Colorado Photography Locations, Estes Park, CO (2026)

08/20/2026

Help me decide! 📷

I’m torn between two different crops of this waterfall shot and would love to know which one you prefer:

• Image 1 (Wide Crop): Features more of the underwater moss and detail in the foreground.
• Image 2 (Tight Crop): Zooms in closer to emphasize the scale and detail of the waterfall itself.

Which composition pulls you in more? Drop a 1 or 2 in the comments! 👇

08/06/2026

Tucked away just past the top of the stairs at Seven Falls is a quiet, stream-level waterfall that most visitors walk right past. Midnight Falls offers clear shallow water, sheltered canyon light, and incredible low-angle composition opportunities along Cripple Creek.

I just put together a detailed field guide covering everything you need to shoot this spot: shuttle logistics, stair climbing tips, best lighting windows, lens selection, and camera settings for handling canyon breezes and soft water flow.

Check out the full photography guide here:

https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/midnight-falls-colorado-springs-photography/

08/04/2026

Garden of the Gods: Twisted Juniper Tree

Every landscape photographer knows the iconic, straight-on view of Garden of the Gods. It is breathtaking, but it has been shot millions of times. When I set out onto the nearby trails, my goal was clear: I wanted to capture a perspective that felt different, making you feel like you were standing right there on the trail, experiencing the scene in layers.

I eventually spotted the composition I wanted. In the foreground, a weathered, twisted juniper tree trunk stood surrounded by rugged red rocks, perfectly framing the massive rock formations in the distance. Bringing that vision to life, however, turned out to be a real puzzle.

Because I had to set my tripod right up against the tree trunk, my standard setup with the wide-angle lens I had on hand just was not wide enough. To hold both the intimate texture of the bark and the full scale of the backdrop, I realized I needed something much wider, at least a 16mm. I actually had to pack up, go buy a wider lens, and come back to make the composition work.

Even with the new glass in my pack, it took multiple trips back to the trail to wait for the right cloud cover, sunset light, and the exact focus stack needed to keep everything sharp from front to back.

I just put together a full guide covering exact GPS coordinates, trail access, best shooting times, and technical field tips for focus stacking this shot.

Check out the full breakdown on the site:
https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/garden-of-the-gods-photography-twisted-juniper-tree/

07/30/2026

Moonlight at the Royal Gorge Bridge.

Shooting the gorge at night is a totally different ballgame than during the day. On a recent trip with my boys, we set out to capture the full moon setting directly over the suspension bridge, but as field scouting goes, the celestial alignment was off for this run. We pivoted, adapted, and let the moonlight work for us instead.

Standing on the canyon rim around midnight, the moon behind us poured light deep down into the 1,000-foot gorge walls while the artificial bridge lights glowed through breaking storm clouds. Between managing exposure bracketing for blown-out highlights, stopping down to f/8 for crisp starbursts, and overcoming dark autofocus hunting, it turned into an incredible night shoot.

I just put together a detailed field guide covering access points, composition strategies, and technical tips for capturing the gorge under moonlight. Check out the full breakdown here:

https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/moonlight-royal-gorge-photography-guide/

07/23/2026

Living in Colorado my whole life, discovering Paint Mines Interpretive Park right in our backyard—just outside Denver and Colorado Springs—was an incredible surprise. It feels like stepping onto another planet with its pastel badlands, white sandstone hoodoos, and vibrant clays.

Photographing this area can be tricky though. Between specific permit rules, lighting windows that close fast in the gullies, and access restrictions, going in without a plan usually means missed shots or getting turned away.

I just put together a complete field guide on the site breaking down the exact logistics you need to make the trip worth it.

Inside the guide, I cover:

The specific parking lot that gets you closest to the best shoot locations

The optimal lighting window to capture the clay colors before harsh shadows take over

How to properly frame the hoodoos so they don't look small or compressed on camera

Crucial permit details you need to know if you plan to shoot before dawn or at night

If you want to add some serious visual diversity to your portfolio this season, check out the full field guide here:
https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/paint-mines-interpretive-park-photography-guide/

07/22/2026

Scouting trips don’t always go as planned, but that’s half the fun of landscape photography.

A while back, I drove up the dirt road toward Owl Creek Pass hoping to catch sunset light on Chimney Rock. The skies stayed completely clear and the sunset fizzled out, but having already dialed in a composition I liked, I decided to camp out in the back of my truck with my dog, Zeke.

Overnight, a massive thunderstorm rolled right over the ridge—heavy lightning, loud thunder, and a serious drop in temperature. But when we woke up before dawn, the storm had cleared, leaving a fresh dusting of snow across the high peaks right above the peak gold aspens.

The morning light hit the summit spire for only about 3 to 5 minutes before the direct sun melted the snow away completely. Setting up early in the freezing dark was the only way to catch it before it disappeared.

Read the full behind-the-lens field report and get exact GPS coordinates, lens recommendations, and timing logistics for this spot here:
https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/chimney-rock-owl-creek-pass-photo-guide/

07/19/2026

Looking for a unique foreground subject in Garden of the Gods that isn’t the standard postcard shot? Skip the main central garden crowds and head down the Siamese Twins loop to find this weathered, twisted root juniper tree.

Capturing it requires precise technical ex*****on. If your camera elevation is too high, you’ll catch the residential houses behind the park boundary. Too low, and you risk dwarfing the tree against the horizon.

Get the exact logistics, stabilization tips for the steep terrain, and composition strategies to clean up your frame in the full field guide: https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/twisted-root-juniper-tree-garden-of-the-gods/

07/15/2026

3 Examples of the Best Time to Photograph the Royal Gorge Bridge 🌅👇

This massive landmark in Cañon City is one of Colorado’s most spectacular sights, but capturing its true scale depends entirely on your timing. I shot the canyon at three completely different times of day, and the outcomes couldn't be more different:

1️⃣ Golden Hour: Warm, amber haze and beautifully layered mountain ridges. Plus, you can often catch turkey vultures riding the thermal updrafts over the canyon walls, which adds an incredible sense of scale! 🦅

2️⃣ Sunset: The harsh shadows disappear, letting moody pinks and purples fill the sky while bringing out the incredibly rugged, detailed textures of the granite cliffs.

3️⃣ Blue Hour: The ultimate missed opportunity for most photographers! Once the crowds pack up, the bridge's electric white lights turn on, cutting a dramatic, high-contrast line through the deep blue twilight sky. 🌌

I’ve put together a complete breakdown of the best time to photograph the Royal Gorge Bridge—including my exact camera settings, precise GPS locations, and step-by-step photo walkthroughs so you can nail the shot on your very first try.

Which of these three vibes is your favorite? Let me know in the comments! 👇

👉 Read the full breakdown on the journal here: https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-journal/3-examples-of-the-best-time-to-photograph-the-royal-gorge-bridge/

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07/15/2026

This is what I call living life on the edge! Standing just a foot away from a massive drop into the Royal Gorge in Cañon City. Out here with my oldest son, sharing these incredible experiences together and tracking down the perfect spot for when the light hits. Living life to the fullest! 🥾🏔️

Want to check out the exact location? Head over to the link below to get the GPS coordinates and read the full story:

🔗 Royal Gorge Bridge Photography Blue Hour Guide - https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/royal-gorge-bridge-photography-blue-hour-guide/

07/12/2026

Waiting out the twilight at the Royal Gorge is a game of patience, but the payoff at deep blue hour is worth it. As the ambient light drops, the bridge lights click on, casting a vibrant glow across the suspension architecture and reflecting off the dark granite canyon walls.

For this frame from the Overlook Trail, a tight crop on the bridge span itself forces a compressed perspective, emphasizing the massive 950-foot drop into the canyon while smoothing out the Arkansas River at the very bottom into a silky smooth, fluid water texture.

Because this specific viewpoint sits on public overlook land outside the commercial park gates, there are no closing hours or time restrictions blocking your access. You can stay as late into the night as needed to track the perfect exposure without an operational gate cutting your field time short.

Want the exact field intelligence for this shot? We’ve locked down the precise GPS coordinates, best focal lengths, sharpest camera settings, and critical highlight exposure tips inside our members-only layout.

👉 Get the full field guide setup: https://coloradophotographylocations.com/photography-location/royal-gorge-bridge-photography-blue-hour-guide/

Colorado Photography Locations

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