On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Karen H
In early October of this year I attended a photo workshop in La Veta, Colorado. I had signed up for it late last year before Covid-19 and wasn’t sure if I wanted to risk going. After all, my husband and I had been really careful to take all precautions when going out for essentials and staying home otherwise. We were reassured by the safety measures the organizer was taking for the workshop and we decided that we could travel safely by car so decided to go. There were only 4 other participants and the instructor, and most of our shoots were outdoors. I guess we managed our safety protocol well because we all came home safe and healthy.
It was a welcome respite from our months of stay at home and gave us a second wind to face the next however many months ahead.
Early morning sun brings out the colors of the grasses surrounding the La Veta Town Lake, with the Sangre de Cristos mountain range and Goemmers Butte in the distance.
Aspens near Cuchara on the Highway of Legends (State Highway 12).
This is an area that was burned in the Spring fire in 2018. The dead trees are still standing, but the oaks have started to come back and for the first time since the fire, there is some Autumn color.
A Single Leaf-one of our assignments
One of the techniques we practiced was intentional camera movement. This is “drive panning” although the photographer isn’t driving, so it should be “ride panning”. It’s a fun technique, although it takes practice. I got a lot of shots that were mostly a blur.
Another type of intentional camera motion in which the lens is zoomed during exposure.
2021 Pets of Balloon Juice: Calendar B
WaterGirl
So beautiful. I was just closing the computer when I saw that it was 10:03. What a nice set of images to be the last thing I see before bed. So lovely.
satby
Very nice, looks like a great workshop!
stinger
Love that thread of dark blue in the lake picture — it really points up the reds and yellows in the grasses and the opposite shore; also love the contrasting shapes of the grass and the hills. Also the piebald dead pine against the rusts and ochres of the hill behind it. And the single leaf. And, well, all of ’em, Katie! Thanks for sharing these photos.
BigJimSlade
Hey, those intentional movement shots are a lot fun – nice job!
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I love the single leaf picture, also the aspens in motion
Benw
Amazing just amazing. You have a great eye
rekoob
On my many jaunts between Santa Fe and Denver, I switched it up a bit and did the whole Española/Fort Garland/Alamosa/Walsenburg (US 285/US 160/I-25) route, and while I saw CO 12 and La Veta, it remained the road not taken. I’ll have to correct that. Thanks for the great photos.
eclare
What a great workshop!
?BillinGlendaleCA
@BigJimSlade: I like those as well, I’ve tried the zoom effect with little sucess, I have a panning device I’ll have to see how to do that one.
Dan B
The terrain and your photos just look like a call to go roaming.
JanieM
Sounds like a fun workshop, and the pics are beautiful. The second one, coming after the first one, made me react with almost a jolt: the colors were part of it, the very different scene — but especially the road, which makes it seem like there’s motion there, even though there isn’t.
Wag
The area around La Veta is beautiful. The peaks to the south east, the Spanish Peaks, are really interesting from a geological standpoint. A pair of volcanoes that sent dikes of lava through the surrounding region, leading to all kinds of interesting ridges that stand tall above the surrounding shales. Lots of great peaks to climb in the region, as well. I love the Sangre de Cristos. Thanks for sharing your excellent photos.
Mary G
Another gorgeous spot in America. I love seeing all the stages of recovery from a wildfire. Right after a really hot fire it can look like the surface of the moon with chimneys, but life persists and some flora comes back, maybe not exactly the same.
I also love the single leaf photo. The colors and composition are striking.
Wag
@Wag: Your third photo has one of the volcanic dikes that I referenced in the previous comment.
SaltWaterCleanse
Wow, Karen, the pic of the grasses at La Veta is stunning!! Thanks for sharing. :)
cain
It’s really “God’s country” out there – I have so much reverence when I travel through Colorado Rocky Mountain region. I don’t know where La Veta is but I’ve been around a number of places around Colorado. Just a wonderful state.
J R in WV
Very nice work!
Thanks for sharing your experience and the photos!
pb3550
Love the leaf picture. You caught the leaf + the shadow of the raggedy bird right next to it.
Albatrossity
Beautiful! And for me, nostalgic. The very first time I went to Colorado, at the age of ten or so, we stayed in cabins near Cuchara. I’ve always loved the Spanish Peaks area; it is an underappreciated part of the state. Thanks for these!
Miss Bianca
@cain: La Veta is in Huerfano County, the next county over from where I live. It’s a lovely little town surrounded by equally lovely scenery. Nice photos!
way2blue
These photos are great, I love the intense autumn colors. You have a wonderful eye.