September monthly image contest - Best of summer - ONE SHOT ONLY!

Since Labor Day is the unofficial end to summer, and Memorial Day weekend is its unofficial start, how 'bout posting the ONE photo you're most proud of/excited about from between these two 2010 holidays? DO NOT say, "Aw, I couldn't pick just one, so here's two." Pick the ONE image to represent your summer that was. Ready...set...GO!

Moderator edit - GREAT idea Todd and I have used it as our monthly topic. RV

ORIGINAL POSTER EDIT - If you'd like, feel free to post a 720-pxl version here, and a link to a large version on your site or wherever you host your pics. Might be nice to allow peeps to use your photo as their own wallpaper, if they see something they really like.

Pacific Wave - Upper Mohawk Lakes Basin

Fuji Pro160C, 75/8 Super Angulon, 3 stop soft GND, rear tilt, f32, 1 sec

Nice idea, Todd! I'd say my best of the summer was my salmon leaping up Dagger Falls in Idaho. Sorry about the link, but 720px pretty much misses the point for this one.

A few weeks ago I was able to play hookie and head to Mt Rainer for one great Friday. This is a 24 image stitch from that day.

RichieV

Mel: WOW!
Jackson: See my edit to original post
RichieV: And here I was expecting one of your incredible shots from Europe!

Here's my fave from this summer. Not exaclt one of my high mountain vistas. Jack and Jody (among others) have that pretty well covered anyway.

Nephew Charley and I went out to shoot sunflowers near Longmont one morning, and then he had to high-tail it to work. Me being practically unemployed (ah, the life of a small biz owner...), I hung around to see if I could coax the fog bank that had been drifting just to the east of our location over to the sunflowers. Using my powers of cloud persuasion worked, and I shot as the fog moved in, then at its thickest (represented here), then as it drifted away, re-revealing the cottonwoods flanking the flower field. It probably lasted 10 minutes.

super-size me!

Cool Todd!

Unnamed Falls behind Dream Lake, with Todd.

While the July trip to the San Juans in July provided some nice images, this recent on at the end of August to atop the Paria Plateua might be my favorite from the summer.

What an excellent topic, as every single one of these shots are simply superb!!

Where's your contribution, John? I can't believe so many people have looked at this thread, and so far we only have five submissions? C'mon people!

All are nice shots and I can see why they're favorites. I didn't get a chance to shoot much this summer but I was able to take a trip to Montrose. I had one day to shoot and that was on the drive home. I decided to drive over Owl Creek pass on the way home. This isn't necessarily my best shot of the summer, but it is my favorite. I hope to find similar conditions later this fall.

I didn't shoot much this summer, too much time spent kayaking. But here's one I took while spending a few days kayaking near Salida.

Awesome weather shot, Michael, and Todd, that fog fits the mood of those drooping sunflower heads beautifully! Someday, I will have to visit Mohawak Lakes, which seems to be one of Mel's favorite places as well as his favorite image, gorgeous light! And Richie, those clouds are stunning! Then the picture postcard perfection of Dream Lake's outlet falls and Doug's light show on the Paria are all jaw droppers. Very entertaining thread!

WOW what a great shot Don. I love the way the strikes kight up the vally.

Okay, just so Todd will count me

The small size is not kind here: check it out large.

So Jackson, did you see that salmon leap as it happened and know that you got it in the shot, or was it a gift that you discovered when looking at the image later?

I haven't spent much time on the forum this year or much time in the mountains but here's a shot from this summer off Lime Creek road near Durango.

Todd I was watching the fish and shooting the falls, but sort of figured I'd never get a good salmon shot. Then I got a little bored with the falls and decided to give it a whirl. They were all jumping in more or less the same spot, so I just stared at it and hit the remote when I saw movement. So it was on purpose.

Almost needless to say, but killer shots everyone! Don, that lightning is seriously scary!

July - RMNP - Alluvial Fan area - Williamson's Sapsucker

It was fun watching both parents alternating the feeding duties.
The chicks were vocal but never made an appearance.

1Ds2, 500mm + 1.4xTX, f8, 1/1600sec, ISO 400

Wow, some terrific work on here. Congrats all. Mine is a shot of Mules Ears in the Centennial Mountains of Idaho. A great bloom this last spring.

A great bloom this last spring.

No kidding! Awesome shot, Dean.

Epic so far, boys. Keep 'em coming! And where are the RMNPettes? Let's go, girls!

Well, this was my second most popular shot on this site so far, so gotta go with it...plus it pretty much sums up my recent photography. This is a slight reworking of my ESS post, i was a little more gentle in the processing here so that any print will turn out better. Shot a couple weeks ago at sunset in the dunes. Awesome stuff so far--Don, im especially jealous of your lightning shot!

Stan: can you say COVER SHOT???

Here's one from my Ice Lakes backpacking trip with Jack. Not sure if I posted it on this forum before but it's one of my faves from this very short summer.

Sigh....Mr. Rose is an awfully hard act to follow, but someone's gotta do it.

Sunrise reflected in a pond near Bullion Lake in Porphyry Basin.

Wow... incredible collection of photos so far!!! Here's my favorite, I think.

THIS is an inspiring thread.

I posted my favorite not too long ago, so here's my most rewarding shot. In July, I went backpacking with one camera and one prime lens ... GF1 + 20mm. This image was one of a couple good photos I brought home from this trip. Photographing this sunset view high in the Montana wilderness certainly typifies my year so far ... a very purposeful quality over quantity.

Wow! What an amazing set of images! Here's the one from the summer I like best.

I'm straying away from the landscape theme with this photo of coyote puppies playing in Yellowstone. Last June, my son and I spent over an hour watching these puppies and their siblings playing on the rocks while mom was off hunting (or just taking a break to get away from the kids).

Phenomenal collection of images here, folks. Following two adorable coyote pups is tough but I'll give it a shot. This is Melissa and Jackson hiking on the trail between St. Mary Falls and another waterfall in Glacier NP.

I think Jackson has the puppies beat for cuteness.

Great idea Todd and some mind blowing images already posted! I posted my fave just last week, it was the first image of the topic Little Slice of Paradise . So lucky me I get to post one here. Just a little slot in Zion.

Some wonderful images on this thread! Even though I shot a ton of landscapes this summer my best photo was probably this wildlife image of a pair of mountain goat kids at the Mt. Evans summit.

Man, this is a tough room. To steal a line from George Gobel, I'm feeling like a pair of brown shoes in a room full of tuxedos. But looking through my files I realize I've had a pretty decent summer photographically. This image has to be my favorite. Maybe not the best, but it was created on a trip with my daughter who was just about to graduate from college. Good weather, a great place to be, and the company was exceptional.

Wow, way to go, including a George Gobel quote, Bill! I wonder how many people here would even know or remember who he was.

Looks like everyone has had a wonderful summer. Hopefully fall holds this many gems!

This is one of my favorite images from this summer. We did the Alpine Loop over 4th of July and I was pleasantly surprised to find a great early wildflower bloom in American Basin.

Unbelievable talent on this forum. It makes me hesitant to post anything. While maybe not my best of the summer, this one is my favorite. Like Bill, I made this image while in the company of my youngest daughter, and it was just a week before she returned for her senior year at college. I will hold onto that day for the next 9 months. And Bill, love the George Gobel quote, and yes, Todd, I remember him quite well, which should be a dead giveaway on my age.

Fantastic stuff everyone! Here is my favorite from this summer. Jim Talaric and I were out looking for wild flowers the end of July and stopped by North Clear Creek Falls. This was an amazing morning!

Monte

I was shooting reflection shots one evening of Cathedral Rock in the pool pictured when a fast moving, nasty thunderstorm came up from behind the formation. It spawned rainbows, lightning and 40+ mph winds right as Cathedral Rock was being lit by the setting sun. It was a hair-raising moment I won't soon forget.

http://www.pezpix.com/Galleries/Mountains/SpringSummer/PEZA0297a/944841154_Tpdn3-L.jpg

Some great stuff here all! Being that I only get to visit home in Colorado for a limited time every summer I have much less to offer but I did manage to get one wonderful day in the San Juans up high on Imogene between gnarly storm clouds and fog. (sorry bout the link)

Wow ! wonderful images here. Great shots from everyone ...

Oh man, this IS a tough crowd...I guess I gotta go with one from that little known falls south of the Flat Tops Wilderness...

Oooh, what an inspiring thread! My best image is the next one, but here goes:

Wyoming Range Breaking Storm - Aerial View

Ok , after much thought here is my shot of the Summer. Way too many choices as I had an extremely productive Summer ranging from Alaska to Colorado to Wyoming and Montana so it was very difficult to choose just one. Anyway this image made at about 3:00AM in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge epitomizes my ANWR experience bringing together the incredible landscape in amazing light with signs of the incredible wildlife present there. My heart is still there.! I know this is not in the Rocky Mtn States but hey, Todd did say the best shot of the Summer!

What a great group of images here. This one is my favorite, from Pine Creek Lake in Montana on a backpacking trip with Jesse Speer (same trip as his image above). This was posted on ESS 2 months ago. I have great respect for the man brave enough to be out with just 1 prime lens - sure forces you to think out of the box...way to go Jesse, I just love that image! As for me, 4 lenses + extension tubes ; )

Wow! What a thread!! Fantastic images, everyone.

I, like many, seem to have (re)discovered astro/star photography this summer. I really enjoyed this quiet evening watching the Perseid Meteors (didn't capture any in this image) while camping in Lost Park.

Mel, Rich, Todd, Lance, Doug, Michael, Don, Jackson, Stan, Bill, Dean, Jody, Aleks, Sarah, Scott, Steve, Dave, Rod, Guy, Jesse, Monte, Jeff, Bret, Doug, Dean, Josh, Ernie, Morris, Bill;

Great work everyone.

Here is my contribution. I want to thank CAZ, Rene, Neil, & Rod (and uhh, who was that girl?) for getting me out to Steamboat in July. After ditching me on the side of the road, I was able to get this shot in the aspen groves around Steamboat Lake. Of course the big dog was in the car, so I had to handhold (don't try this at home) my trusty Lumix LX3 to get this scene of the wickedly green understory. I tend to agree that serendipitous moments like this often present the best photographic opportunites because it makes you look around at the less obvious - and sometimes overrated - scenes.

Thanks all, have a great Fall out there. Lets go Rockies!

RMNP Awesomeness!!

I just gotta say thanks to Todd for starting this thing off.

This is one awesome collection of images.

For those who haven't contributed yet. Lets see em.

RichieV

What a bunch of Super Fantastic collection images here! All are beauts! Joshua those baby goats are so cute. Jack, Stan what can I say but

I recently returned from a trip to Glacier NP but the images I took were all after the Labor Day deadline for this thread. So I'll have to stray away from the RMNP area and post my favorite image from Maine taken in June. I had some great clouds at sunset at the Bass Harbor Head Light.

Oh boy! How do we follow after these acts? Here's mine from a trip to Mount Rainier - my only trip this summer. Where has the season gone?!

wonderful images from everyone. Sadly I have nothing to contribute, work and life have kept me away from the camera for sometime. I am inspired to get out with all of these wonderful images. Thanks

Great images everyone. This is probably my favorite of the summer.

Well, I hesitate to put anything of mine up here considering the awesomeness of what's come before, but here goes. This is the upper waterfall in Yankee Boy Basin late one July afternoon.

Some great stuff here!!

Here's a shot I captured just in time...taken a couple hours before midnight on Labor Day. Combined two exposures...one for the land around 20 minutes after sunset, one for the sky about 1.5 hours after sunset, then manually combined them in Photoshop.

Inspiring series all!!

A beautiful sunrise looking southeast at Oxbow Bend. The highlight was finding out after I had returned to the car that my 70-200 had slid out of my pocket when climbing the hillside for this shot.... but was found and it was none the worse for the fall!

Some really terrific work all around. Really amazing to see the variety of landscapes in the region, the unique perspectives, artistic interpretations, etc. Kudos all around to all the participants of this invaluable forum.

OK, I thought if I sucked up enough I would feel better posting in the midst of such esteemed company. I know we got a sunflower shot already, and a fine one at that, but this is the pic that represented my summer and the one I'm most excited about for a different reason. I decided to cave to peer pressure and switched to Canon and this was the first morning shooting with my 5dii. I had sat on the sidelines for weeks prior to this watching all the sunflower posts, but luckily I was able to catch the very tail end of my first sunflower season!

Hi. First time poster here.

Here is one that I really like from a little photographed area of Arches NP. In all honesty, this shot was an after thought. I had done some other stuff earlier in the AM and as I was walking back to the car, I noticed how the sun was lighting up the striations in the slickrock at my feet. I stopped and clicked a few frames and they turned out to be the favorite of my trip, summer.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WpjZ6QdCK0Q/TG9CsSEXSqI/AAAAAAAAGqs/ezWhfLighx0/DSC01951b-1.JPG

Sony A900
CZ 16-35 @ 22mm
F22
1/10 sec
ISO 200
2 stop ND grad

Edit: Can someone help me with the image code? thx!

Wow, coming into this thread late is a little intimidating! Great work everyone!
I haven't come close to finishing this summer's work yet, but this is one of my favorites so far, not sure if it's the best.

Mt Harvard and Mt Columbia from above Cottonwood Pass

I already posted this earlier this summer, but it's quickly become one of my all-time faves. This is from my Palouse trip back in late May.

Unbelievable! This is probably my favorite thread ever on this forum, and it's definitely the most inspiring. I can't believe the quality of the work on this site. It is truly humbling.

This is my favorite photo from the summer. The dinky 200k limit is quite limiting for large panoramas, so please click here for a larger version: http://www.brettdeacon.com/photo.php?id=726&gallery=PlatteValley.

What an amazing thread. Every image I see added is my new favorite and I've added about 48 new locations to my photo trip bucket list. I'm thinking the White Elephant print exchange at the shindig this year is gonna be epic.

It has been such a busy summer here that I just haven't had time to keep up with everyone here. Things are just starting to slow down here in Estes and after next week the busy season will finally be over. Here's one that I posted earlier this year, taken June 28th next to Lake Nanita in Rocky Mountain National Park.

A great thread indeed! I'm a little late here, but at Todd's behest I'll throw one in. Notchtop from this summer.

Hey Todd, you have another idea for an October theme?