Crested Butte Wildflower Festival Workshop

REVIEW AND FEEDBACK

If you enjoyed the workshop, I'd appreciate a short review if you are willing to share one, and I'd welcome feedback about how I could improve the experience for future participants. You can use this form to share a review and/or feedback. Thank you! 

MONDAY, AUGUST 17: PHOTO FILES FOR GROUP EBOOK DUE

This project is optional but I hope you will all consider participating! The ebook PDF will be shared just among our group and the CBWF staff. 

  • Photos due August 17 via email to me
  • You can submit up to 15 photos 
  • Please share them in a sequenced order with any notes about how you would like them to appear (for example, if you want three photos on a single page, please include that note) 
  • JPEG format, 2000px on the long edge   
  • OPTIONAL: Up to 500 words of writing about your photos or the experience of being in Crested Butte 
  • Any links or contact information you would like to share (website, Instagram, email address, etc)

NOTES ARCHIVE: 

Hello workshop participants! Please bookmark this page because I will be using it to share location information, meeting time reminders, and directions to the meeting spot for each outing. 

  • SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES: Sunrise time is around 5:50 am. Sunset time is around 8:35 pm. You can see specific sunrise and sunset times for the Crested Butte area here. 
  • MEETING AND WRAP-UP TIMES: We will plan to be on location and ready to photograph about a half an hour before sunrise each morning and will plan to stay until the light fades for each sunset outing. Please be on time and ready to go for each outing, and be prepared to stay out for about three or more for each outing. 
  • MEETING LOCATIONS: Because some participants are staying in Mount Crested Butte and some are staying in Crested Butte, we will often meet somewhere near our photo locations in the morning to help minimize extra travel time given the early sunrises. Because cell phone service is spotty once you leave the Crested Butte area, please be sure to have directions fully downloaded and saved before heading out. 
  • WEATHER CONTINGENCY: If we have afternoon thunderstorms with lightning, we will plan on a back-up inside activity at the Depot. If that happens, please check this page for updates. 
  • NOT ATTENDING A SESSION? If you decide not to attend a session, please let me know, in advance if possible, via email or text. 
  • AIR QUALITY READINGS for Crested Butte via PurpleAir.com
  • VIDEO about the Green Gentian/Monument Plant "super bloom" 
  • Publishing Resources: Mixam (books) and Affinity (Desktop publishing and PDF creation) 
  • Article by Sarah about creating PDF ebooks
  • Wildflower ID resource: swcoloradowildflowers.com/

ARCHIVE OF PHOTO LOCATIONS

THURSDAY, JULY 9 

  • Meeting Location: Crested Butte Depot, 716 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, CO 81224
  • Parking Location: Crested Butte Visitor Center parking lot (3 to 5 minute walk to the Depot) 
  • Meeting Time: 2:30 pm for introductions, opening presentation, an early dinner and a sunset outing 
  • Sunset Location: The first section of the Washington Gulch Trailhead up Gothic Road (important note: this location is up Gothic Road, NOT Washington Gulch Road). 
  • Link to directions from the 4-Way Stop in Crested Butte
  • Sunset Location Notes: Opportunities for macro photography, some smaller scenes, and grander landscape scenes. I'd recommend a macro lens, a telephoto lens, and if you are interested in the wider landscape scenes, either a mid-range lens like a 24-105mm lens or a wide-angle lens. A mid-range lens could also be handy for some of the smaller scenes in the area.

FRIDAY, JULY 10  

Sunrise Photo Outing

  • Sunrise Meeting Location: The Umbrella Bar parking area
  • Directions from 4-Way Stop in Crested Butte (~ 20 minute drive time) 
  • Directions from the Elevation Hotel in Mount Crested Butte (~ 13 minute drive time) 
  • Sunrise Meeting Time: 5:30 am at the Umbrella Bar dirt parking area (near the round white structure with the wooden patio) 
  • Location Notes: The Umbrella Bar is part of the Crested Butte Mountain Resort ski area so expect ski lifts and some infrastructure. We will explore around a small patch of still-blooming purple lupine flowers, corn lilies, monument plants, and a lovely aspen forest. You will have opportunities for intimate landscapes and macro photography. Consider bringing a longer telephoto lens, macro lens, and a mid-range lens like a 24-105mm. There are also a few grand landscape opportunities, especially if you do not mind including elements from the ski resort. 
  • Group brunch at the Depot after sunrise followed by a break 

Afternoon Classroom Session and Sunset Outing 

  • Classroom Session Meeting Location: Crested Butte Depot, 716 Elk Avenue, Crested Butte, CO 81224
  • Parking Location: Crested Butte Visitor Center parking lot (3 to 5 minute walk to the Depot) 
  • Meeting Time: Around 3:00 pm for class session and early dinner 
  • Sunset Outing Location and Notes: We went to the Brush Creek area (bugs) and the Tent City areas (no bugs). We will start off with a photo walk to work on our observation skills and seeing opportunities in an area without as many obvious subjects. After the photo walk, you will have ample time to work on your own and I will go over some demonstrations for composition, depth of field, and focus-stacking. A macro lens and long telephoto lens will be most helpful for this location. Consider wearing long pants and long sleeves since this spot can have bugs. Also, bring bug spray or borrow some!
  • Directions from the 4-Way Stop in Crested Butte (drive time: 15 minutes)

SATURDAY, JULY 11

Sunrise Photo Outing

  • Sunrise Meeting Time: 5:45 am 
  • Location Notes: This spot offers a leisurely photo walk through a diverse area of wildflowers, aspen trees, and conifers above the Kebler Pass Road. You will have opportunities for intimate landscapes, smaller scenes, and macro photography. A telephoto lens, macro lens, and mid-range lens will all be useful for this location.
  • Sunrise Meeting Location: Wagon Trail Parking along Kebler Pass 
  • Directions from the Elevation Hotel in Mount Crested Butte (drive time: 25 minutes)
  • Directions from the 4-Way Stop in Crested Butte (drive time: 20 minutes)
  • Group brunch at the Depot after sunrise and a processing session followed by a break 

Afternoon Classroom Session and Sunset Outing 

SUNDAY, JULY 12 

Sunrise Photo Outing

  • Sunrise Meeting Location: Coal Train Trailhead Parking Lot
  • Directions from the 4-Way Stop in Crested Butte (drive time: 15 minutes)
  • Directions from the Elevation Hotel in Mount Crested Butte (drive time: 15 minutes)
  • Sunrise Meeting Time: 5:30 am 
  • Location and Photo Notes: This area features the Slate River and some beaver ponds, along with some wildflowers and other opportunities for photographing smaller scenes. After the sun crests over the mountains, we will work on photographing water reflections in the Slate River. Before that, you will have opportunities to photograph the beaver ponds, the river, plants, and other smaller scenes.
  • If you are interested in grand landscapes and we have a calm morning, the surrounding mountains may be reflecting in one of the beaver ponds. A long telephoto lens and a mid-range lens like a 24-105 will be useful for the water abstracts. You might also want a macro lens and a wider lens depending on your interests.
  • Group brunch and workshop wrap-up at the Depot after sunrise