Rocky Mtn. Nat'l - Long's Peak Sunrise

[coloradoamigo]

I got up at 2:30am and left the house at 3:30am so I could get to this spot in time for sunrise. It was an amazing thing to see and I'm glad I was there for it. I'm really happy with how this one came out, I think it's one of my better shots. Taken with the D70, tripod, and a Cokin "P" Series graduated neutral density filter (filter 120, grad 1).
Thanks for looking!!

[opus]

Yes, it is stunningly amazing! Worth the lost sleep, I'd say! Beautiful!

[ACArmstrong]

Absolutely beautiful - great light. It was well worth it wasn't it?

[Chunk]

I got up at 2:30am and left the house at 3:30am so I could get to this spot in time for sunrise. It was an amazing thing to see and I'm glad I was there for it. I'm really happy with how this one came out, I think it's one of my better shots. Taken with the D70, tripod, and a Cokin "P" Series graduated neutral density filter (filter 120, grad 1).
Thanks for looking!!

Gorgeous sunrise and an excellent job of capturing it. That's always the best time of the day and you have a great place to watch it. Another good thing about getting up to capture one is that you've automatically earned an afternoon nap.
I don't know anything about graduated ND filters. Did you use it to get less light in the sky, evening out the the exposure or the opposite? How are they graded?

[paulnj]

I got up at 2:30am and left the house at 3:30am so I could get to this spot in time for sunrise. It was an amazing thing to see and I'm glad I was there for it. I'm really happy with how this one came out, I think it's one of my better shots. Taken with the D70, tripod, and a Cokin "P" Series graduated neutral density filter (filter 120, grad 1).
Thanks for looking!!

OK....THAT'S IT......... I will DEFINITELY TRY to GET TO COLORADO in THIS life time

this shot rocks Brian! hyperfocal is the icing on the cake!

[Clicker]

WOW! Great colors! Love the darkness of the clouds and the brightness of the sky on the left side, I like that the rocks in the foreground are in focus and everything is so sharp, I really like how you have captured the best of both worlds, the light of morning seems to be mixing with the darkness of the night, Makes me feel like I am right there..... if it were in stores, I'd buy it!

[SeattleJo]

Brian,

This is a sweet shot.

My friends think I'm a little nuts for getting up at 4:30 to catch first light, but you far outdo me!!

For me, photography helps get me out there early where I can enjoy the beauty of nature and solitude of the early morning.

Look forward to seeing more of these kind of shots.

SJ

[shesells]

As far as I'm concerned, this is an award winning photo. Stunning shot you got there!
Thanks for posting it.
~ Kit

[Speed]

I got up at 2:30am and left the house at 3:30am so I could get to this spot in time for sunrise. It was an amazing thing to see and I'm glad I was there for it. I'm really happy with how this one came out, I think it's one of my better shots. Taken with the D70, tripod, and a Cokin "P" Series graduated neutral density filter (filter 120, grad 1).
Thanks for looking!!

Yikes! Now that's dedication!

And it was well worth it. Awesome shot my friend!

[coloradoamigo]

It was indeed worth it, and I plan on more of this for sure. It's the best time of day to take shots and enjoy some mountain solitude.

Thanks Andy!!

Absolutely beautiful - great light. It was well worth it wasn't it?

[coloradoamigo]

I figure if I post enough decent pics I'll get ya out here. ;) When I was up at RMNP, they had a book of the birds of Colorado. I'll pick one up for you if want.

Thanks for the kind words Paul...

OK....THAT'S IT......... I will DEFINITELY TRY to GET TO COLORADO in THIS life time

this shot rocks Brian! hyperfocal is the icing on the cake!

[coloradoamigo]

a graduated ND filter is used to increase the dynamic range of a scene, working best when you have a bright sky and dark foreground. Care must be taken to use one of these too, as you have to make varying degrees of exposure compensation, and you must place the filter where people can't tell you have used it, and that can be a bit tricky sometimes, especially in the mountains.

Thanks for the kinds words Chunk!!

Gorgeous sunrise and an excellent job of capturing it. That's always the best time of the day and you have a great place to watch it. Another good thing about getting up to capture one is that you've automatically earned an afternoon nap.
I don't know anything about graduated ND filters. Did you use it to get less light in the sky, evening out the the exposure or the opposite? How are they graded?

[Todd Patten]

Absolutely beautiful. As I have just recently been re-infected with the photo bug (the D70 did it for me), it's been soooooo long since I have woken at the wee hours in the morning and set out on a drive to someplace simply to get the morning light. My memories of these times, when I was in my late teens and early twenties, are among the fondest of my life. The quiet, isolated atmosphere was therapeutic in and of itself. Throw in attempting to capture the moment on film and you've got what I suspect is the equivalent of any high a human can have!

You have motivated me to take a morning for myself, leave my beautiful wife and two little boys at home, and embark on and adventure for some dawn photopgraphy. Nothing beats the absolute peace of pre-dawn quiet as it grows into morning hussle. One can actually feel the world wake up through every one of their senses. I particularly enjoy this on a warm, humid morning.

Sorry if I am waxing poetic. This simply reminds me how much I enjoyed capturing the morning light. Thank you!

[paulnj]

I figure if I post enough decent pics I'll get ya out here. ;) When I was up at RMNP, they had a book of the birds of Colorado. I'll pick one up for you if want.

Thanks for the kind words Paul...

NO NEED to get ME a book...... get it for YOURSELF

I own 3 NORTH AMERICAN/ EASTERN US bird books and my friends together have 200+ other books .. I am covered on the books

mind you my friends are ORNITHOLOGISTS or MAJOR BIRDERS

my cousins just got back from his HONEYMOON in hawaii. He went to EVERY island and birded ALL but 1 day ;) HE TOOK 14 HOURS OF VIDEO of BIRDS .