Archive for July 19, 2010

Wildflower Sunrise, Porphyry Basin, Colorado

This image is from this morning, which was probably one of the most spectacular sunrises or sets of the whole trip. The whole sky lit up pink at one point. While I didn’t find this particular tarn with abundant wildflowers until after the sun had been up for a few minutes, I still liked the strong backlight and sun in the frame.

Wildflower Sunrise, Porphyry Basin, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris) Keeping Watch from a Boulder, Mt. Evans, Colorado

It’s been too long since my last blog post … as we’ve had a bunch of unproductive days in a row. Between fixing the car, and now either altitude sickness, a sinus infection, or some combination of the two … I’ve been down and out in a hotel. Not fun! I’m feeling a bit better this morning though, and want to get back up to the mountains. This image of a Yellow-bellied Marmot is from earlier in the trip near the top of Mt. Evans. Love these guys!

Yellow-bellied Marmot (Marmota flaviventris) Keeping Watch from a Boulder, Mt. Evans, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

The Secret Passage, Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch, Utah

Here’s a neat little slot canyon from our long day in the desert yesterday. This section of Coyote Gulch is where the canyon is at one of its narrowest points. Being my first slot canyon, it was so great to experience the tight spaces, towering walls, and cool temperatures in contrast to the unrelenting desert heat. Off now to look for some snakes tonight!

"The Secret Passage", Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch, Utah, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

A Blue Badland Evening, San Rafael Swell, Utah

Quick post tonight as I must wake up in ~4 hours to head out for sunrise. Ugh! Today we spent all day hiking in 100F+ temperatures into slot canyons and in the desert in general. To call slot canyons amazing would be an understatement – I’m sure I’ll process one of those images sometime soon. For now, this image is from a large expanse of badlands near Factory Butte, Utah. I really liked the simple composition and overall blue tones of the post-sunset light.

A Blue Badlands Evening, San Rafael Swell, Utah, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Fiery Orange Sunset, Canyonlands National Park, Utah

While waiting for our car to get fixed, we haven’t been missing any opportunities to photograph. With our rental car, we have been traveling around the Moab, Utah area, and just today have driven further south to the Escalante area. I think I had a very successful sunset tonight (and saw a Rattlesnake, too), but this image is from the previous night in Canyonlands National Park, as the sun dipped below a curtain of falling rain. Standing on the edge of this cliff with the warm desert winds blowing up from below was pretty special.

Fiery Orange Sunset, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Sunset Ripples, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado

We are currently in Moab, Utah with a wee bit o’ car troubles. Going to get a rental for a few days most likely. Luckily we should still be able to continue shooting, as the desert around here is really, really amazing, with lizards, cactus, and all sorts of cool sandstone formations. Going back in time a bit, this image is from Colorado at Great Sand Dunes National Park. The hike to the top of these 8,200 ft. tall dunes required a steep ~700 ft. climb, which was absolutely brutal in the deep sand and strong winds.

Sunset Ripples, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Rainbow Over Porphyry Basin, San Juan Mountains, Colorado

We lucked out with some more good light today! As an intense 3 hour rain storm came to an end, this beautiful scene unfolded before me. Tomorrow we are likely heading to the deserts of Utah before coming back to the San Juans when the wildflowers are just a bit more in bloom.

Rainbow Over Porphyry Basin, San Juan Mountains, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) Buck Among Lupine, Gunnison National Forest, Colorado

We’ve had some more great light recently, but keep messing it up by heading to the wrong locations while the light puts on shows in the opposite direction! Luckily, we have found some other stuff to shoot during the day. After photographing lupine flowers in a large field and heading back towards our sunset location, I spotted this big Mule Deer buck walking through the fields. We were able to get our long lenses on the camera and photograph him from the car window.

Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) Buck Standing in a Field of Lupine, Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Backlit Field of Mule’s Ear, Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, United States

The trip continues! We are in a bit of a lull weather-wise right now, with bright blue skies and cold temperatures … 29F last night. In hopes of some more monsoon weather tonight, we have been photographing Aspen and numerous blooming flowers near the town of Crested Butte. This image was photographed this morning in some intense backlit conditions. I really liked the contrast between the bright light and blue shadows.

Backlit Field of Mule's Ear Flowers, Gunnison National Forest, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) Relaxing on Granite, Mt. Evans, Colorado

Quickie blog post from a Burger King parking lot. The trip has continued to be amazing, with great light and great adventure. My favorite part of the trip so far has been on the road to Mt. Evans, the highest paved road in North America at over 14,000 ft. At the top, a herd of very tame Mountain Goats can often be found and photographed as they hop from rock to rock looking for alpine grass and flowers to munch on. This male was found shortly after sunrise relaxing on a boulder at the edge of a large drop-off. Getting within feet of these big furry goats was such a thrill!

Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) Relaxing on a Large Granite Boulder, Mt. Evans, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Serene Summer Sunrise Over a Prairie Pool, Northern Colorado, United States.

The past 2 days have been amazing, with perhaps even 20 keepers over both of them. We’ve had amazing light, and have been able to photograph lots of wildlife such as Marmot, Mountain Goat, Bighorn Sheep, and two species of Prairie Dogs. This particular photograph, while not my favorite of those taken so far, was taken on a very nice morning in the prairies of northern Colorado. This particular little pool housed Eared Grebes, among other ducks, but I couldn’t help but take a photograph of the still waters and pink puffy clouds reflecting among them.

Serene Summer Sunrise Over a Prairie Pond, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.

Double Rainbow, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United States

After a grueling nonstop 30 hour journey from my doorstep in Northern Virginia, my friend Alex Mody and I arrived in the rockies of Colorado to be greeted by brewing storm clouds and spectacular light. After driving up into the Rocky Mountain National Park’s Trail Ridge Rd. we photographed Elk, Marmot, and no less than 3 seperate rainbows, followed by a decent sunset. I’d say day one of the trip was a success.

Double Rainbow, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United States.

To order this print or purchase stock rights please contact me. To view additional photos for sale please visit my website at www.chriskaylerphotography.com

*Processed on laptop.