September 2003: A friend invited a number of people up to Grand Lake last weekend to take pictures of the changing trees... and drink tequila. I thought: What a great way to kick off a road trip!
Lower pools of Conundrum Hot Springs, overlooking the Conundrum valley.
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Rafters on the Colorado River at Radium.
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But first, I wanted to load up on some RadioHead CDs. I had been getting into them after seeing them on a "Freeview" concert on satellite TV. Intrigued, I bought their new album "Hail to the Thief" (a reference to the stolen US presidential election). The CD grew on me, and I found myself in a Bestbuy store increasing my credit card debt to be able to enjoy Amnesiac, OK Computer, and The Bends on the road.
Grand Lake was fun. I didn't know there were so many different colors that could be added to tequila drinks. Getting up the next morning to see what the lake was like wasn't challenging: I could swear there was caffeine in the drinks, allowing me perhaps just 20 minutes sleep the whole night. Fall colors were not nearly in full-swing, so on Saturday some of us drove out to Radium Hot Springs. Rafters, kayakers, and other assorted river people would work there way down the Colorado and pop in for a dip. Not too hot, but warmer than the Colorado!
I found 20 mg of Zoloft on Saturday evening, washed it down with a shot of Grey Goose Vodka, and if I did have any symptoms of "social anxiety disorder", they were gone in the morning: My busy mind had worked on a sci-fi screenplay all night, and I didn't bother to get very well-dressed in the morning...much to the social anxiety of my roommates.
Late Sunday afternoon I drove down from Grand Lake to the Maroon Bells area - listening to RadioHead in heavy rotation. At the bells, I obtained the shot of "Gage", the boy by Maroon Lake, above. I couldn't resist the colors he had on...he was participating in autumn, even while the Aspen trees were still holding on to summer.
Disney filmographers (right) shooting the Maroon Bells in dawn's light for the documentary Courage Colorado.
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A film crew - consisting of two men - was also taking in the scenery. They apparently worked for Disney, filming a documentary called Courage Colorado. They were filming with an HDTV camera, they said, and intended the work to be broadcast nationally. They were doing interesting things: Blowing dandelion seeds into the wind, and into the frame; and throwing rocks into Maroon Lake to make the reflection of the Bells undulate in the waves it created. These folks tolerated me, and were artistic, too - I saw some of what they were shooting. I'm looking forward to the film, knowing I was there.
These guys were professionals, and knew when the light was right. So I figure I was doing something right, being there at dusk and then dawn again, taking pictures while they filmed. Still, this was tough: As soon as the sun hits the bells, you get into an extreme contrast situation. A neutral-density gradient filter would help the situation...I tried to compensate by bracketing, which I don't think was completely successful (see my Maroon Bells shot).
East Maroon Creek, near Aspen
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Having learned, I thought, the trick of great light, I turn right around and shoot in nearly full sun, during a hike up East Maroon Creek. Not exactly a bad shot, but could have been much better during dawn, dusk, or cloudy weather.
Dusky light at the Oak House, Valley View Hot Springs. This could stand some cropping at the bottom, but I'm lazy.
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Tuesday rolled around, and I was intending to meet Buster for a hike up the nearby Conundrum Valley. He didn't show, so I hiked on up the valley to spend the night. I ended up alone, except for sharing the springs with only a couple of other intrepid souls who decided to brave the chill autumnal air. I made the 8.5 mile hike up to the springs, which are at 11,300', in just under 4 hours - perhaps my best time ever.
Oh, I do want to say that I like the 17-40 f/4L lens. It is, of course, easier than ever before to do hyperfocal shots, and if the light is just right, should result in a more dramatic photo, like the Oak House picture, below. Now if I can get both great light and composition...
Continued listening to the four albums of RadioHead all the way back to Denver. Over and over again. Now I'm looking forward to getting Pablo Honey and Kid A.
Anyway, I guess I was a little early for the aspen this year. Here's to better planning, and better pictures, in 2004.
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