Garden of the Gods - a photo on Flickriver

Garden of the Gods

Garden of The Gods with Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.”
- George Washington Carver

Garden of the Gods State Park attracts more than two million visitors a year, which is not surprising considering its incredible beauty and unique landscapes. Popular for hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and horseback riding, it’s a wonder that the area has not been elevated to be a full National Park. Just west of Colorado Springs, home of the US Air Force Academy, it is free and can get very busy during peak hours. And the park is absolutely worth the trip to see it.

The striking red rock formations which rise hundreds of feet into the sky were created during a geological upheaval along a natural fault line millions of years ago. The largest outcroppings you see here are sedimentary layers that have been pushed up vertically and are composed primarily of Lyons Formation, a stone made of fine sand from ancient sand dunes. While they seem deep from this angle here, they are actually relatively shallow formations and look like fins when viewed from the north or south. North Gateway Rock is on the right and rises 320 feet (98 m) above the valley floor. In the middle is the South Gateway Rock, with Kindergarten Rock (AKA Gray Rock) on the left.

Just above North Gateway Rock in the distance is famous Pikes Peak, standing tall at 14,115 feet (4,302 m). The mountain is named in honor of American explorer Zebulon Pike, though he was unable to reach the summit in 1806 due to snow and lack of provisions at the time. The peak has a storied history, but it is famous worldwide for the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, a motor race held since 1916 that features over 150 turns, many of which are hazardous.

The shot: I really wanted to get those beautiful clouds in motion, so I used a Lee Filters’ Big Stopper to get 25 seconds of exposure. It was late morning however and in retrospect it probably was not a wise choice. It caused some serious post processing issues which needed the help of my wonderful friend Rui Baptista to “save the day”. Thank you again Rui, lesson learned. Aperture priority, tripod, Lee Filters Big Stopper, Capture One Pro post-processing.

Selected for FLICKR Explore February 26, 2021, # 74.

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Taken in: United States / Colorado / Glen Eyrie (show map)

Taken on: August 11, 2019

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Camera: Nikon D7200, f/16.0, 25 sec, 24mm (=36mm), ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D7200
Lens:	18-300 mm f/3.5-6.3
Aperture:	f/16.0
Exposure Time:	25
Focal Length:	24mm (35mm equivalent: 36mm)
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Capture One 20 Macintosh
Show full info

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