Collection: Sunrises and Sunsets: Fine Art Landscape Photography

As spring approaches, the lengthening days can start to melt streams frozen by the wrath of winter. I love the delicate mists that can rise from these creeks in the early morning, especially when they catch the light of early dawn.

Here's a different take of the Royal Gorge in Colorado; the images I've previously posted looked down the gorge, featuring the long work of the Arkansas River. This image looks across the gorge. I was attracted to this landscape image by the harsh winter landscape, the many layers visible from the grasses at my feet to distant mountain ranges, and how the last sliver of sun lit the top of the near ridges with it's red-gold light.  All in all, it makes for a dramatic fine art landscape print!  

The dramatic cliffs, valleys, and rock formations at Capitol Reef National Park are perfect for taking night landscape photos.  The air is so clear that I was able to take this image even as the moon approached first quarter, allowing moonlight to light the amazing cliffs and foreground without not washing out the Milky Way.  It was hard not to get lost in this breathtaking scene from Chimney Rock Trail (yes, that's me to the lower left of the landscape photography print).

The unexpected early colorful dawn sky changed my planed location for my early morning photography hike to the Garden of the Gods. The few minutes surrounding sunrise were hectic, taking advantage of the amazing light. In this landscape photography print, I especially love how the sandstone cliffs glow, reflecting the red light of the sun as it breaks the horizon.

Pikes Peak and the Garden of the Gods are always beautiful, but when you add a full supermoon and the red glow of the rising sun it becomes magical. I planned this photo for months, and love the way the sun's first light enhances the cliff's colors and makes them glow in this landscape image!

On a trip through Arizona with my wife last December, we spent some time at Canyon de Chelly.  It's an amazing spot: deep, narrow canyons, Spider Rock pictured here, and of course the 700+ year old ruins built by the Ancient Puebloans.  If only our houses would last so long! I was drawn to this early-morning fine art landscape photography print by the delicate light on the cliff walls, the contrasting warm highlights and cool shadows, and the sense of depth created by the foreground and the layers within the canyon.  It was a magical moment!  

When I saw this location in the Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge, I knew it would be a perfect landscape photography print if shot in the early morning.  I took this nature image about 15 minutes before dawn as the eastern sky was glowing a golden orange.  I love the way the morning light reflects off the water and the frosty grass and rushes, while  silhouetting the tree and distant blue mountains.  What a peaceful morning for this nature image!

Capitol Reef National Park is truly beautiful: the red (and white) cliffs, canyons and spires, all weathered into intricate shapes.  It's hard to settle on what to photograph!  The photos for this panoramic landscape photography print was an easy decision: the setting sun enhances the colors and textures of the red-rock cliffs.

One of my favorite places in Illinois is Garden of the Gods at the southern tip.  It has dramatic sandstone cliffs overlooking the gently rolling wooded hills of the area.  I came out for sunset on this particular evening to make this landscape photography image the glow of the pastel sky on the sandstone cliffs.   

I was driving home from a rainy afternoon photo shoot in the mountains when the sun broke through behind the Colorado Springs Front Range, highlighting the streamers of rain with the golden glow of sunset. I quickly got off the interstate to find a unobstructed view of the beauty, putting several images together to make this panoramic landscape photography print!

As with the sister nature image "Lone Tree at Sunrise," I love the silhouette of the lone tree, the thin slip of sun peaking above the horizon, and the wispy cirrus clouds glowing in the sunrise.  The warm colors of this nature image are in stark contrast to how I felt: the 10 degree F temperature and bitter wind made my face, fingers, and toes feel quite blue!

A digital gift card is a perfect choice for your special person can choose their favorite fine art nature or landscape photography print! Gift cards can be used for any McClusky Nature Photography product.

A friend and I hiked the Great Sand Dunes National Park at the end of March. It was an amazing time: the dunes were partially covered with snow, creating dramatic views of the dunes such as this one. It was also _very_ windy, as you can tell from the sand and snow blowing off the crests of the dunes. The contrast between the snow and dark sand, the graceful curves of the dunes, the wind patterns in the sand, and the shadows cast by the setting sun all added up to a magical evening!