Old West Landscape, Fog On The Mesa

Remember watching those old westerns on TV with dad? It was a Saturday afternoon favorite of mine. It's no wonder that I migrated west from Ohio long ago, to quench my thirst for the vast western landscapes. When I was processing this photo it just begged me to make it look aged, to fit in with that Old West feeling that still resides in my memory.

Fog on the Mesa

Landscape photography, done in an Old West style, of a foggy mountain landscape with a bare tree and red mesa.

Colorado Rocky Mountains west of Fort Collins, Colorado

old west landscape photos

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Pawnee National Grassland - Colorado Landscape Photography

 

Clouds fascinate me. I find myself gazing into the Colorado blue sky often. The day we chose to drive out to the Pawnee National Grassland was threatening to be stormy, but on we drove. I was rewarded for my perseverance with some of the most dramatic skies I have ever photographed. It will always be a shoot I remember. 

So if you are ever contemplating turning around in your life because it gets a little stormy you might just miss the time of your life. I know I would have.

 

Pawnee Buttes 1 

A scenic western landscape photo, of sandy rugged buttes rising under a dramatic stormy spring sky on the High Plains of Colorado. Perfect for adding the beauty of the west to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado 

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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Black and White or Color Photography?

There are times when I can not decide whether I like a photograph better in black and white or in color. This photograph was one of these times. There are good reasons for both approaches. The subject matter of the old truck and windmill seemed to be out of the past granting a perfect excuse for transforming a modern image into an "aged" black and white photo. On the other hand the rusty old truck was a beautiful reddish burnt orange against a blue Colorado sky.

In general do you like color or black and white photography better? Which do you prefer for this photograph? I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

If you are curious about seeing more of my black and white and color photography please visit my shop on Etsy.

  

Truck and Windmill

 Old truck photo, a Colorado prairie windmill landscape art print, of an abandoned old truck resting next to a prairie windmill on the High Plains of Colorado. Perfect for adding a touch of western prairie to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado

purchase information

 

 Truck and Windmill BW

Old truck black and white photo, a Colorado prairie windmill landscape art print, of an abandoned old truck resting next to a prairie windmill on the High Plains of Colorado. A modern photo given an "aged" patina, perfect for adding a touch of vintage western prairie to your home, office, or bedroom decor. Pawnee National Grassland, Colorado

purchase information 

Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about editorial, photography, and anything in between in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Prairie Homestead in Colorado

 

The only sound heard is the wind rustling through the tall dry grass of the great western High Plains.  It feels as though you could walk forever and never see another living thing, but perhaps you will be lucky and see a coyote or an antelope.  

Now days black stripes of pavement cut through these vast empty spaces.  The occasional semi truck roars past in a wash of blustery power.  People in a car loaded with luggage wave and are gone.  Then all returns as before.  The soft sigh of wind through grass resumes its murmur and I sigh along with it.

 

Prairie Homestead 

A solitary home is dwarfed by the vast space of the western prairie in the US. 

purchase information

Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about editorial, photography, and anything in between in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Cattle on the Open Range of Colorado's High Plains

On a day trip to the Pawnee Buttes in eastern Colorado's High Plains I spotted the cow and her two calves traveling across the dry and dusty landscape. With the stormy sky overhead and a promise of rain she seemed to be heading toward that promise.

Ironically a lot of the western USA is suffering with drought at the same time that the eastern USA is flooding. Learn more about global climate change.

You can see more photography from the Pawnee National Grassland in Colorado by clicking here.

Three Cows

A pale mother cow and her two calves travel across the dry and dusty high plains of Colorado with a stormy dark sky overhead.

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As always, I appreciate you sharing your thoughts about editorial, photography, and anything in between in my comments here or on my Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Aspen Light in Black and White

You might recognize this photograph. It is not entirely new to my portfolio. What is new is the presentation. I was recently requested to change a couple of my most popular color photographs to black and white. And to make things even more interesting this person wanted squares. I love a challenge so I said I would play around and see what happened. The original photograph is here too so that you can compare. Tell me what you think.

Thank you Mark in southern California for being my muse!

Aspen Light BW
My Colorado photography studio is featuring a black and white photo of an aspen tree filled meadow with their white bark dappled in light.
click here for purchase information on this photograph

Aspen Light

Here is the original color and crop of the fine art photograph, Aspen Light.
click here for purchase information on this photograph

Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

2011 Wall Calendar - Landscapes of the West

My Colorado photography studio is featuring a 2011 wall calendar of my western landscape photography. I have chosen photographs from Northern Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Zion National Park, and Olympic National Park that follow the seasons of the year in beautiful glossy full color.

"2011 Wall Calendar - Landscapes of the West" is a limited printing of twenty and each calendar is signed. It makes a great gift for the outdoors enthusiast and the nature lovers in your family. Click on any of the following images or links to purchase your copies today!

This calendar was produced using recycled content paper and soy based inks to protect the environment.

2011 Wall Calendar - Landscapes of the West
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2011 Wall Calendar - Back View
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2011 Wall Calendar - Month Sample
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Etsy JulieMagersSoulen

Firehouse Architecture - Alpine Hose No. 2

Hello! It's great to be back home in Colorado. We accomplished what we needed to do in Ohio and made time for some family reunions too. The drive was long, roughly 1300 miles one way, but we made it in record time even though we had a mechanical failure in Iowa. Seems our truck does not like moisture so I'll be staying closer to home in the semi-arid climate of the West for now.

This black and white photo of a historic firehouse was taken in Georgetown, Colorado. The old white clapboard, straight lines of the front facade, and bell tower caught my eye as a storm was brewing. In fact, we had to dash for cover shortly after I shot this photograph because of lightning. We were about a block away from our car and I heard the car alarm go off right after a close strike. Our car's security system has not been the same since! It tends to go off at the most awkward times. I hope you enjoy my new photo, Alpine Hose.

Alpine Hose
A black and white photo of a historic white clapboard firehouse with a bell tower in Georgetown, Colorado holds its western charm.
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To see more of my black and white photography click here.

Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Buffalo Dreams

The dust covers the huge woolly beast as he rolls in the prairie dirt shaking his shaggy head. Or did I dream this? Tell me your thoughts on this one.

Buffalo Dreams 8x10 Fine Art Photograph

Etsy Buy Handmade JulieMagersSoulen

Profile Page

  Welcome to my blog!

Colorado fine art photography featuring life and nature in the American West.

 I moved to Colorado more than 20 years ago and have always been an avid outdoors enthusiast. In 1999 I moved to a house we built in the forest of the Rocky Mountains where we lived off grid with solar power, well water, and cliff hanging dirt roads for twelve years. It was a unique experience that connected me to my environment in a very personal way and definitely influenced my work.

Our Rocky Mountain off grid home.

Many of my photographs were shot in this personal environment where I once lived. Colorado has so many wonderful opportunities for shooting photography. I have also traveled extensively in America's West shooting the Pacific Northwest, red rock canyons of the Four Corners, and the California coast.

My idea of fun!  I'm shooting Spider Rock in Canyon de Chelly, Arizona.

Besides my passion for photography, I love traveling, hiking in the mountain forests, reading, and sharing my life with my husband, daughter and two dogs.

AWARD WINNING
Steller's Ridge Snow - Sierra Club Rocky Mountain Chapter - January 2013

BOOKS
Paws for Charity 2009 Art Book
She's a Rainbow Photography Book
Still: The Art of Living Photography Book 

CONTRIBUTOR
University of Denver, Department of Athletics
Sierra Club, Daily Ray of Hope
Literacyhead.com
ChildSafe, Fort Collins, CO
Schmap Destination Guides

PAST WORK
For eight years my work was featured in a regular online column, The Colorado Journal, in The Denver Post.

REVIEWS
See what others are saying!

LINKS
Fine Art America Website
Etsy Shop
Facebook
Twitter
Even More Links

This blog is dedicated to all the people that have encouraged me to capture with my photography the beauty that can be found in the world around us. Please feel free to comment and give me your opinions. Enjoy!

Blog of Note|September 16, 2009