Chatfield State Park: October 2013 Sunset

What's a photographer to do once the aspens have all dropped their leaves in the High Country? Go enjoy the beauty right in his own backyard. Well, technically Chatfield State Park is across the street. But most days it feels like all of Colorado is my backyard.

There is beauty even in death, as the last remains of this thistle attest to.

I decided to drive in to the far northeast corner of the park to see what things would look like along the South Platte River.    Things looked good -- a nice mix of green and gold as the sun descended in the west.

There are nice paved bike routes connecting Chatfield with South Platte Park.  But the special views almost always come when you head off the main path.  So I headed for the dirt trails, and was pretty glad I had.

There's not much red in our fall foliage in Colorado.  So when you find some, you try and make the most of it.

I took a lot of shots of a foot bridge traversing the river and wasn't thrilled with any of them until I focused solely on the water and minimized the polarization to get the most reflection possible.  Only then did I feel like I had something special.

Rabbitbrush looks a little more dramatic backlit by the setting sun.

I'd thought I'd seen some cascades along the river when driving down C-470.  I heard them faintly before I could see them, and heading in the direction of what sounded like rushing water proved very rewarding.  Complete shade to minimize contrast, but plenty of light to capture the flow.

The sun found a small break between the clouds and trees to provide some warm highlights on the cool water.

I couldn't have placed these leaves and branch on the rocks any better.  Some beautiful stillness amidst the rushing waters.

I'd seen this tree driving home many times, and was always intrigued by how isolated it was.  With its leaves at peak gold, the sky growing pink near the horizon and a half moon overhead the moment for capturing it seemed just right.

Walking around the tree looking for just the right angle I stumbled on a patch of cactus bursting with prickly pear.  The sun had already dipped below the horizon.  But with no wind to speak of, a tripod and a long exposure I was able to get a crisp, colorful shot.

The fall smell in the air, the beautiful foliage, the calm conditions -- so many things in the running for the best art of the outing.  The 10-minute drive home made a nice addition to that mix, as well. :)