Trail Ridge Summer

[Mike Lewis]

So I am very excited to have just found out about this wonderful site. This is my first post then, but surely not my last. And I actually look forward to enjoying the posts of others and passing on some comments as much as I like posting my own stuff. But anyway, I will start with an image I took just a few weeks ago, in Rocky Mountain National Park on Trail Ridge Road. I am fortunate to live less than an hour's drive from the park, and have made the drive over Trail Ridge Road many times, but it just never seems to get old.

On this day, my wife, her brother (visiting from FL) and myself were heading over to the western side to score some of the best BBQ in the state, and took advantage of the wonderful summer weather, to dawdle our way across the mountains. I took a number of images, but this one, taken from a roadside turnout, ended up being my favorite.

I am definitely looking for any constructive feedback, and thanks for taking a look.


ML

 

[JimFox]

I want to Welcome you to FocalWorld Mike, but I got totally distracted when you mentioned BBQ... After Asian Buffets with all you can eat Crab Legs, BBQ's are my 2nd favorite food. What's the name of the BBQ place and where is it?

Now that I have gotten the BBQ out of my system, it's great to have you join us here!

This is a really cool shot, I didn't get to Trail Ridge Road when I was there a few weeks back, but I did get up to Sky Pond and spent the night there shooting the stars. I like the clouds in this, and I like the distinct feel of the light coming in from the side with those traces of light on the ground.

As a possible idea, you could go with a pano crop, and crop just below the blue sky area. It changes up the mood a bit on it, and I think it works. The bad thing is you would lose some cool cloud detail that is in the upper right portion of the image. So while a crop is a possibility, I think I like this as it is.

 

[Bob Denton]

Welcome to FocalWorld!

I like this view, a pleasant and simple view with some clouds, rolling hills and some nice light!

 

[AlanLichty]

Neat viewpoint and the seemingly endless ridge lines fading off into the distance is neat with the various showers passing through. I love the clouds.

Welcome to FocalWorld!

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for the replies! And to get the high priority responses out of the way - the BBQ place is called The Sagebrush BBQ and Grill, located in Grand Lake. I think all their food is great, but being a rib aficionado in particular, I find their ribs to be otherworldly good! Super meaty and great flavor. And now I am kinda going into withdrawal just thinking about them...(sigh)

ML

 

[JimFox]

Thanks for the replies! And to get the high priority responses out of the way - the BBQ place is called The Sagebrush BBQ and Grill, located in Grand Lake. I think all their food is great, but being a rib aficionado in particular, I find their ribs to be otherworldly good! Super meaty and great flavor. And now I am kinda going into withdrawal just thinking about them...(sigh)

ML

I will check that BBQ place out for sure! I didn't get to Grand Lake this year because of the wildfire there, but last year I took the grandkids camping there and we had a blast. We rented a houseboat for a few hours on Granby Lake I think and the kids just loved it, so much to see and shoot in that area. There was moose in the water and eagles in the trees. The BBQ place gives me an extra incentive for next summer.

 

[Leslie Hunter]

That's a beautiful view.

And welcome to FocalWorld!

 

[Douglas Sherman]

Welcome to Focal World, Mike and what a nice first image to introduce yourself. I look forward to more of your mages.

 

[David S]

So I am very excited to have just found out about this wonderful site. This is my first post then, but surely not my last. And I actually look forward to enjoying the posts of others and passing on some comments as much as I like posting my own stuff. But anyway, I will start with an image I took just a few weeks ago, in Rocky Mountain National Park on Trail Ridge Road. I am fortunate to live less than an hour's drive from the park, and have made the drive over Trail Ridge Road many times, but it just never seems to get old.

On this day, my wife, her brother (visiting from FL) and myself were heading over to the western side to score some of the best BBQ in the state, and took advantage of the wonderful summer weather, to dawdle our way across the mountains. I took a number of images, but this one, taken from a roadside turnout, ended up being my favorite.


View attachment 10767


I am definitely looking for any constructive feedback, and thanks for taking a look.


ML

The clouds and shadows make it look like its underwater almost, very cool. I wonder if you had moved to your right until the goreground was all the same brush as in the middle of the picture ? Just have a green patch going through the middle of the picture? Not sure it that would work...but it would get rid of the soggy looking grass in the foreground.. Great shot though

 

[Josh Rose]

That's a really peaceful view, tranquil comes to mind.

Welcome to a FocalWorld.

 

[Darcy Grizzle]

I love the play of light & shadow in this, very nice work . Welcome to the best photo forum on earth

 

[Tom Narwid]

So I am very excited to have just found out about this wonderful site. This is my first post then, but surely not my last. And I actually look forward to enjoying the posts of others and passing on some comments as much as I like posting my own stuff. But anyway, I will start with an image I took just a few weeks ago, in Rocky Mountain National Park on Trail Ridge Road. I am fortunate to live less than an hour's drive from the park, and have made the drive over Trail Ridge Road many times, but it just never seems to get old.

On this day, my wife, her brother (visiting from FL) and myself were heading over to the western side to score some of the best BBQ in the state, and took advantage of the wonderful summer weather, to dawdle our way across the mountains. I took a number of images, but this one, taken from a roadside turnout, ended up being my favorite.


View attachment 10767


I am definitely looking for any constructive feedback, and thanks for taking a look.


ML

Nice rolling hills.

 

[Zeph]

The dappled light on the valley floor and that tree line guides me through the scene, very nice. The foreground scale lacks any element that gives the viewer a place in the image.

 

[Mike Lewis]

Thanks for all the continued feedback, very much appreciated. It really is great to post something and get some feedback

Thorhammer: I did wish for a slightly different foreground alignment, as the way that the lines of trees run off of the left seems to give it a cutoff feeling. I could not really seem to frame it to my liking and keep the views into the distance and the balance between the sky and the valley the way I liked though, and cropping that much off in post gave it a pretty bizarre aspect ratio that I also didn't like, so I lived with the compromise

Zeph: That is good input. I like the grand vista type of image, but I often end up with nothing in the frame that really gives scale to the view, so I appreciate your feedback, as it is something I probably could work harder to incorporate into many of my images.