Timelapse Photography of Colorado During Major Wildfires

Photography Tips  •  Time-lapse Photography

When temperatures rise, outdoor enthusiasts flock to the mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes to enjoy nature’s beauty. Unfortunately, arid summer months also mean wildfires for much of the American West.

This year, Colorado has experienced some of the biggest wildfires in its history. Matt Johnson used timelapse photography to document the gorgeous scenery of the colorful state from Bruce Spruce Ranch, where he witnessed forest fires that burned over 100,000 acres of wilderness and threatened homes and businesses:

The West Fork Complex of fires included the Windy Pass, West Fork, and Papoose wildfires. Johnson could see at least two of the fires from his lodgings near Pagosa Springs. He used a Canon 7D and 21 RAW timelapse videos edited with Premiere Pro to put together this amazing film he calls Pagosa.

Being so close to the fires must have been both frightening and thrilling. By sharing his timelapse photography, Johnson allows us to experience the awe of nature’s power from the safety of our own homes.