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2013-06-19 14:41:32 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 37 +1s)

This is such a wonderful time of year in Rocky Mountain National Park! Flowers fill the lower meadows, streams can be heard roaring through the valleys, the tundra is coming back to life and herds of elk are now making their way to the higher elevations. It is an exciting time to be in the mountains.

2013-06-10 15:49:54 (1 comments, 6 reshares, 47 +1s)

This weekend I had to make a quick run up to northern Wyoming. While I was up there I made a brief swing through Grand Teton National Park. What a breathtaking place! The flowers were out in abundance and lots of snow was still on the mountains; all I was missing were a few puffy clouds. I hope all of you all had a good weekend!

2013-06-03 15:34:30 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 51 +1s)

We had another beautiful start to the day this morning here in Rocky Mountain National Park. The birds were singing, the fresh aspen leaves were bright green, elk were grazing and sweet smells wafted through the air. I can't wait to get back out there!

2013-05-31 14:32:32 (2 comments, 2 reshares, 53 +1s)

It was a beautiful morning in Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park this morning. Wishing you all a wonderful Friday!

2013-05-27 16:01:24 (2 comments, 3 reshares, 43 +1s)

The other night I spent sunset up on Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park with my 8 year old son. It was a beautiful evening as the last light of the day lit Longs Peak with its warm gentle glow. 

2013-05-22 13:57:59 (3 comments, 4 reshares, 64 +1s)

Many of you remember that we had a big wildfire in Rocky Mountain National Park in December. In 20 minutes pushed by high winds it moved from a remote location in the national park right up to Moraine Park near the eastern entrance. It is now coming back to life and the elk have returned to enjoy the vibrant green grass that is quickly taking over the entire burn area. This is what Moraine Park looked like at sunrise this morning with the Mummy Range looking on from above.

2013-06-03 15:32:44 (34 comments, 23 reshares, 100 +1s)

All winter long I've been waiting to take this photo, but conditions were never right. Finally, last night conditions were perfect to take this shot of Longs Peak from the Dream Lake trail. The unusual colors come from the light pollution of the Denver area. While I generally hate light pollution, this time I kind of like the feel it creates. What do you think? 

2013-05-02 13:40:06 (9 comments, 2 reshares, 66 +1s)

We had a beautiful sunrise this morning here in Rocky Mountain National Park. A snowstorm pelted us with snow yesterday and today the day started with a clear blue sky over the snowy landscape. 

2013-05-01 15:59:54 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

Here in Estes Park it is a winter wonderland. It snowed over a foot last night and still snowing hard. I haven't gotten out to take any photos yet, but hopefully soon. In the meantime, here is one I shot yesterday morning at 3:30am at the Christ in the Desert Monastery in New Mexico. I did a similar photo last month, but due to camera issues the photos were not of the necesary quality. This one, as well as a number of others from this trip will work just fine. I checked out the new gallery there yesterday and it looks very nice. As of today it should be open for business.   2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-04-23 14:39:12 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 46 +1s)

Sandstone Convergence

This is a very narrow slot canyon in central Utah. There is barely 12" between walls in many places such as this, making it difficult to move around and especially to take photos on a tripod. I love the way the texture pulls you in and then leads you into confusion as you try to figure out which wall is in front and which is in back. 

2013-04-22 14:16:16 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 26 +1s)

Here's a simple shot of the Stanley Hotel reflecting on Lake Estes this morning. 2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-04-19 16:32:04 (6 comments, 4 reshares, 66 +1s)

During my recent trip to the Desert Southwest cloud cover seemed to block most of the sunrises and sunsets, but on this morning I had two minutes of wonderful light and color. 

2013-04-17 13:51:27 (9 comments, 3 reshares, 67 +1s)

There is something wonderful about spring in the desert. I suppose it is the juxtaposition of vibrant life and arid desert which always fills me with hope. 

This was taken about a week ago in Zion National Park from the bridge where photographers gather each evening to enjoy this iconic view.

2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-04-16 13:49:02 (8 comments, 0 reshares, 52 +1s)

On the drive home from vacation we passed through an area that has some of the least light pollution in the United States. I woke them up at 4:30am to go out and see the stars. The orange glow is a little town of about 100 people some 20 miles away. 

I find it sad that we are losing our night skies to light pollution and when my son is grown, there will be almost nowhere left where we can see the Milky Way and ponder our place in the universe. Check out this map which tells the story. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/03/light-pollution-map/ 

2013-04-15 18:25:58 (4 comments, 4 reshares, 50 +1s)

Here's an image to kick off my newest Desert Southwest images. It was overcast or cloudy most of the time I was gone so I didn't get a lot of great light or clear nights. As a result, I focused on making images which would work well in black and white. This is from a remote area of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona.
2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-04-15 13:19:15 (2 comments, 1 reshares, 43 +1s)

Following a spring snowstorm Mt. Ypsilon looks down on the Big Thompson as it flows through Moraine Park. 

2013-03-15 14:08:25 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 25 +1s)

I don't often take wildlife photos, but one of my goals for this winter was to get a number of shots of bighorn sheep with a snowy backdrop. (Brown grass, brown rocks and a brown sheep just don't make for the best photo.) I've been waiting all winter for the right conditions and earlier this week things were about perfect. Fortunately, the sheep were right where I thought they might be. At this time of year the best place to find sheep is just off of highway 34 between Estes Park and Drake. 

2013-03-06 16:58:04 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 36 +1s)

The other evening I skied up the mountain for a very snowy and windy sunset in Rocky Mountain National Park. The visibility wasn't great but it created a magical feel and some great powder for skiing down. :-)

2013-02-15 17:45:27 (8 comments, 2 reshares, 46 +1s)

Here's a shot of Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park  taken in 2004 after a snowstorm wrapped the world in white. 

2013-02-13 22:54:29 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 0 +1s)

Here's a quick note for any Colorado residents of Larimer or Boulder counties who are photographers:

If you live in either Boulder or Larimer County in Colorado, then here is a great opportunity to display and sell your work. The Estes Park Cultural Arts Council is holding a photography show during our spring Jazz Festival and Art Walk in May. These events draw thousands of people with an interest in the arts to Estes Park. It is one of the best times of the year to sell art in Estes Park. The Cultural Arts Center has been putting on art shows for years and always puts on a top-notch show. This is the first time that they are making photography the focus of their spring show and so this is a rare and wonderful opportunity. 

This show is designed to show the diversity of the photography medium. It's not just for landscape photographers but for all who use the medium. If you... more »

2013-02-13 22:53:03 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Here's a quick note for any Colorado residents of Larimer or Boulder counties who are photographers:

If you live in either Boulder or Larimer County in Colorado, then here is a great opportunity to display and sell your work. The Estes Park Cultural Arts Council is holding a photography show during our spring Jazz Festival and Art Walk in May. These events draw thousands of people with an interest in the arts to Estes Park. It is one of the best times of the year to sell art in Estes Park. The Cultural Arts Center has been putting on art shows for years and always puts on a top-notch show. This is the first time that they are making photography the focus of their spring show and so this is a rare and wonderful opportunity. 

This show is designed to show the diversity of the photography medium. It's not just for landscape photographers but for all who use the medium. If you... more »

2013-02-13 16:49:08 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 36 +1s)

This morning my thoughts have been on trees. Have you ever really studied a tree or given it much thought? Tiny little seeds begin in the ground and 30 years later there is this thing of wonder. Its growth is so quiet and imperceptible that it goes completely unnoticed. It calls no attention to itself and secretly absorbs hidden nutrients until it is becomes an object of majesty. Everything it does is slow and patient, oh how patient. Yet it is not lazy, unfocused or unproductive. It operates on a different agenda than the plants around it, which hurry to grow and then quickly die. Unlike the flowers and grasses, a tree may live for hundreds of years providing shade and shelter for others. Even in its death, it serves as a home for birds and insects before it finally nourishes the soil around it. 

As I consider the tree, it makes me take stock of my own life. Am I this ever racing soul trying to... more »

2013-02-12 15:32:38 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 45 +1s)

As I was leaving from a fairly unsuccessful evening of shooting, I noticed this horse standing in a field perfectly silhouetted against the bright orange sky. I struggled for a while trying to figure out how to capture both Mew Island and the horse and this is the result. Some have asked why the horse has such a straight belly and this is because it was wearing some type of a coat to keep it warm on the chilly December evenings. 2005 ⓒ Erik Stensland

2013-02-11 16:41:41 (13 comments, 2 reshares, 46 +1s)

NEW BOOK!

It is finally finished! For quite a while I've been working on an ebook that makes landscape photography accessible to all. It is designed for anyone who wants to explore the world of landscape photography, either as a casual hobby or as a more serious endeavor. It teaches the essentials that you need to know to take beautiful photos, yet without overwhelming you with technical details. It is written in a very down-to-earth style and filled with beautiful high resolution images to illustrate the ideas. For more information or to purchase, follow this link: http://imagesofrmnp.com/product/getting-started-ebook/

Please feel free to share this. Thanks!

2013-02-08 15:14:39 (9 comments, 4 reshares, 54 +1s)

We had another beautiful sunrise up here in Rocky Mountain National Park. This was my view of Longs Peak about an hour ago. 2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-02-07 18:39:27 (0 comments, 0 reshares, 34 +1s)

Otis Peak glows in the gentle pre-dawn light early this morning. 

I just returned from a morning of adventure in the mountains. I was planning to photograph sunrise from Lake of Glass or Sky Pond but shortly after I took this photo the binding on one of my skis broke. I found myself in waist deep snow with a broken ski to carry. As a result, I didn't get any of the sunrise images as I had planned. I turned around and slowly made my way back down. It took me about 3 hours but I made it out. That was more of a workout than I had planned! 

2013-02-06 15:23:02 (5 comments, 6 reshares, 57 +1s)

This morning we were treated to a beautiful sunrise! While I was photographing, coyote on opposite sides of this meadow were howling back and forth to one another. Such beauty helps put my pile of tasks into perspective. 2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-02-05 17:21:25 (5 comments, 1 reshares, 45 +1s)

I spent this morning up around Dream Lake. The best light was about 30 minutes before sunrise. I shot some photos on the lake as well, but as usual, the wind was howling terribly. 2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-01-29 17:01:02 (11 comments, 2 reshares, 57 +1s)

Somehow, the simplest things always seem more beautiful when surrounded by adversity. Perhaps it is because only in these conditions can their truest form be seen. 

2008 © Erik Stensland

2013-01-28 16:31:55 (6 comments, 1 reshares, 80 +1s)

Good morning everyone! I hope you all had a great weekend. Winters are a great time for me to dig into my archives and find photos that I have never really looked at before. After 9 years of shooting Rocky Mountain National Park, I have lots of images that have never seen the light of day. This is the north side of Flattop Mountain and beautiful Notchtop Mountain reflecting in the still waters of Two Rivers Lake on a warm autumn morning. My hope is that these images remind you that there is so much more to life than the work which lies before you this morning. Take a minute and remember what an amazing world we live in. 

2008 © Erik Stensland

2013-01-25 21:52:22 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 8 +1s)

We've posted a brief review of two new eBooks that are going to be of interest to landscape photographers, "The Golden Hours" by +Christopher O'Donnell and "Photographing Rocky Mountain National Park" by +Erik Stensland.

Golden hours aside, we're living through a golden age when it comes to access to high quality information about photography techniques and locations!

2013-01-24 15:18:16 (8 comments, 3 reshares, 20 +1s)

I am starting a new series of e-books designed for tablet computers. The series will be called "The Landscape Photographer's Guide" and will cover a variety of topics. The first book in this series is a re-working of the little paperback "The Pocket Guide to Photographing Rocky Mountain National Park." Unlike the paperback it includes much more both in terms of information and imagery and is specifically designed to work with the latest tablet computers. 

If you previously purchased the pdf version of that book, you should have received an e-mail this past weekend with links to download it. This new version is highly graphical and has large high resolution images. The information has been updated and lots of links to Google Maps have been added so that you can quickly see the exact places I'm talking about. You can find out more information about this book and buy it... more »

2013-01-16 16:10:54 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 32 +1s)

Good morning! Here's what Longs Peak looked like at sunrise about 2 hours ago as the first rays of the sun lit the Diamond. Hope your day is off to a good start! (Make sure you view this large.)

2013 - Erik Stensland 

2013-01-15 16:37:30 (6 comments, 0 reshares, 33 +1s)

Here's an older photo of my friend +Michael Hodges as we tromp up to Lake Haiyaha in Rocky Mountain National Park for a little photography. When most people think of landscape photography they think of the beautiful images but often forget what sometimes goes into getting those images. Personally, I really enjoy these extreme conditions. There is a wildness, beauty and sense of deep solitude to be found here that I can't really explain. Hopefully I'll be able to convey a little taste of it through my images this winter.

2013-01-11 16:16:46 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 25 +1s)

Yesterday morning I was on the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park. The temperature was quite nippy at -8F and a thick layer of clouds hovered above the mountains. As the sun rose, it found a crack in the east and created this wonderful warm glow which bounced off the clouds and down onto the snow below. It only lasted a few minutes but was very magical. 

2013 - Erik Stensland

2013-01-04 19:04:29 (4 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

Ok, I guess it's time for me to join everyone else and post my favorite images of 2012. I've created two lists, one for my work in Rocky Mountain National Park and one for my photography in other locations. Here's the first list. Let me know your thoughts. 

2013-01-04 14:49:05 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 7 +1s)

These are my Best of 2012 Photographers (in no particular order).
Thank you for putting so much incredible beauty on my screen (through G+) this past year. Looking forward to seeing what you create in this new year.
I wanted to take some time to thank a few of the people on Google+ that have continued to be excellent (and consistent) sources of inspiration and creativity.
Each of these extremely talented photographers should be on your own person 'Watch List' circle, so I invite you to follow them - their adventures, their personality, and their talent deserve it. 
I'm not sharing a circle here - despite that being the popular means of sharing a group - simply because I'd like you to click on each one individually.
Take your time getting to know these photographers, it's time well spent. It's not about the frequency of posts, but the quality per... more »

2012-12-29 17:15:40 (6 comments, 2 reshares, 50 +1s)

Good morning! Here is a photo hot off the camera. I took this shot earlier this morning as a full moon set next to the Mummy Range in Rocky Mountain National Park. Incidently, this is the very first photo from my new Nikon D800e with a 24-70mm lens. Anyone need a very detailed 30"x60" print? :-) 2012 - Erik Stensland

2012-12-28 18:02:26 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 33 +1s)

The moss covered trees of the Hoh River Valley in Olympic National Park are so fascinating. They have this mysterious feel and every inch is full of color and life. 2012 - Erik Stensland

2012-12-27 21:14:18 (5 comments, 0 reshares, 41 +1s)

On one of my outings to this beautiful lighthouse in Plymouth England, the storm broke and a rainbow appeared while a seagul danced in its light. 2012 - Erik Stensland http://morninglight.us/photo/lighthouse-rainbow

"The universal painter, who dost fling Thy overflowing skill on everything! The thousand hues and shades upon the flowers, Are all the pastime of thy leisure hours; And all the gems and ores that hidden be, Are dead till they are looked upon by thee." - George MacDonald

2012-12-27 16:01:42 (18 comments, 1 reshares, 29 +1s)

I just returned from a week in the UK and it rained almost non-stop. During a break in one of the storms I photographed Smeaton's Tower in Plymouth. It seemed to need a black and white treatment. Any thoughts or suggestions?

2012-12-21 21:04:03 (9 comments, 0 reshares, 1 +1s)

When do you think is the best time to buy a new camera, just before Christmas or just after Christmas? My insurance company just told me that a check is on its way following my camera's swim in the ocean. I want to try and get the best deal possible. What are your thoughts?

2012-12-21 08:41:24 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 3 +1s)

Grand Opening of INSIVITY.COM + $2000 GIVEAWAY

I am incredibly happy to announce the official launch of Insivity (www.insivity.com). Insivity stands for "Insane Inspiration and Creativity" and consists of a collaborative effort from some of the most talented and inspirational photographers, graphic designers and illustrators in the world who are here to share their knowledge and passion with all of you...for free!

Aritsts include:
+Jeremy Cowart +Chris Burkard +Elia Locardi +Ken Kaminesky +Richard Bernabe +Catherine Hall +Dean Bradshaw +Patrick Di Fruscia +Jay Patel +Varina Patel +Alan Shapiro  and many many more.

$2000 GIVEAWAY
As part of this grand opening, we are giving away a Wacom Cintiq 22HD tablet (MSRP $1999) to one lucky winner. All you have to do is sign up for the Insivity newsletter (http://insivity.com/sign-up/)and reshare any ... more »

2012-12-19 15:00:48 (7 comments, 0 reshares, 2 +1s)

Has anyone had experience buying a factory refurbished camera? What recommendations do you have for this?

2012-12-19 10:20:01 (22 comments, 0 reshares, 4 +1s)

While photographing tide pools on the Devon coast yesterday, I slipped on the wet rocks resulting in my 5D Mark II and 24-105 lens taking a swim. Insurance will pay for an identical replacement when I get back but I'm wondering whether now is the time to make the move to the Nikon world: D800 and the 24-70. The D800 is a much better camera for landscape photography and large prints and I already use the Nikon 14-24 (with Canon adapter) but the two downsides to making the switch are 1. Nearly $2k in additional expenses and the loss of my 70-400 range. Any thoughts or suggestions?

2012-12-12 14:18:38 (4 comments, 2 reshares, 56 +1s)

A quiet evening along the Barbican in Plymouth, England.

2012-12-07 14:31:39 (3 comments, 0 reshares, 23 +1s)

Yesterday morning I took a little walk in Wild Basin, Rocky Mountain National Park to enjoy the partially frozen stream. It is pretty quiet out there at this time of year and is a great place to find a bit of solitude. 

2012-12-03 15:53:51 (6 comments, 3 reshares, 33 +1s)

This morning I climbed up to a high ridge for sunrise. The winds were blowing at least 50 mph with gusts much higher, making it difficult to stand or take any photos. The sky however exploded for about a minute above Twin Sisters Mountain and I managed to get a couple quick shots of it before it disappeared. 

I also spent some time getting a good look at the fire burning in Rocky Mountain National Park. It seems to be mainly burning in the backcountry. Our firefighters have done an amazing job holding it at bay and keeping it from spreading towards the park boundary. That is quite a feat in these strong winds! 

2012-11-30 16:02:17 (6 comments, 9 reshares, 56 +1s)

Just before dawn this morning we had a bit of a purple glow above Sprague Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park. 

2012-11-29 18:16:39 (3 comments, 1 reshares, 55 +1s)

Here's another view of last night's beautiful sunset over Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park.