Paul Drake Photography

My first attempt of taking a still life photograph using my light box. Helping Carolyn with her ebay store Whimsy Parade ebay.com/str/whimsyparade as her "official" photographer for her special items. Lots of fun experimenting with poses and lighting. Carolyn is a great photographer too. Check out her site. Lots of cool stuff. Soon I will have my fine art photography photos from my portfolio on her site. www.pauldrakephotography.com

Paul Drake Photography Welcome to Paul Drake Photography. Paul’s artistic influences captures the breathtaking beauty of

"Black Canyon of the Gunnison". Fall storm over the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River outside Montrose, Colorado. New addition to my website portfolio. www.pauldrakephotography.com

Delta-Montrose Colorado Overlook from Grand Mesa taking the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway. Panorama capturing the grand view of the Delta-Montrose Valley with a little fall color included. Definitely was one of my bucket list trips to take the Byway off "the Mesa" as the locals say. www.pauldrakephotography.com

I am glad to announce Paul Drake Photography will be a part of Carolyn Drake's Ebay store Whimsy Parade. If you are looking for that unique gift for that special someone, visit our site. There is something for everyone. Unique Christmas items and other holiday and seasonal items. Bookmark the site. New items added everyday. Fine art landscaping photographs from my portfolio at Paul Drake Photography will be soon available in all sizes and formats. Don't delay, view the site soon for amazing deals.
www.ebay.com/str/whimsyparade
www.pauldrakephotography.com

Mesa Verde Panorama. Panorama of the Mesa Verde Anasazi cliff dwelling outside Cortz, Colorado. This was one of the largest cliff dwelling communities in the American Southwest. As you can see from the tour group, the size of the dwelling is quite large allowing for many habitants. Definitely a must see.
www.pauldrakephotography.com

"Ravaged By Fire" Stark reality of what wildfires can do to an iconic national monument. In 2020 a large wildfire blazed through the Mesa Verde National Monument in Mesa Verde, Colorado, outside Cortez. There once was a large stand of thick pine trees here. The fire raged uncheck through this valley for miles. Fortunately, the monument itself was unscathed.

Paul Drake Photography See through a different lens!

What Colorado is all about, next to the grand beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Grand Mesa splendor. Beautiful green forest mixed with fall color. A clear running stream into a calm peaceful lake. Clear blue skies with bright white fluffy clouds. Who could ask for a more serenity and opportunity to bond with nature.

Grand Canyon of Colorado....Black Canyon of the Gunnison River. Had plenty of rain but occasionally the skies opened up to sunlight bringing out the magnificence of the canyon.

Grand Mesa Colorado fall color and an early winter.

Paul Drake Photography See through a different lens!

It has been several years since I have been back to the Grand Canyon. Always an interesting place for any photographer at any time of day. Playing with composition with my Samsung phone camera.

My Grandfather worked with Walt Disney in the very early years during the creation of Mickey and all the characters. My Grandfather George Drake hired new artists. So anything Disney is memorable. Find more Disney items on our Ebay store Whimsy Parade.

Rusty Wallace NASCAR stein. This and other great finds can be found on the ebay store Whimsy Parade

The Mittens at Monument Valley was a photo bucket list item I was able to complete last year. "Into the Shadows" offers a unique perspective of this iconic treasure of the Southwest. You can view it as my new home page banner on my website www.pauldrakephotography.com, available through Fine Art America. Enjoy!

For those who are still following me, thank you. I haven't posted anything new lately as I have been limited to having time to go out on photo adventures. I've posted one of my favorites as it has been commented on frequently and I received recent awards when I entered it in Southwest Panoramas. I think it captures the true essence of Arizona and the Southwest, being the one of the most visited places in Arizona. Hope you like it.
www.pauldrakephotography.com

"Country Road", a country road that takes you off into the magnificent mountains surrounding Castle Valley, Utah. How many times have seen a county road like this and wonder where it goes. Some can call it the scenic highway. Next time you see your 'scenic highway", take it, the wonders may amaze you.
www.pauldrakephotography.com

Paul Drake Photography See through a different lens!

Into The Shadows - unique panorama of the Mittens in Monument Valley as they are placed in shadow. A little different from the color photos of these famous landmarks.
www.pauldrakephotography.com

Paul Drake Photography See through a different lens!

"Canyon Pines", one of my first fine art landscape photography additions to my portfolio, just recently earned a judge highly commended award from "Landscape of the American West" photo contest. View this and other Southwest photos in my portfolio at www.pauldrakephotography.com

Paul Drake Photography See through a different lens!

Aspen Gold

A little bit of Arizona's winter wonderland. Taken north of Payson near Blue Ridge.

Was proud to recently receive Expert Merit on three photos I submitted to a contest sponsored by Digital Photographer. The first photo is titled "Aspen Gold" taken on the Grand Mesa outside Grand Junction Colorado. The second is titled "Vail Creek" taken from the wooden bridge entering Vail, Colorado. The second is an overlook on Grand Mesa, showing the magnificence of fall color on the Mesa. It is humbling to be recognized and awarded by the judges from Digital Photographer for my photography.
www.pauldrakephotography.com

Paul Drake Photography See through a different lens!

Hello all,
Am proud to be able to add this to my website, after many, many photo excursions::
"Paul is an award - winning photographer, recently receiving "Expert Commended" award by Mark Bennett, Editor and judge in a recent Black and White composition, sponsored by Digital Photography magazine. Paul received his award for his Mt. Garfield - Portrait in Black and White composition. Paul also received "Expert Merit" by N-Photo Magazine for his "Aspen Gold" composition. Paul has been awarded Master Photographer by the Photocrowd.com,, a worldwide photography community, with 210 awards for 179 submitted photographs."

Below are the two compositions receiving the awards, which can be found on my website, www.pauldrakephotography.com

"Shadow and Light" Mittens of Monument Valley caught in light and shadow. Midday lighting helped in providing the dramatic effect.
www.pauldrakephotography.com

Fine Art Photographer See through a different lens!

Hanging out, lounging in our new backyard, and every weekend we are visited by this little friend. I think it's a female cactus wren. If you know what it is, let me know. Whatever it is, it sure sings loud and long.

"Winter Is Coming" Just finished a week-long photography journey through Northern Arizona, Southern Utah, Western and Central Colorado. With over 400 photos taken, I will be updating my website and sharing new Southwest photos with my Facebook followers. Here is a small panorama of the snow-covered mountains outside Vail, Colorado. Ominous dark clouds hovering overhead with a recent snowstorm on the peaks, reminds us "Winter Is Coming"
www.pauldrakephotography.com

Fine Art Photographer See through a different lens!

Sometimes you can find beauty and unique composition in the smallest of things in the strangest places. On a sidewalk in Glenwood Springs, Colorado on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

Fine Art Photographer See through a different lens!

Balance Rock at Colorado National Monument. Taken late afternoon before sun set behind the cliffs. Afternoon sun enhanced the colors of the Monument.

Fine Art Photographer See through a different lens!

Newspaper Rock, a petroglyph over 2000 years old. Archeologists not sure of exact message from early man communicating to other clans/tribes or their form of graffitti.

Mittens of Monument Valley - completed a bucket list item, to get photos of the famous Mittens in Monument Valley. Had to play hide and seek with the cloud cover, but patience prevailed. Was able to capture both in full afternoon sun. This was with my Samsung Galaxy. Have 104 photos taken with my Nikon D750. Will post process when we get back. Colorado is the next stop.

San Diego Skyline At Sunset. Taken with Samsung Galaxy and edited through phone as an experiment. Bought phone for the upgraded camera to supplement Nikon equipment.