Photographing Boulder Colorado

The University of Colorado is a great place to take a camera.

The architecture itself is absolutely gorgeous. And in the early 1900s when the University was starting to establish its image it decided upon using the Italian Rural Architecture, because it thought it would complement the mountains. A beautiful sandstone is the rock of choice for nearly all of the buildings with it quarried locally. The rough, textured walls and the sloping, multi-leveled roofs with red tile are characteristic of the Italian Rural Architecture. While some of the older buildings that were built when the university first opened near 1877 that might have a slightly different view. They coexist in harmony on one of the most architecturally beautiful campuses anywhere.

With about 30,000 students it makes it a great place to people watch. Some sports like women's soccer has free admission and allows spectators to take pictures. If you are interested in your sports/action photography there are definitely some great opportunities at the school.

The Boulder creek runs from the mountains on the west side all the way through town bisecting it. The city of Boulder made the creek into one long city park, so there is a trail that runs along it and there are stop offs every so often along it with varying scenery. The creek at one point passes right next to the public library, which is a beautiful building in its own right.

This would be a perfect place to get ourdoorsy pictures while still in the city. You can follow the trail and get a myriad of types. In the city there are the typical parks that one would find in a city, but there are also other goodies that can be used to get a fun and creative shot. For instance following the creek near the road Broadway there is an old caboose which could make for some interesting pictures. Also, since the creek and the corresponding trail go up into the mountains there are places to hike, rock climb etc and provide a great opportunity for adventure, or outdoor portraits.

There are several mountain parks that if one wants to get out of the city for a little bit (including Chatauaqua and the Boulder Creek) then one can visit the mountain parks. Some of my favorite trails include:

Boulder Falls - This is a trail about 10 miles west of the city. It includes a short trail that is approximately 1/4 mile in length and leads to a waterfall. Boulder Falls receives heavy visitation by tourists heading to the high country from Boulder. Boulder Falls is quite lovely and well worth the brief stop for a look at the cascading water. There is a large parking area just across SR 119 from the Falls; please cross the road with care to access the short trail that leads to a viewing area. Visitors are required to stay on the main path that ends at a viewpoint just below the falls. Here you will have an excellent view of the Falls, forming where North Boulder Creek plunges approximately 70 feet to enter Middle Boulder Creek.

Another of my favorites is Mount Sanitas which is located on the periphery of town, similar to the Flatirons and Chatauqua. Mount Sanitas Trail is a moderate to difficult trail which meanders both sides of the ridge leading to the summit of Mount Sanitas. The southern portion of the trail is utilized as an access by climbers to several bouldering areas along the trail.

Pearl Street Mall is effectively downtown Boulder and can be considered the social hub of the city. It is a pedestrian or a walking mall that stretches for about 5 city blocks. The mall hosts a blend of locally-owned businesses and national chain stores and restaurants. It is also home to much of Boulder's nightlife. During the summer months, Pearl Street Mall is the stage for a number of street performers like the one pictured here, which was taken during the summer of 2010 on Pearl Street Mall.

There are many events that take place on Pearl Street Mall such as the Naked Pumpkin Run, and Mall Crawl which happen annually. It is a great place to shoot candid pictures of people.