I’m packing up and heading out this weekend to shoot the fall colors in Ouray Colorado. I’ve really only spent about 3-4 days in Colorado in my life and they were all near Denver during winter. So heading to the southwest part of the state, to Ouray, will be a whole new experience. I hear nothing but great things about the entire area, so I’m really excited to spend some time there.
The main goal of this trip is to shoot the fall colors of the San Juan mountain range. They supposedly just got some snow and I hear the color is looking pretty good. Before I packed up, I took a quick snapshot with my iPhone of my camera bag and figured I’d go over what I usually take. I usually travel really light but I have a few more items than normal on this trip (I usually just travel with my camera body and 1-2 lenses). I’m trying out a Canon 5D Mark III with 24-105mm lens, and a Zeiss 25mm lens that was sent to the office for review so we’ll see how that goes. But my main shooting gear is:
Main Camera Body: Nikon D800
Lenses:
• Nikon 18-35mm
• Tamrom 24-70mm
• Nikon 70-200mm
Tripod & Ballhead: Really Right Stuff TVC-33 and BH-55
Filters: Circular Polarizer, 3-stop ND, 6-stop ND, 10 Stop Lee Big Stopper
And the usual memory cards, cleaning supplies, cable release and spare battery.
Wish me luck! I’ll post some photos along with some write-ups about the trip next week. Have a good one!
Matt, hope you had a great time. It was nice running in to you at Dallas Divide. Saturday morning was FANTASTIC! I have been lucky to photograph this area four times now, in fact this was my first time back in about 5 years. Bad part is I am usually there for 10 days of shooting. Owl Creek Pass was a blaze in it’s fall glory and for once Silver Jack actually had a lot of water in it. In a couple of week I’ll be in the Smokies and based on the amount of rain that area of TN has had the last few months the rivers should be full and the trees should be ablaze.
Hey Johnny – Great to see you too (twice) 🙂
We went up to Crystal Lake Saturday morning and it was great. Clear with no clouds but the wind cooperated and we got a nice reflection.
We went to Owl Creek on Saturday afternoon and that was great too. Overall it was an awesome trip. I think we timed it pretty well huh? 🙂
Thanks again. Talk soon my friend!
Let us know when you have time to post a few of your pics and I will do the same. Now the time comsuming part, sorting and processing ALL those shots.
Matt, can find yourself in this photo I took of the Dallas Divide herd?
http://johnny.smugmug.com/Nature/Colorado-Fall-2013/37567426_S3twBg#!i=3113747181&k=NvqhXGX&lb=1&s=X2
I’ve been in Ouray the last couple days. The weather has been great and the color amazing especially in the Dallas Divide area.
Yeah, it was crazy wasn’t it. Beautiful!!
Can’t wait to see your pictures.
Matt-We were in Ouray/Ridgeway/Telluride last weekend for photography and we were about a week early for max. colors so I think you are hitting it just right. The San Juan’s do have snow and the scenery is beautiful. Since you have a buddy there I am sure you will see all of the best places. We traveled the Last Dollar Road from Ridgeway to Telluride and it was beautiful, rugged, but great photography. Have a great trip and make some great images. Enjoy.
Thanks! We hit the color just about perfect. It was a beautiful week and the colors were just screaming in most places. Will share them tomorrow on the blog 🙂
Ouray is awesome. It’s so awesome that I’ll be there on Sunday :o) With the current status of the Nat. Parks being in question I’m not sure where we are going after Ouray but some friends and I have two weeks to figure it out. Have fun!
There are 5 lenses in the photo, but maybe that is just a relevant photo and not the actual gear you are taking?
You mention the 18-35. I remember when you posted about the move from the 14-24 to the 16-35. Giving up 2mm on the wide end was no big deal. Now you shoot with the 18-35, giving up another 2mm. Do you ever miss the 4mm on the side end from the bubble lens?
My BFF went on her honeymoon in Ouray this time of year. It’s gorgeous. Enjoy!!!!!
I grew up in Denver and greatly miss seeing beautiful fall colors. We just don’t get those in California.
I saw Scott has gone Canon on us, I hope you’re not going over to the dark side now too.
Hey Glen – I actually used to shoot Canon when I first started out. I had the chance to take a long a body/lens to test it out. I haven’t shot with a Canon in nearly 10 years so I thought I’d at least bring it along to see what I thought.
Hey Matt, I was also surprised you are not taking the 16-35. Can you explain which ND filters that you use, I am considering buying one or two. I see Singh-Ray makes a “P” size, are these easy to use? Soft or hard edge? I am going to the Blue Ridge Parkway to shoot the fall colors next weekend……Thanks!!
Hey Kevin – I actually got rid of the 16-35mm lens (I had a good opportunity to do so, so I took it) and I’ve decided to go with the 18-35 that I wrote about a while back: https://mattk.com/2013/07/23/nikon-18-35mm-lens-a-new-landscape-photography-lens/
I only sacrifice 2mm on the wide end that I don’t use much anyway, and it’s a great lens that weighs half what the 16-35 did.
As for filters. I don’t use Graduated filters so soft or hard doesn’t matter to me. I use a set of Tiffen filters (1, 3, 4, 5, 6 stops) and a Lee Big Stopper 10-stop filter. I’m not crazy about the variable filters so I’ve taken it out of my bag.
Hope that helps 🙂
Hey Matt, Ouray it a Great place San Juan’s are Beautiful this time of year … also if you have time you might check out Telluride, which is a few mile west and south of Ouray. Bear Creek Falls is a great shoot if you can get there this time of year. It is in Telluride. It’s a pretty easy hike, until the last .25 mile. However, if you go be careful that’s the place I slipped and fell down the hill. 🙂 Interested to see your photos and how you liked the Canon 5D. Also, if you have time you should check out the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Have a Great time! Oh, weather forecast is snow below 6000 feet on Friday.
Dennis
Thanks Dennis. I actually think we’re making it out to Telluride one day. I have a buddy that lives there so I’m looking forward to it 🙂
Hi Matt, I see that you chose the new 18-35 and not the 16-35. I’m deciding between the two .. any recommendations? Are the 2 extra mm worth the price? Because what I’m hearing about the 18-35 is that it’s a really nice lens …