The Stories Behind The Images
TEX ON ARRIVAL
Flying into the Telluride Airport (TEX - KTEX) is not for the faint of heart. At an elevation of 9,078 feet, sitting atop Dove Creek Mesa, the Telluride Regional Airport is the highest commercial airport in North America. It also happens to arguably be the most breathtaking airport in the world. Wind, weather, visibility, and the enormous mountains surrounding the runway all make for a challenging approach.
I’ve often wanted to capture the approach, and after searching for numerous Telluride Airport Photos I realized how difficult of a fine art photograph it is to capture perfectly. The same demanding conditions that give pilots a challenge also give a photographer fits. Wind or turbulence causes camera shake and motion blur. A cloud may decide to rear its ugly head and sit in the wrong spot. Other times, the harsh sun melts all the snow on top of the mesa, making for a less interesting shot.
But every so often, a storm comes in and clears the way for the purest snow-kissed mountain tops and crisp runway your eyes will ever see. The backdrop of the Telluride Ski Resort, an old mining town, and the majestic Ajax mountain, directly ahead of a runway with a cliff on each side... it all makes for a heart stopping photograph. This is one of my most famous photos - and for good reason! Check it out here Telluride Runway Photo.
Trails of Two Towns
This is my rendition of a real-life photograph of the Telluride Ski Map. Out of the hundreds of Telluride photographs I have taken, this is the one photo I wanted just for myself – You can buy it here - a large framed fine art Telluride ski map aerial photo that encompasses the town of Telluride, Mountain Village, and the Telluride Ski Resort all in one photograph.
What makes this shot so difficult? Well winter is the only time of year to take it, since the image falls flat without snow highlighting the ski runs. So off-roading and hiking to take the shot are not really possible. Additionally, clouds are usually a welcome addition in most Telluride landscape photographs – but not for this shot. I needed a crystal-clear bluebird Telluride morning. And winds oftentimes prohibit flights entering the Telluride airspace.
Thankfully after many attempts, on a low flyover in an airplane, I was able to capture what I consider the best angle to see all of the details that make the Telluride area the most beautifully unique ski resort in the world.
In this photo you can see Ajax Mountain to the left, the famous 4x4 offroad trail Black Bear Pass, the Idarado Mine just to the left of Bridal Veil Falls, the towns of Telluride and Mountain Village, and almost all of the Telluride Ski Resort.
Crystal Veil
This is my best-selling fine art photographic print of the Telluride area. Sitting just East of Telluride, Bridal Veil Falls is Colorado's tallest free-standing waterfall at 365 feet tall. It’s a stunning visual made even more extreme in the winter when the waterfall turns to frozen ice, appearing blue in the right light.
My goal shooting Bridal Veil Falls Photo in the winter was to capture the falls in the early morning after a fresh snowfall. I was lucky on this particular morning as the little sunlight available reflected perfectly onto the rocks, which highlighted the rainbow of rusty colors and popped the blue color in the frozen water trapped in Bridal Veil Falls.
This is a print that is best suited in large format. I also offer this frozen Bridal Veil Falls Image in black and white - which is stunning and gives it a vintage feel! I especially like this print on metal or metallic acrylic, as the reflective nature of the substrate allows for sparkles in the blue ice and surrounding snow-capped trees.
History of Bridal Veil Falls, Telluride CO
Perched atop the Bridal Veil Falls cliff is the 115 year-old Smuggler-Union Hydroelectric Powerplant, also known as the Bridal Veil Powerhouse. Bridal Veil Falls was shown in the popular movie The Prestige starring Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as Nikola Tesla’s home. It is often mistaken as the first commercial location of AC (alternating current) electrical power. However, this feat belongs to a nearby power plant called Ames Power Plant, which was completed in 1891, designed by a man named Nikola Tesla – the name and person which inspired Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors.
For a detailed history and interesting story regarding Bridal Veil Falls history visit https://telluridemagazine.com/as-the-pelton-wheel-turns.
For more interesting information on the famous Telluride Waterfall visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smuggler-Union_Hydroelectric_Power_Plant.
Rising Storm
The Native American name for Wilson Peak (aka Mount Wilson) was Shandoka, which literally translates to "Storm Maker", a reference to the mountain's effect on local weather patterns.
Upon learning this, I created the scene in my mind before it was actually photographed. I just needed to wait for the exact conditions to happen to capture it. Wilson Peak is most often photographed in color in the fall - and indeed - Mount Wilson in the Fall is certainly a site to see! But I believe the color and prettiness dampen the power of the mountain.
My goal was to capture the mountain's massive power and size while highlighting the incredible textures of horizontal lines in its rocky edges. To capture the texture, just the right amount of fresh-kissed snowfall is required. With no snow, the texture is not highlighted and gets lost. With too much snow in the winter, the texture gets buried. The black and white contrast with a massive cloud formation showcases the ruggedness and sheer size that make Wilson so majestic, if not intimidating.
The extreme width of the Wilson Peak mountain scape underneath such immense powerful clouds is never forgotten once seen.
Stormfire Peak
Ajax Peak is one of the most photographed mountains in Telluride. Ajax is anchored by mountains on both sides, along with a perfectly flat canyon floor and the town of Telluride leading up to it. The world famous 4x4 trail Black Bear Pass switchbacks down the face overlooking the Telluride Valley and Bridal Veil Falls.
I have photographed Ajax Mountain dozens of times in all conditions and seasons, but never like this.
On this particular fall day, stormy skies dominated the landscape. As is often the case in photography, I wasn’t specifically looking for a shot given the conditions. A clearing in the clouds opened just enough for the sunset to light up Ajax mountain as a storm moved to the East. At the same time lightening was lighting up the sky behind the mountains. This storm was particularly fascinating as the lightening created the optical illusion where it appears to be striking the mountain tops.
I am particularly fond of this photograph in black and white, as the inherent contrast captures the dramatic effects of the stormy sunset, and allows for the sky to take center stage. The color Image of Ajax Peak is also available.
TEX 27 Sunset Approach
The Telluride Regional Airport (TEX/KTEX) is one of the most iconic runways in North America - if not the world! It’s a badge of honor for all of the pilots who land here. As the highest elevation commercial airport in the country, this is a badge well worth bragging about.
The approach on Telluride Airport Runway 9 is the most common landing viewpoint that pilots and passengers experience as they arrive at the Telluride Airport. However, landing via Telluride Airport Runway 27 is considered the more challenging approach, as it requires a tight “circle to land” approach procedure, often in demanding conditions. I've seen more than one passenger kiss the ground when they landed!
This perspective also happens to be the view that most visitors experience riding the gondola in Mountain Village. The Runway 27 in Telluride is especially visible from the Peaks Hotel and See Forever condos.
This shot was taken facing a spectacular sunset, highlighting the contrast of the runway and sky and allowing for an ethereal, yet gritty feel to the image. A color version of this photo is also available.
Please visit my online gallery for more of my Telluride Prints for Sale.
