Panorama of Rain Clouds over Sopris after Sunset, in Color
A full panorama of the clouds and fading light over Mt Sopris after sunset. Black and white version posted last week.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (Panorama Color #1), Carbondale, CO (19″x40″)
Panorama of Rain Clouds over Sopris after Sunset
A full panorama of the clouds and fading light over Mt Sopris after sunset. Color version next week.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (B&W #1), Carbondale, CO (19″x40″)
Panorama of Stillwater Reservoir, CO
Low water in the Stillwater Reservoir on the edge of the Flat Top Wilderness Area in Colorado. Note the driftwood stranded on the reservoir wall/bank/berm.
Stillwater Reservoir (Color Panorama #4), Routt National Forest, CO (20″x71″)
Rain Clouds over Stillwater Reservoir, CO
Dark storm clouds gather along the ridges above the Stillwater Reservoir on the edge of the Flat Top Wilderness Area in Colorado. A spectacular area to hike around.
Rain Clouds over Stillwater Reservoir (B&W #2), Routt National Forest, CO (14″x22″)
Rain Clouds over Mt Sopris after Sunset
I stuck around Carbondale for a few minutes around sunset to photograph the fading light over Mt Sopris- this mountain rarely disappoints, especially if there are any kind of storm clouds in the area.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (B&W #1), Carbondale, CO (15″x22.5″)
Mammatus Clouds over Mt Sopris
I try to take at least a brief trip back to western Colorado every year. While in the area, I usually make an effort to make a few photographs of Mt Sopris, the 12,965 ft mountain near Carbondale/Aspen/Redstone (see annual photographs of the mountain on this website). I was lucky this year to see what, in my experience, is a relatively rare scene of mammatus clouds over the mountain. I included both a black and white and color version of the scene.
Mammatus Clouds over Sopris (#2, B&W), Carbondale, CO (15″x22.5″)
Mammatus Clouds over Sopris (#2, Color), Carbondale, CO (15″x22.5″)
Building Clouds North of Albuquerque
Late spring/early summer clouds build over the desert north of Albuquerque.
Building Spring Clouds North of Albuquerque (2022), outside Albuquerque, NM (21″x46″)
Panorama of Approaching Storm
A series of full panoramas of an approach storm over Albuquerque, New Mexico. I included both color and black and white versions – each seems to have its own focus and strengths.
Approaching Storm over Albuquerque (B&W Panorama #3, 2022), Albuquerque, NM (22″x86″)
Approaching Storm over Albuquerque (Color Panorama #3, 2022), Albuquerque, NM (22″x86″)
Storm Clouds from NM 556
Storm clouds over the Sandia Mountains, shot from NM 556 in the North Valley outside Albuquerque. Two crops- one of them removes the tree in the foreground on the left. Can’t decide which I like more, so I shared both panoramas.
Storm Clouds over Sandias from NM 556 (Color #1, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (20″x54″)
Storm Clouds over Sandias from NM 556 (BW #2, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (20″x40″)
Late spring rain clouds over Sandia Wilderness
Panorama of spring rain clouds over the Sandia foothills and Wilderness area near Elena Gallegos outside Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Rain Clouds over Elena Gallegos (Panorama #1, Color), outside Albuquerque, NM (20″x50″)
Approaching Storm
I was briefly in New Mexico for a couple of days for work, and I was lucky enough to overlap with a much-needed series of rainy, cool days. Here is one photograph I took of approaching storm clouds over Albuquerque. I purposefully made the focus 95% the sky, with very little hint of ground in the frame.
Approaching Storm (BW #1, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (12″x22″)
Moore Cove Falls
Moore Cove Falls, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mt Pisgah.
Moore Cove Falls (#1, Vertical), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields
Another photograph of the Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields, also made with a 10-stop ND filter. This time I decided to get closer to the bottom of the falls to try to capture the whole series of cascades in one (non-panoramic) image.
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields, Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (15″22.5″)
Panorama of Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields
After taking a brief hike up to Devil’s Courthouse, we drove to Graveyard Fields and walked to the Upper Falls- lovely scenery, and a beautiful set of falls at the end of the hike. With a 10-stop ND filter, I made a series of 5-second exposures of the falls as they cascade over the rocks and around the corner.
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (18″x45″)
Spring Storm Clouds from Devil’s Courthouse
Rain clouds approaching us at Devil’s Courthouse. The dark cloud in the distance over the ridge on the right moved over us and delivered some nice spring rain and thunder as we were hiking near Graveyard Fields about an hour later.
Spring Clouds from Devil’s Courhouse (Single Frame #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (12″x21″)
Panoramic View from Devil’s Courthouse
Last weekend, I took a trip out to the Blue Ridge Parkway- I stopped by the Devil’s Courthouse as some dramatic spring storm clouds were rolling in. The trees at ~4,000-5,000 feet were just about to leaf out, but not quite, so it still looked a bit like late winter on the Parkway.
Spring Clouds from Devil’s Courhouse (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (17″x54″)
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves, Part 4
A few more long-exposure photographs of the rocks and waves at Bodega Bay, CA.
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves (#9, Color), Bodega Bay, CA (12″x21″)
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves (#10, Color), Bodega Bay, CA (12″x21″)
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves, Part 3
A few more long-exposure photographs of the rocks and waves at Bodega Bay, CA.
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves (#6, Color), Bodega Bay, CA (12″x21″)
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves (#7, Color), Bodega Bay, CA (12″x21″)
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves, Part 2
Another 6-second exposure photograph of the rocks and waves at Bodega Bay, CA.
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves (#5, Color), Bodega Bay, CA (12″x21″)
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves
On a recent trip to central California, I spent a morning hiking around the Bodega Head trails and photographing the rocks and waves. This was a 6-second exposure of the waves breaking around the rocks.
Bodega Head Rocks and Waves (#3, Color), Bodega Bay, CA (15″x22.5″)
Fields and Clouds at Bosque del Apache, Part 2
Grasses glow in a field under the setting sun and winter clouds at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.
Fields and Winter Clouds (#2, Color), Bosque del Apache NWR, NM (12″x21″)
Fields and Clouds at Bosque del Apache
Fields and winter clouds at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.
Fields and Winter Clouds, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM (12″x21″)
Mountains and Clouds at Bosque del Apache
I love to drive down to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in central/southern New Mexico and watch the cranes land around sunset. However, I’m not a wildlife photographer, so I like to arrive early to stroll around before sunset and look at the clouds, surrounding mountains, and open fields.
Bosque Mountains and Winter Clouds, Bosque del Apache NWR, NM (15″x22.5″)
Sandia Ridge in Clouds
A fin of rock along one of the ridge lines in the Sandia Mountain Range pokes up into the clouds.
Sandia Ridge in Clouds (Single Frame #1, 2021, B&W), Cibola National Forest, New Mexico (22.5″x15″)
Luke Parsons Photography 