From our first group gathering, the excitement about shooting fall colors in the Colorado Rockies was palpable. There was good reason for this: the hills were dazzling! The color was rich and vibrant. It wasn’t just a spot here and another spot there, everywhere we turned there was an abundance of brilliance and splendor.
This year proved to be spectacular: our timing was perfect, and the foliage color was exceptional. We knew it. And we felt fortunate to be able to share this time photographing some of the most beautiful landscapes in North America.
The morning of our first full day started bright, crisp and welcoming! We headed to the Wilson Mesa area where we were greeted with beautiful views of Mount Wilson and an artist’s palette of color covering the hillside and the canopies of the aspen trees. The brilliant whitish stems climbed towards the sky before ending in a canopy of multicolored extravaganza. The rich, dark greens of the spruce trees helped ground the levity of the bright yellows, oranges and reds of the aspen leaves.
We visited four different sites this morning offering lots of options from big, broad, sweeping landscape views with mountains in the background to close up macro work of water droplets on colorful leaves that had recently fallen from the trees. There was plenty for everybody to shoot and engage with creatively. Ultimately, we were all there to enjoy the splendor of the morning.
The afternoon of this first day and the following four full days of this workshop continued to be equally impressive. We photographed dramatic mountain landscapes, serene rivers, close-ups of colorful vegetation and lakes with mirror-like reflections. We spent time discussing techniques to use while in the field such as composition and maximizing opportunities with the constantly shifting light conditions. We also had time to share ideas about editing and processing in a digital darkroom that took place in a private room at the Ridgway library.
The small group size of Van Os Photo Safaris keeps us in one vehicle and helps maintain our ability to be nimble with our travel plans. This year, our group of engaged and enthusiastic photographers was open and flexible. Their kindness to each other was noticeable. They took care of each other in simple ways like helping each other in and out of the van, being mindful of their location in relation to other photographers during shoots and supporting one another in many positive ways. This may seem somewhat trivial, but if we consider the overall energy experienced on such a trip, where we are together for many hours of each day, a little kindness can really make a group experience that much more enriching. Every participant on this trip commented on what a wonderful group it was.
For me, guiding a trip in a beautiful place with so much photographic potential with a group that is enthusiastic and motivated is a wonderful combination. These are the ingredients for truly memorable experiences. This year, the mountain landscapes, the fall colors and the weather all helped us to have just such an experience.
Prior to day one, I scouted a new area: Ophir. As I drove into the valley, I thought to myself, “WOW!! This place is stunning.” This was the first time this location was offered on this itinerary and it delivered! We visited for a sunrise and a sunset. Both shoots were fantastic with big sweeping mountain views, canopies of brilliant yellow and peach, and opportunities for working with the reds and oranges of foliage underfoot. Ophir was a BIG hit!
A popular photo shoot was Woods Lake: another great spot for both sunrise and sunset with mountains and canopy that catch morning and evening light. The lake also has a well-protected alcove that offered incredible reflections of mountains and autumn foliage. In addition to amazing reflections, exquisite alpine scenery and gorgeous fall colors, we were fortunate enough to observe an American Dipper working the outflow of the lake. As North America’s only truly aquatic songbird, the Dipper walks underneath the water flitting among the rocks and logs before disappearing for long moments to forage for aquatic larvae on the stream bottom, using its wings to negotiate the current. “Our Dipper” was positioned perfectly in front of golden reflections on the water and was extremely cooperative. For those of us on this trip familiar with the behavior of this smaller-than-robin-sized bird, we knew to have so much time with this typically shy bird was a rare treat.
It is well-known that southwest Colorado is a place rich with natural diversity. A trip like this is designed to take full advantage of this variety with full days maximizing our time in the field photographing while minimizing our driving time. Throughout the workshop, we were treated to great weather, bedazzling fall colors, sublime mountain scenery and fantastic company. We felt fortunate to have so many opportunities to make great images. I look forward to our next Colorado Fall Colors Workshop in the Autumn of 2025 to share this incredible place with more enthusiastic photographers.
