2025 Favorites

I’m happy to have another year of photography wrapped up with my 2025 Favorites Gallery completed. A yearly gallery is something I’ve been doing for 23 years now. I started out with 76 images and edited them down to 52 (+3 to the Home Gallery) for this 2025 collection. Click the thumbnail gallery if you’d like view and Happy New Year to all!

A collection of fine art photographs, representing the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

Visit the 2025 Favorites Gallery Here

My fine art photography is for sale in many sizes and formats. Framed and unframed prints, and canvas, metal, acrylic prints are all among the choices. Click on STORE at the top of my main website at denisebushphoto.com to take a look. Let me know if you can’t find what you are looking for. I can upload work quickly and provide a link.

Happy Holidays One & All!

Happy Holidays to all my family & friends … and especially to you, my blogging community of friends. Thanks for visiting me here from time to time. It means a lot! Until next year, I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and new year!

The graphic designer in me likes to create ecards with my photos. The last one was Bernie’s idea!

Here's a wintry but bright view of a valley below the Cimarron Ridge of the San Juan Mountains.

Peaks In The Clouds

In this post I’m sharing some of my newer images that feature local mountain peaks. This time of year I like using my long lens to focus on the snow-covered peaks. They’re so pretty when paired with the colorful skies of sunrise and sunset. I haven’t been getting out to shoot as often as usual lately, but that’s OK. I tell myself it’s good to ease up from time to time, and besides, winter is long! Hope you enjoy these favorites from the past couple of months.

Beautiful alpenglow falls upon the Cimarron Range with a light coating of snow on its peaks.
‘Alpenglow Beauty’ © Denise Bush
click here to view print options
The Sneffels Range ends with Chipeta a.k.a. Corbett Peak lights up at the end of day, along with a peak in the distance.
‘Chipeta & Beyond’ © Denise Bush
A peak in the Sneffels Range, in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, lights up at sunset.
‘Dream Catcher’ © Denise Bush
A fresh dusting of snow on Wilson Peak and cloud accent create a beautiful landscape print.
‘Winter Is Coming’ © Denise Bush
A peak in the Sneffels Range, in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, lights up at sunset.
‘In The Pink’ © Denise Bush
Pink clouds drift by Mount Sneffel's peak at the end of a beautiful day!
‘Pink Clouds Overhead’ © Denise Bush

Fall Finale

Autumn came to a quick close when we experienced several days of wind and rain during the second week of October. It was a beautiful fall, prior to the bad weather and I am glad I was able to get out there several times. Captures I’ve chosen to share in 4 posts (including these) make 50 new images. Of course there were also some that didn’t make the cut. I hope you have enjoyed my autumn posts. It is such a visually exciting time of the year!

A spruce tree stands out as different in a forest of autumn aspen trees.
‘Different From The Rest’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger or order a print
Beautiful, orange autumn aspens align beautiffully with a not too didtant mountain peak.
‘Autumn Beauties’ © Denise Bush
Autumn is an especially beautiful time of the year in Colorado's San Juan Mountains
‘First Snow & Aspens’ © Denise Bush
Young spruce trees are out front on the edge of a forest with aspen trees.
‘The Edge Of The Forest’ © Denise Bush
Aspen trees show off their yellow color agains a rock wall.
‘Up Against A Rock’ © Denise Bush
A beautiful fall day at Molas Lake, near Silverton, Colorado.
‘Autumn At The Lake’ © Denise Bush
A dense aspen forest shows off its golden color near Telluride, Colorado in autumn.
‘Lotta Gold’ © Denise Bush
A dirt road leads toward the mountains, disappearing in a dense autumn forest.
‘Into The Mountains’ © Denise Bush
The warm light of evening golden hour makes the autumn colors even more vibrant.
‘Autumn’s Golden Hour’ © Denise Bush
Aspen trees lean every which way in this autumn forest.
‘Intersecting Trunks’ © Denise Bush
Leaning aspens but survived on a mountainside in Colorado.
‘Aspens With A Slant’ © Denise Bush
Foreground aspen trees act like a screen over the background mountain slope.
‘Through The Trees’ © Denise Bush
Light shines through holes in the clouds to illuminate the aspens and background. The trees in the background are dead from beetle kill.
‘Shining Through The Clouds’ © Denise Bush
A dusting of snow on top of Wilson Peak depicts a season change, from autumn to winter.
‘A Different View, Mount Wilson’ © Denise Bush

As always, prints in a big variety of sizes and forms are available. Check out my galleries that include; Colorful Colorado, Tremendous Trees, Remnants & Remains, Windows & Doors, Nature Abstracts & Patterns and MORE! If you don’t see it please ask in the comments. I can upload new content very quickly.

Autumn Immersion

After taking it easy over the summer, autumn was what I needed to revive my photography practice. My cameras and I have been out shooting many times over the last month. I so enjoy being in the landscape, and getting in the zone. It’s an engaging exercise as I search for interesting images, and concentrate on the best ways to compose them. I hope you enjoy this selection. I loved being out there to capture them!

The edge of a forest shows off its autumn beauty in Colorafdo's San Juan Mountains.
‘Awesome Autumn Day’ © Denise Bush
click to view larger or order a print
Lined With Aspens
‘Lined With Aspens’ © Denise Bush
A storm moves into the mountains just as the day ends.
‘Stormy Nightfall’ © Denise Bush
Twilight Peak rises above 13,000 feet in the San Juan Mountains near Durango Colorado.
‘Twilight Peak In Autumn’ © Denise Bush
An October storm brews over Wilson Peak, near Telluride Colorado.
‘Storm Over Wilson Peak’ © Denise Bush
Mitigation work was done along the edge of a cliff near Durango to prevent future slides onto the highway.
‘Trimmed On The Edge’ © Denise Bush
A small group of orange aspens are surrounded by yellow.
‘A Dash Of Orange’ © Denise Bush
A little shelter rests below some mountains in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
‘Anybody Home?’ © Denise Bush
Aspen leaves cover the ground beside this old split rail fence.
‘Light On Aspen Leaves’ © Denise Bush
Autumn colors are highlighted while Wilson Peak, near Telluride, is in the clouds.
‘Cloudy Sky Above Wilson Peak’ © Denise Bush
Aspen trees line-up with their autumn color along a hill and mountain backdrop.
‘Along A Distant Hill’ © Denise Bush
A section of aspens climbs up a slope and shows off its vibrant orange color!
‘Vibrant Orange Autumn’ © Denise Bush

All of my photographs are for sale in a variety of print formats, sizes and products. Feel free to contact me with any questions!
Online Store 

September Scenics

I went out shooting quite a bit in September and have tried to keep up by processing my favorites from the month. My first goal is always to make compositions that work. As you’ll see in this post, it’s normal for the color to progress in patches. I like it when there’s some green … it means there is still more autumn to come! As more leaves turn, more leaves fall from the trees. Yesterday we had some rain and very strong winds. I imagine there were big changes in the aspen forests. Fall goes by fast and that’s why I get out there early! It’s not just a matter of shooting pretty foliage. I am always looking for something a little different. We had several days with spotty storms which made for conditions I was pleased with.

Autumn aspens line a dirt jeep road in the high country of Colorado.
‘Golden Passage’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger or order a print
Aspen trees transition to fall in a diagonal line, down a mountain slope near Ouray, Colorado.
‘Forest Diagonals’ © Denise Bush
Snow comes early to the peaks of Colorado's San Juan Mountains.
‘Early Autumn Snow’ © Denise Bush
A beautiful palette of color is displayed on top of this autumn mountain.
‘Autumn A La Slope’ © Denise Bush
Our rapidly changing weather and frequent isolated storms have been both challenging and rewarding. I love the light on these peaks, created by an opening in storm clouds at sundown.
‘Storm Light On Mountain Peaks’ © Denise Bush
Fresh snow on top of a rounded mountain can't help but remind one of a powder sugar donut!
‘Powdered Sugar Topping’ © Denise Bush
Beautiful colors appear below Red Mountain in the Autumn. Ouray, Colorado
‘Red Mountain Colors’ © Denise Bush
A border of young aspens line up to show off their autumn color.
‘The Front Line’ © Denise Bush
notecards, unframed, framed, canvas, acrylic & metal prints available
Something about these small aspen trees caught this photographer's eye to make a unique, intimate landscape
‘Something About It’ © Denise Bush
A slope wakes up to soft morning light in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, near Ouray.
‘Colorful Autumn Slope’ © Denise Bush
An autumn forest displays diagonal and parallel lines along with the bare slope in the back.
‘Parallel Lines’ © Denise Bush
Clouds came and went on this autumn day in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
‘Autumn Classic’ © Denise Bush
A line of golden aspens marches up the middle slope of this angular, San Juan Mountain scene.
‘Autumn Angles’ © Denise Bush
Aspens transition in yellow, orange and red colors each autumn in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
‘Assorted Autumn Aspens’ © Denise Bush
Tall in aspens light up behind some small ones doing the same. This is a probable case of an avalanche some years agp.
‘Some Tall, Some Small’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger or order a print

Finding Fall

Around here we claim the best time to enjoy fall foliage is during the last two weeks of September, and the first two weeks of October. There really isn’t a ‘peak’ since areas develop at different times. Factors include the elevation and how exposed they are to the sun and temperature. On my first outings I went to areas I’ve learned are soonest to change. In most places the aspens were still green so I focused on finding patches of color. The autumn foliage stands out beautifully, so it wasn’t difficult. Once spotted I consider whether or not there might be a composition worth exploring. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t! Here are some of my early fall finds. There are still many more areas for me to explore as autumn progresses.

A family of aspen trees are the first to show gold, in the San Juan Mountains near Silverton.
‘An Early Show’ © Denise Bush
A few aspen trees win the race to show their autumn color!
‘Ahead Of The Rest’ © Denise Bush
Some backlit aspen leaves light up in this autumn scene, near Ouray Colorado.
‘Autumn Backlighting’ © Denise Bush
The first snowfall usually occurs in the San Juans of Colorado, in time for autumn.
‘First Autumn Snow, Silverton’ © Denise Bush
Fall is just starting in this scene that includes Brown Mountain, in Ouray County.
‘Fall Beginnings On Brown Mountain’ © Denise Bush
Yellow aspen leaves shiny bright yellow in Ouray Colorado's Red Mountain Mining District.
‘Red Mountain & Aspens’ © Denise Bush
A beaver pond is a lucky place to reflect a beautiful mountain scene.
‘Reflection In A Beaver Pond’ © Denise Bush
Beautiful colors adorn a group of aspen in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado!
‘Autumn Aspen Stand’ © Denise Bush
Some aspen trees show off their yellow, autumn color against a backdrop of dark green spruce trees.
‘Study In Yellow’ © Denise Bush

All of my photography is available in a variety of choices on my store site. Notecards, prints (framed or unframed) … canvas, metal, acrylic & wood prints (any size) … plus products like pillows, tote bags & zipper pouches. Here’s the link: https: Denise Bush Galleries

Into The Storm

I woke up to the sound of thunder, and then rain hitting the pavement outside my motel room. My first thoughts were of disappointment but I decided to head out early and take a chance that it would clear and allow for some photo ops. The scenery along my chosen route provided a wide view for an exciting lightning show display! Thunder, lightning and isolated rain came and went over the landscape. I was glad I started out early. The storm cleared and it ended up being a sunny day, much less interesting than the morning drama!

Situated in the West Elk Mountains, near Gunnison Colorado, The Castles, are at an elevation of 12,296 ft.
‘Spotlight On The Castles’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger or order a print
Situated in the West Elk Mountains, near Gunnison Colorado, The Castles, are at an elevation of 12,296 ft.
‘The Castles Highlighted’ © Denise Bush
Situated in the West Elk Mountains, near Gunnison Colorado, The Castles, are at an elevation of 12,296 ft.
‘The Castles In Shadow’ © Denise Bush
A clearing storm casts beautiful light in a scene in the West Elk Mountains, near Gunnison Colorado.
‘A Green Field & Beyond’ © Denise Bush
notecards, unframed, framed, canvas, acrylic & metal prints available
If you’ve noticed I haven’t been posting as much it’s because I’ve been exploring some other artistic mediums. Now that fall is here I plan on getting out more frequently with my camera, and blogging more often too. When you leave a comment, I use it to visit your blog and do the same. Thanks so much for stopping by!

For The Flowers ~ Part II

Every time I go into the high country looking for wildflowers I am reminded of the challenges. You have to get up very early and be there while the light is still good. There’s not a lot of time! Here are some images from my latest ventures up high.

Elephant's Head flowers grow high in the wet areas of Colorado's alpine meadows.
‘Elephant’s Head Patch’ © Denise Bush
click to view larger or order a print
Sneezeweed is plentiful in this scene with Red Mountain in the background.
‘Sneezeweed Slope’ © Denise Bush
An assortment of wildflowers are a beautiful sight, high in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
‘Wildflower Vista’ © Denise Bush
An assortment of wildflowers grows high up, among the rocks in the Rock Mountains of Colorado.
‘Among The Rocks’ © Denise Bush
An assortment of wildflowers makes a pretty grouping, high in Colorado's San Juan Mountains.
‘Wild Assortment’ © Denise Bush
Earthly diagonals and a splash of fireweed make a fun composition full of texture!
‘Mountain Diagonals’ © Denise Bush
A burned forest is host to the most beautiful display of fireweed.
‘Fireweed Forest’ © Denise Bush
A wildfire in a mountain forest is illustrated with a fallen log, and fireweed symbolizing rebirth!
‘Fireweed & The Fallen’ © Denise Bush

For The Flowers ~ Part I

I’ve adjusted my approach and expectations to shooting wildflowers a bit over the last couple of years. I have relaxed my single-minded goal of high alpine flowers, close-up with a mountain background scene. Don’t get me wrong … I’ll still want to include those types of shots in addition to other summer scenery. The logistics of getting up very early and making it up crazy jeep roads to where they grow (while the light is good and before the wind starts up) just makes it less attractive at this stage. The lack of a tilt-shift lens which allows for better sharpness in just one frame is another factor. I’ve opted for more of a variety that includes isolated flower groupings, and big scenes where the foreground focus might be an entire field of flowers. I think this is how most people see wildflowers too. That’s what you will see in this collection of subalpine flowers and landscapes. I hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by!

White wildflowers create a pretty summer blanket, adding to this Colorado scene.
‘Summer Snow’ © Denise Bush
click here to view larger or order a print
Wildflowers gorow along aspen trees in this intimate, summer forest scene.
‘Woodland Companions’ © Denise Bush
Lupine grow along an old broken-down fence in the San Miguel Mountains near Telluride Colorado.
‘Lupine & Broken Fence’ © Denise Bush
Lupine Beside Fence Post
‘Lupine Beside Fence Post’ © Denise Bush
Mule's Ears (named so for the shape of their leaves) blanket an area below a mountain in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
‘Gold Below A Mountain’ © Denise Bush
Lupine & Paintbrush grow together making a pretty floral combination.
‘Lupine & Paintbrush Combo’ © Denise Bush
Wildflowers are a beautiful, summer sight in the mountains of Colorado.
‘Summer Scene’ © Denise Bush
Lupine growing at the bottom of an aspen tree trunk make a pretty picture!
‘Mountain Classics’ © Denise Bush
Pretty lupine grow below some aspen trees near Telluride Colorado.
‘Aspen Grove With Lupine’ © Denise Bush
A cloudy sky allows select beams of light through, to highlight the mountains.
‘Summer Highlights’ © Denise Bush

WordPress Reader Viewers: My photographs are best viewed on my actual site. There are a variety of ways to get here. The 3 dots take you to ‘View Post’. Finding ‘View Site’ is another option. No blue accents or frog eye avatar, but should look like this …