This is a classic Colorado autumn photography location. It's great to take in the amazing views of the fall colors in the San Juan Mountains south of Ouray.

I had been here multiple times in the past, so I knew generally a good timeframe to visit. However, the fall colors in Colorado are never right on schedule.

I was at a workshop this particular week, and this site looked promising, so a morning shoot was planned. We arrived in the dark, way before sunrise. Everyone got set up and picked their comps, then waited. We weren't the only ones there that morning.

We chatted with multiple other workshop groups, and I got to meet photographers I had only previously met online. As the sun was rising, I started capturing some photos. There were no clouds that morning, so I decided to limit the amount of sky in this photo. I captured a panorama of this because I felt the wider view told the best story that morning.

Arriving before dawn allowed plenty of time to find the perfect spot and set up equipment. It was nice to connect with other photographers who shared the same interest in capturing this seasonal display. Some I had only known through online photography communities before.

With clear skies that morning, I chose to compose my shot with minimal sky, focusing instead on the sweeping view of autumn colors across the landscape. The panoramic format captured the full scale of the scene, showing how the golden aspens flowed through the valley between mountain ridges.