Our local Shelby Club (mostly Mustangs) had a gathering this morning so I decided to use the opportunity to take the GT down to Red Rocks in Morrison. This is a world class concert location - many bands like The Grateful Dead, Stevie Nicks (when Joe Walsh and Stevie took a little trip to Boulder, check out the story about Joe's daughter), and tons of others. Really, this place is one of the most awesome music centers in the country. Even the Amazing Race show started and finished there in their Season 9 arc. The great thing about it is that is also a park - that opens at 5AM, and one of the most awesome places to take car pictures too. At sunup there is one place in the park that I've used for years to take car pictures. It's best in the fall or spring when the sun is in the south and you get a remarkable "glow" off the sandstone.
It's spooky, but this place is about 20 miles away, and I love it.
This morning I was there at 6:45. The sun was up but the weather was changing - I had about 1 hour before the clouds came in.
Here's the best.
So this is at about 7:00. The sun is just coming up so the colors are what you see at dawn.
First, I had some helpers. When I pulled up into "the bowl" I use there was a herd of about 20 deer muching on the grass. The herd split when I pulled up but these guys and gals hung around.
Some people would want to photoshop these to adjust the color temperature, but I was there and this what at it was. I call it the "glow". The sun at this time of the year comes up and hits these rocks and it just feels "warm" even though the temps were only in the 50s. When I left home it was 51 and cloudy. The roads were wet and I couldn't see in this light that the car was actually filthy from road grime. As it got brighter I got out the Ice detailer and cleaned the rockers.
Now I'm in the shade. It's still good light but there is no direct sun. The light is reflecting off the top of the rocks so there is still good light. I love how the Gulf Blue "glows" in this light. It is, I think, a perfect color.
See the helpers in the background?
By now the sun is coming up and starting to change the color. I think this is one of my favorites. By the way, camera is a Nikon D700. A few minor adjustments for exposure is all for these. No Photoshop magic, just what I would have done with exposure adjustments in the darkroom in 1972. Also note the incredible dynamic range - highlight to shadow - this is the perfect camera.
More in the "glow".
I had some more helpers. A few years ago there was a huge bee hive in the cliffs. Now there are doves.
I'm collecting signatures. Bob Bondurant is one of Carroll Shelby's drivers from the 60's and now runs his driving school in Arizona (and now, Pueblo, CO). Carroll's wive Cleo also signed. I'm going to pull one of the struts over the winter for Camilo to sign
These (and a few others that I didn't post) are with the clamshell up. I thought the reflection of the supercharger in the glass was cool, Sort of artsy craftsy.
It's spooky, but this place is about 20 miles away, and I love it.
This morning I was there at 6:45. The sun was up but the weather was changing - I had about 1 hour before the clouds came in.
Here's the best.
So this is at about 7:00. The sun is just coming up so the colors are what you see at dawn.
First, I had some helpers. When I pulled up into "the bowl" I use there was a herd of about 20 deer muching on the grass. The herd split when I pulled up but these guys and gals hung around.
Some people would want to photoshop these to adjust the color temperature, but I was there and this what at it was. I call it the "glow". The sun at this time of the year comes up and hits these rocks and it just feels "warm" even though the temps were only in the 50s. When I left home it was 51 and cloudy. The roads were wet and I couldn't see in this light that the car was actually filthy from road grime. As it got brighter I got out the Ice detailer and cleaned the rockers.
Now I'm in the shade. It's still good light but there is no direct sun. The light is reflecting off the top of the rocks so there is still good light. I love how the Gulf Blue "glows" in this light. It is, I think, a perfect color.
See the helpers in the background?
By now the sun is coming up and starting to change the color. I think this is one of my favorites. By the way, camera is a Nikon D700. A few minor adjustments for exposure is all for these. No Photoshop magic, just what I would have done with exposure adjustments in the darkroom in 1972. Also note the incredible dynamic range - highlight to shadow - this is the perfect camera.
More in the "glow".
I had some more helpers. A few years ago there was a huge bee hive in the cliffs. Now there are doves.
I'm collecting signatures. Bob Bondurant is one of Carroll Shelby's drivers from the 60's and now runs his driving school in Arizona (and now, Pueblo, CO). Carroll's wive Cleo also signed. I'm going to pull one of the struts over the winter for Camilo to sign
These (and a few others that I didn't post) are with the clamshell up. I thought the reflection of the supercharger in the glass was cool, Sort of artsy craftsy.
