slideshow: The Hayman Fire Reclamation - 09/11/11 05:20 AM
 
 
 
 
The Hayman Fire Reclamation The long road to recovery Story and photos by Debi Boucher Looking west through an area of the Pike National Forest that was damaged by the Hayman Fire in 2002. Few who lived on the Front Range of Colorado in the summer of 2002 have forgotten the fear, anger and heartbreak they felt over the Hayman Fire. In its stead is a surreal wasteland—138,000 acres of blackened tree trunks, all that’s left of what had been a beautiful ponderosa pine forest. And damage to the environment didn’t end when the fire died. Heavy … (13 comments)

slideshow: St Elmo and Tin Cup Ghost Towns - 08/17/11 03:14 PM
 
St Elmo and Tin Cup Ghost Towns This past weekend I visited two places I have wanted to see, but in nearly 19 years in Colorado had not made the trip to do so. I went with two friends, one also a photographer, and we had a GREAT time!  St Elmo  and Tin Cup are both what remain of once thriving mining towns, high in the mountains of Colorado. St Elmo, at 10,006 feet in elevation, was founded in 1880 and at one time had a population of 2,000. It is one of Colorado's best preserved examples of a 'ghost … (26 comments)

slideshow: Leadville, Colorado - AAA Encompass Magazine Article - 07/26/11 01:23 PM
 
 
 
The city in the clouds
By Debi Boucher

Stroll down Harrison Avenue in downtown Leadville. © Debi Boucher While no longer bustling with the frantic activity of the silver mines, bawdy saloons and dancehalls, Leadville is arguably one of the best examples of a still breathing boom town to be found in Colorado today. In 1893 the city boasted 60,000 residents, and is still home to some 3,000 hearty souls willing to brave winter at 10,200 feet in elevation. Surrounded by 14,000 foot peaks, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in the country. Over 50 significant 19th century … (11 comments)

slideshow: The Road Less Traveled - AAA Colorado Encompass eUpdate Article - 06/12/11 10:55 AM
 
 
The Road Less Traveled - AAA Colorado Encompass eUpdate Article Over the past several months I have been freelancing as a writer and photographer for AAA Colorado's Encompass Magazine. My articles are about travel in Colorado - where to go, what to see, and what to do when you get there. This is my most recently published article:  The Tarryall Road
Most folks traveling west on Highway 24 from Colorado Springs drive through Lake George and pass by the south end of Park County Road 77 without ever knowing what an incredibly beautiful stretch of road leads from here … (23 comments)

slideshow: Rainbow Falls - AKA Graffiti Falls - 04/30/11 06:01 PM
Rainbow Falls - AKA Graffiti Falls  
Rainbow Falls flows under a historic bridge built in the 1930's connecting Manitou Springs to Highway 24 on the old Ute Indian Trail. In the 1800's, the beautiful 25 foot falls was a tour and picnic destination for visitors to Manitou Springs, and those traveling Ute Pass. 
But, for the past many years, Rainbow Falls has been a destination for graffiti mongers, and the once pristine area was littered with trash, drug paraphernalia, and empty spray paint cans. A grass roots effort began in Manitou in 2005 to do something about the issue.  … (22 comments)

slideshow: Sandhill Crane Migration - Monte Vista Colorado - 03/23/11 03:29 AM
Sandhill Crane Migration - Monte Vista Colorado  
In late February every year, some 20 - 25,000 sandhill cranes migrate to the small farming town of Monte Vista in Colorado's San Luis Valley.  I was at the Monte Vista Wildlife Refuge before dawn  hoping for some great shots of the cranes as they began their day. It was worth getting up early and braving the 25 degree morning to be there.
Sandhill cranes are big birds. They have a 6 foot wingspan, are about 4 feet tall, and live to be around 20 years old in the wild. These birds mate … (25 comments)

slideshow: Red-Tailed Hawk - 02/24/11 05:08 PM
Red-Tailed Hawk The red-tailed hawk, of the sub-species Buteo, is the most common hawk in North America, and ranges as far as north as northern Canada, and as far south as Panama. They can be found in nearly all habitiats, including the prairies, forests, deserts and even rain forests.
They mate for life, and nest in the same area every year, typically in March through May. When their chicks are hatched, the male hunts for his family, feeding both the chicks and his mate, as she tends to the little ones. The chicks will be ready to be on their … (29 comments)

slideshow: 'Soft' Water Photography - 01/17/11 04:31 PM
 
'Soft' Water Photography In order to capture the 'soft' water effect, you have to slow down your shutter speed. When you do, you allow more light into the sensor, so it is necessary to adjust your aperture as well, or you will have a seriously blown out photograph. Here are some tips to capturing this effect. Use a tripod if at all possible. Slower shutter speeds require a stable camera. Put your camera in manual mode, decrease your shutter speed just enough to get the effect, and adjust the aperture until you get the light right.
Remember with aperture, the … (37 comments)

slideshow: Blue Snow in Your Listing Photos? Get Rid Of the Winter Blues! - 12/12/10 02:11 AM
 
 
                       Blue Snow in Your Listing Photos?
                   White Balance Tutorial -  This will help!
 
                                         It's winter time, and we'll be taking alot of photos with snow as the subject, or with snow as part of the image, as is often seen in winter listing photos. This will also help you when photographing white buildings.   Photographing white objects can be tricky. In many cases, you will find when photographing white buildings, or images with snow in them, that your whites have a very blue cast. It's an easy fix - whether you do … (38 comments)

slideshow: Fabusend - Fabulous Email Marketing! - 11/23/10 03:29 AM
… (24 comments)

slideshow: Maytag Dishwasher Recall - You'd think that would be bad enough, but wait! There's more! - 11/14/10 04:12 PM
 
Maytag Dishwasher Recall - You'd think that would be bad enough, but wait.... Maytag has recalled 1.7 million dishwashers under the names Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Aire, and several others. There have been 12 fires caused by faulty heating elements, and Maytag has sent out letters to owners that may have purchased one of these potential fire hazards. I got one of these letters. The letter instructs you to stop using your dishwasher, unplug it, and call their 800 number to avail yourself of one of two options: Option #1 - allow Maytag to schedule an appointment with a repairman Option #2 … (50 comments)

slideshow: Avian Keratin Disorder - 11/14/10 05:23 AM
 
 
Avian Keratin Disorder  
In May of 2009, I photographed this red wing black bird at the Fountain Nature Center in Fountain, Colorado. I had never seen such a beak before, and contacted a few local 'birders' to see if they had any information for me. They didn't. One suggestion was that perhaps the bird had flown into a window... A few days ago, a year and a half after I took this photo,  I came across an article on MSN News online that answered the question for me. "Avian Keratin Disorder" is a deformity in the beaks of … (18 comments)

slideshow: Not Your Typical Senior Photos - 10/29/10 04:33 AM
 
Not Your Typical Senior Photos Senior photos have changed a lot since my day – when we rode to school atop a brontosaurus, and all photos were head shots, perfectly posed and coiffed.
I really hadn’t realized that there has been a movement among students for a few years to do something DIFFERENT, until a friend asked me to shoot the senior photos for her daughter and her friend’s son.
 At first, I declined, saying I don’t do studio work. (And seriously, those of you who know me knowI’m not about shooting homo sapiens).
No, she said, that’s not what … (34 comments)

slideshow: Of Rock Carvings and UFO's in Colorado Springs - 10/24/10 05:38 PM
 
 
Of Rock Carvings and UFO's in Colorado Springs As part of my ongoing quest to find interesting places to visit, I recently purchased a fun book called "Weird Colorado", recommended by a friend. I had no idea there was so much 'weird' here!
Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) field investigator, Chuck Zukowski, was investigating reports of UFO activity in a Colorado Springs park, when he learned of another, unrelated oddity within the park. Strange carvings in stone. Two faces, and not very pretty ones, at that :) I had never heard of that particular park, and intrigued, called the … (46 comments)

slideshow: Rifle Falls State Park, Colorado - 10/14/10 05:31 AM
 
Rifle Falls State Park, Colorado
Northwestern Colorado is not particularly known for it's scenic landscapes, (depending on how you look at it), but not far from Glenwood Springs off of I70, sits an almost tropical area made so by the spray from an 80 foot triple waterfall, surrounded by limestone caves. On a recent trip to Utah, I stopped to see what all the fuss was about. It was definitely a surprise! An easy walk from the parking area brings one out of the arid, dry landscape into a lush area of greenery that is as pleasing to the ears … (32 comments)

slideshow: No Candles, Please! - 10/05/10 04:30 AM
 
No Candles, Please! I received a letter from the fire department a few days ago. This is the letter:  
Dear Ms. Boucher,
As you are no doubt aware, the state of Colorado is currently under a fire ban due to extreme temperatures and severe lack of rain. Therefore, we respectfully submit that as you celebrate your birthday, you refrain from having candles on your birthday cake. It is our opinion that so many candles would constitute a fire hazard and be a threat to the general public.
 
Sincerely,
Colorado Springs Fire Marshall
 
(I think Mary Douglas got … (42 comments)

slideshow: Thermophiles - The Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park - 09/24/10 06:06 AM
 
Thermophiles - The Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
This photo was made of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Midway Basin at Yellowstone National Park when I was there in June. The bright 'orangey' color you see is produced by microbial mats known as thermophiles - heat loving bacteria that thrive in high temperatures, ( 113- 176 degrees). They are found in deep sea hydrothermal vents, (first discovered in 1977), inside volcanoes, and in the hot springs of Yellowstone. Their color ranges from yellow to orange, and even green. The colors you see in the steam rising above the spring … (27 comments)

slideshow: As the Sun Sets on Another Chapter.... - 09/11/10 12:08 PM
 
As The Sun Sets on Another Chapter.... I want to thank so many of you for the kind comments you left while I was taking some time off to tend to 'life issues' - I loved hearing from you, please know that your messages and thoughtfulness were really, really appreciated! During the 4 months or so that I was away from the Rain I was still shooting, and was even able to fit in a couple of (theraputic :) photo trips. In June I went to Yellowstone for a week, and in July I took the I70 route to Ouray … (39 comments)

slideshow: The History of Southeastern Colorado - Video> - 05/28/10 05:15 PM

The History of Southeastern Colorado -Trinidad, Berwind Canyon Mines, Ludlow from Debi Boucher on Vimeo.
I know not everyone likes viewing videos online, but some do - and I wanted to check out Vimeo. I've always used YouTube for my slideshows, but this one is over the 10 minute limit that YouTube imposes, so I thought I'd give it a try. Actually, I think Vimeo does a great job - the quality of the video is good, and there is no time limit for your show. The down side - unless I'm missing something, there is no way to make … (18 comments)

slideshow: Let's Pretend for a Moment #2 - 05/23/10 02:27 PM
 
 
Let's Pretend for a Moment #2Alrighty then, you've found the perfect property, with a fabulous view of the Sangre De Cristo mountains. It has a lovely creek running thru it, and a wonderfully sturdy cement bridge that hovers over the creek.
You don't have alot of money to build your dream home, but it occurs to you that you can make do with what you have available. Surely you can save alot of money if only you did not have to spend so much excavating and building a foundation. Lucky for you - at this point in time, there … (39 comments)