Colorado 7, and made a great foreground for a picture to show that. Exposing to keep the sun a disk (instead of overexposing the sky) meant underexposing the chapel. So I shot a series of seven different exposures, hand-held, then combined them in software later for what’s called an “HDR” (High Dynamic Range) image. That lets me show good detail in both the brightest and darkest areas of the scene. Nikon Z 50, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 400, varying shutter speeds at f/8 in Matrix metering, -1.0 EV, Nikkor NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f/4 S lens at 15mm.
the final day of our trip we visited Moraine Park, in Rocky Mountain National Park, where the bull elk are busy gathering their harems. The smoke created a hazy look to the background, as some stronger, warmer light illuminated the meadow. Nikon Z 7, Aperture Priority, Sunny white balance, ISO 100, 1/200 at f/8 in Matrix metering, -0.7 EV, Nikkor Z 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR lens at 64mm.
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Hi Reed, my four sons also rented a house in the Estes Park area last week. I shared the link to your blog with them for inspiration. I hope that you are doing well.
Thanks Gibbs, I hope they had as good a time as we did!
Hi Reed, Great story & photos. And glad you are enjoying the 24-200! Have a safe & good trip!