Photographing the Rockies, What You Need to Succeed

So, here you are in beautiful Breckenridge, Colorado, gazing out at the Rockies from your balcony while sipping a hot mocha. It took you some time to get here, so why not encapsulate the moment with a photograph?

The arrival of digital photography has taken the world by storm, and it is on a vacation like this that a digital camera will truly pay for itself. No more wasted shots, or out of focus images. With a digital camera, you can immediately see what you've captured, and reshoot if necessary.

The vibrant colors of the Rockies can be overwhelming, picking up an inexpensive daylight filter is a really good idea, if you are using a digital single lens reflex (DSLR). By just screwing it on over your main lens, you can keep unwanted bright light from ruining a potentially great shot.

Camera stores supply a really handy collapsible mylar mirror that can be used to reflect some of the sun's light upwards, keeping down that "caveman" look if you are taking a picture of a person. Just unfold it, and angle the reflection up to get rid of the dark shadows cast by the sun through the incredibly clear sky of Colorado. These are lightweight (about 10 ounces) and very inexpensive, a two footer will set you back about 30 bucks.

Pay attention to the camera settings too! If you are shooting a distant cliff, make sure you don't have the button set on "portrait" from your last modeling session. Unlike film cameras, the digital body enhances the aspect of the image according to what preference you have set.

The big thing about taking pictures in the Colorado Rockies is to have fun with it! Remember, bad images can be deleted, and the great ones kept to remind you of your awesome vacation.