Colorado Fall Color Travel and Photography Guide

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Jim

Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake. Mid-morning. September 24, 2015.

Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake. Mid-morning. September 24, 2015.

Headed for Colorado this fall? Welcome to my Colorado fall color travel and photography guide with 120 photos, 17 maps, and over 100 pages of information (if you print it all out). I cover some of the best known fall color locations in Colorado, and one real gem of a road that is mostly unknown to photographers and leaf peepers. Spend anywhere from a few days to two weeks (or more) exploring the beautiful Colorado Rockies at a gorgeous time of year.

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Perseid Meteor Report

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Jim

Night Sky over Home Lake, Lamoni Iowa. 4:59 AM, August 13, 2019. The Big Dipper is just above the trees at the lower left.

Sometimes things work out just great. Sometimes not so much. I saw two Perseid meteors this morning, neither of which made it on to film. One happened at Location 1 while I was setting up. The other happened in between frames at Location 2.

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How to See and Photograph the Perseid Meteor Shower

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Jim

Perseid Meteor photographed from Rose Hill Cemetery west of Lamoni, Iowa. 4:55 am CDT, August 13, 2018. Cropped from the original image.

The night of August 12-13 is the predicted peak night of the Peresid Meteor Shower. But you can look for the next few nights after the peak night. This article will tell you what you need to know to see and photograph the most popular meteor shower of the year.

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It all started with Sarah . . .

Posted on August 10, 2019 by Jim

Sarah, Columbus Ohio. August 10, 2006.

Thirteen years ago I was looking through some of my images and decided my portrait photography was lacking. That is when I got the bright idea of working with a professional model.

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Favorite Photos – July

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Jim

Favorite Photos, July. Click for a larger version.

Here are my favorite photos for the month of June. The story behind this “favorite photos by date” project is here.

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Favorite Photo, July 31

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Jim

Ava, Worthington Ohio. July 31, 2016.

This was another spontaneous Sunday afternoon photo shoot. The light was perfect and I picked a large tree trunk as the background. The braids help make the picture. And look at those eyes! If you have been following this series you have seen Ava before. I have been taking pictures of her and her two sisters since each of them were two or three years old. This is one of my all time favorite portraits and my most favorite image for July 31.

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Favorite Photo, July 30

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Jim

"Second Sunset", Colorado — “Second Sunset”, Brainard Lake, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Colorado. July 30, 2007.

Bob (my brother-on-law and photo buddy) and I were at Brainard Lake in hopes of capturing some nice landscape images. But it was cloudy and drizzly, and occasionally raining. We retreated to the car to eat a late snack/supper. We ate and talked and watched the rain drops on the windshield.

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Favorite Photo, July 29

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Jim

Dancer, Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa. July 29, 2004.

It was the last night of SPECTACULAR and this interpretative dance was part of the closing Communion service.

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Favorite Photo, July 28

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Jim

Finn, Lamoni Iowa. July 28, 2016.

Our grandson Finn at one month old. This is my favorite photo for this date.

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Favorite Photo, July 27

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Jim

Marcia, SPEC, Lamoni Iowa. July 27, 2006.

If you have been following this series, you have probably guessed this is another photo from SPECTACULAR, the annual July event at Graceland University. This is my favorite image for July 27. I love the expression on her face. You might be wondering how she got splattered with grass.

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Favorite Photo, July 25

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Jim

Hands on Clay, SPEC, Graceland University, Lamoni Iowa. July 25, 2006

In pottery class at SPEC, an instructor helps a camper at the wheel. This is my most favorite image for this date. I like the symbolism of experienced hands guiding younger hands.

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Favorite Photo, July 24

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Jim

Soccer at SPECTACULAR, Lamoni Iowa. July 24, 2007.

I have been to SPECTACULAR several times to photograph the events, including this soccer match. This is one of my favorite sports images because of the intensity in the player’s faces. This is my most favorite image for July 24.

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Favorite Photo, July 23

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Jim

Bob Walker, SPECTACULAR, Lamoni Iowa. July 23,2005.

My brother-in-law and photo buddy, Bob Walker, arrives at SPECTACULAR. (More about that in a minute.) This is my most favorite image for this date, for a lot of reasons. If you have been following this series, you have seen Bob before at Bear Lake in Colorado.

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Favorite Photo, July 22

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Jim

Our family (Janae, Jim III, Jared, Melissa, Jim Jr) on the trail up Flattop Mountain. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Saturday, July 22, 1989.

This is far and away one of my most favorite images and my most favorite photo for this date. Melissa and I and our three children were hiking up the trail from Bear Lake to Flattop Mountain. Not only is that a special memory, Melissa and I and my brother John were hiking the same trail August 13, 1969. Melissa and I were engaged at the time. I have a photo of Melissa and my brother at the same exact spot.

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Favorite Photo, July 21

Posted on July 25, 2019 by Jim

Meteor, Sagittarius; Scorpius, and Saturn over St. Joseph and Kansas City, Missouri. July 21, 2016

You shouldn’t be able to photograph stars from a plane. At least that is the conventional wisdom and the conventional wisdom, and in this case it almost always right. I have tried to photograph stars from a plane in flight numerous times but without success. But this flight was different.

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Favorite Photo, July 20

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Pika, Rocky Mountain National Park — Pika, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. July 20, 2005

I was up on Trail Ridge Road at Rock Cut. Pika were everywhere, gathering grass to stash away for the long winter. They have about about 3 or 4 months to gather enough food to last through an 8 or 9 month long winter. This was the only pika gathering flowers.

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Favorite Photo, July 19

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Tern with a Minnow, Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Fremont California. July 19, 2016.

You guessed it. Same place. Same subject. This time I captured a tern exploding up out of the water with a minnow in its beak. This is my favorite image for July 19.

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Favorite Photo, July 18

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Diving Tern, Fremont California. July 18, 2016.

If you have been following this series you have detected a common thread to most of the photos over the last several dates. They were created in California. Today is no exception.

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Favorite Photo, July 17

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Jim III, Janae, and Jared, O’Haver Lake, Colorado. July 17, 1989

If you have been following this series, this photo should look familiar. It is one in a series of photos of our children at this sign taken from 1979 to 1990. This series is a special favorite and this is my favorite photo for this date.

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Favorite Photo, July 16

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Hummingbird, Fremont California. July 16, 2016.

Doris, my mother-in-law, has a beautiful Lantana in her back yard with numerous orange blossoms. On three consecutive trips to California I would occasionally notice a hummingbird feeding at the Lantana. I would grab a camera and lens but the hummingbird would be gone.

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Favorite Photo, July 15

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Doris and Family, Fremont California. July 15, 2012.

The big day arrived, the celebration for Doris’ 90th birthday. Doris in the middle of the seated row, along with her four daughters. Gathered around are her sons-in-law, all of her grandchildren and some of her great-grand grandchildren. This is a favorite family portrait and one of my two most favorite images for this date.

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Favorite Photo, July 14

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Janae and Doris, Fremont California. July 14, 2012.

It was a very busy week in Fremont California. Doris, my mother-in-law, turned 90 years old and birthday preparations were in full swing. At the end of a long day we were headed back to the house. Our daughter Janae walked her grandmother Doris up to the front door. I grabbed my camera and snapped this image. It is one of my all time favorite images, and one of my two most favorite photos for this date.

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Favorite Photo, July 13

Posted on July 24, 2019 by Jim

Andrew, Fremont California. July 13, 2012.

We were in California for a family get together and I ended up out in the yard taking casual portraits. This is our grandson, Andrew. This is one of my most favorite photos for this date.

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Favorite Photo, July 12

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Jim

Bay Area Bridge looking toward San Francisco California. July 12, 2006.

I was heading toward San Francisco and I liked the way the tunnel framed the bridge. I was deliberately in the center lane so the towers would line up. This is my favorite image for this date.

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Favorite Photo, July 11

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Jim

Sunset, Lake Michigan, North Pier Lighthouses. St. Joseph Michigan. July 11, 1999.

It was a remarkable sunset at a pair of my favorite lighthouses. This is one of my two most favorite photos for July 11, and one of my all time favorite lighthouse images.

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Favorite Photo, July 10

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Jim

Samantha, Worthington Ohio. July 10, 2011

Samantha is an Ohio model and we were in a local park creating images for our respective portfolios. It was a beautiful, soft light kind of day that is perfect for portraits. This is my favorite image from our photo shoot, and one of my two most favorite images for July 10.

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Favorite Photo, July 9

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Jim

U.S. Flags, Columbus Ohio. July 9, 2016.

You can’t see all of them in this image, but there are 10 small U.S. flags in front yards along this side of this street in my neighborhood.

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Favorite Photo, July 7

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Jim

Kirtland Temple at Dusk, Kirtland Ohio. July 7, 2003.

The Kirtland Temple is a fascinating 1830s era building on the National Register of Historic Places. The walls of the Temple are white, but you wouldn’t know from this photo. The late evening light, combined with a nearby street light created this unusual color mix. This is my favorite photo for July 7.

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Colorado Fall Color Travel and Photography Guide

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Jim

Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake. Mid-morning. September 24, 2015.

Maroon Bells and Maroon Lake. Mid-morning. September 24, 2015.

Welcome to my Colorado fall color travel and photography guide with over 100 pages of information (if you print it all out), 120 photos, and 17 maps. I cover some of the best known fall color locations in Colorado, and one real gem of a road that is mostly unknown to photographers and leaf peepers. Spend anywhere from a few days to three weeks exploring the beautiful Colorado Rockies at a gorgeous time of year.

Continue reading →

Favorite Photo, July 6

Posted on July 22, 2019 by Jim

Jupiter in Scorpio, Park of the Pines, Michigan. July 6, 1995.

Park of the Pines is a campground on beautiful Lake Charlevoix near Boyne City Michigan. One night at summer camp I went to get a camera and tripod to photograph Jupiter in the stars of Scorpio over the tents, one of which had Christmas lights. I love the mix of warm and cool tones. This is my favorite image for this date.

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