Diane Fechenbach
Lengthening shadows on a winter afternoon and brightly colored willows and grasses create colorful patterns.
The Chama River meanders through central New Mexico beneath rock cliffs carved by wind and rain. The cliffs cast long shadows very early in the day. Cool summer mornings make an ideal time to set up an easel and paint.
Colorful layers of rock form the walls of southwestern canyons. When late afternoon sun hits them they glow as if lit from the inside.
Near the headwaters of the Poudre River west of Ft. Collins the rushing water carves a path out of the rocks. This spot near the top of Poudre Falls shows the river tumbling and splashing through a series of rapids in the narrowing canyon. I had to arrive early to capture the light and shadow on the rocks and water before the rising sun climbed into the sky.