After all the recent business and copyright blogs, it is time for a little fun and frivolity…

We are in Colorado scouting for our workshop in a couple of weeks. It is not that we don’t know this area well, having come and photographed here for years, but it is always good to find new locations and just check things out.

Crested Butte, our base for the workshop, is a great, historic, little town, peppered with gaily-painted, two-story buildings, wonderful restaurants, cute shops, and broad, western streets. Film and other festivals happen here. Those who love outdoor activities — skiing, biking, fishing, hiking, even photographing — come here to enjoy the gorgeous surroundings. People wave to each other across the street, call out to one another. It is a friendly town.

We were surprised to learn that a big ad campaign for a beer company was taking over the town for three days. They paid the town to close off a few blocks with chain link fence and the businesses to serve only their beer for alcoholic consumption. Only a limited number of people, all 21 years of age or older, would be allowed inside the fenced-off area for the three days of festivities. Plane-load upon plane-loads of people were flown in, the winners of their contest along with the executives. The crew came in advance to set up sound systems, lights, banners, hot tubs, volleyball court, and all that is entailed in a big production.

There was controversy that only the first 4,000, give or take, locals could access the area within the chain-link fence. No kids, of course. But, Crested Butte is a tourist town, and this will bring in future tourists. And while it is inconvenient for some of the residents, after the ad and festivities are over, the town will return to normal.

Arnie and I went up to CB, as Crested Butte is often known, to check out things for the workshop. A huge blue gorilla greeted us, and we passed an equally large blue cowboy boot. After checking out some favorite spots and stores, some of which had been replaced or moved since last year, we stopped at our favorite place for lunch, sat outside, and watched the goings on. The town had turned blue. Bike racks … blue. Lamp posts … blue. Banners … blue. Even part of Elk Avenue .. blue. Yes, really, the beer crew had painted several blocks blue, all apparently to be returned to normal after the weekend is over.

The whole thing was so bizarre, we had to photograph elements of it. With all the confusion, it was hard to isolate subjects to get a good shot. Arnie concentrated on legs.and

I was attracted to the complementary colors of the cones. This one had been tipped on its side on purpose so the building machinery could get through.

Good photographers always have cameras in hand. One never knows what will present itself, even subjects that one might not normally address such as with the blue craziness in CB. We had fun observing and waiting for the right combination of elements to come through and eliminating all the distracting elements, of which there were many! Line and form can make for some eye-catching photographs. So challenge yourself next time you are in a situation that doesn’t quite do it for you.

For more information on our workshops, go to Barefoot Contessa Photo Adventures.

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