COLORADO TOUR GUIDES

Saturday was a great day with John. He picked me up punctually at 5:30am and dropped me off after sunset (about 7:30pm). So we had a really full day in the park. The weather was great – sunny, quite warm, if a bit breezy (even more breezy on Sunday)

I enjoyed the tour and would thoroughly recommend it to others. John was clearly knowledgeable about the park and knew the best spots at various times of day. John has clearly got a lot of photographic knowledge and was a very good instructor. We had lots of good discussions about the various locations and situations we found and how we could get the best out of them. John asked about my hiking ability and footwear when deciding where and how far we should be hiking. John also came well equipped with hats, gloves, cots, tripods, lights, drinks, water and food. We had a good break in the early afternoon – when conditions weren’t so favourable for landscape shooting – which meant I had the energy to continue until sunset

This is a fantastic tour where you get to experience the Rockies from a different prospective, through the eyes of a professional photographer so instead of just taking any photos you are able to take some different prospectives and get some excellent instruction on composition

I had a full day to photograph Colorado and was on a budget to maximize my time and to get the photographs I wanted I had to hire a guide and Gene made it happen. I basically told him what I wanted to shoot and he took me to various spots to get what I wanted with a few surprises along the way (Mountain Sheep/Goats).

I especially enjoyed the Continental Divide. Gene is super knowledgeable about the area and local history he really knows his photography. He is totally a work with what you got guide and I totally let him take the reins on this trip. I was surprised to even know that there was a back country to the old coal mines and he took me to all the nooks and crannies. Next time I am in Denver I have already discussed a couple of possible trips with Gene. Definitely a go to guide!

Just took a 2 day extended tour with Gene and let me say it was well worth it. I told him what I was looking for and he picked out some great spots. I walked away with not only some great photos but some great information as well. Gene is more than willing to answer any questions that you might have to help you become a better photographer. I would definitely tour with Gene again.

Gene was an amazing tour guide. We felt he really did a great job in showing us the Rockies and much much more. Gene was very informative and gave my son extremely helpful advice on the use of his camera. I would not hesitate to use Gene for more tours when in the area… Very much recommended!

With extremely short notice of only one day in advance, Gene managed to organised exactly what I wanted; a pickup from my hotel in Denver, a sunrise photo-shoot in the mountains, and a day at Mount Evans away from tourists/groups. Gene’s local knowledge also allowed for close-up encounters with mountain goats, big horn sheep and marmots, all in their natural environment. Hiring a guide gives you the flexibility of stopping any time you see something interesting, and spending as much or as little time as you like at each spot – far more preferable than a bus tour on a fixed schedule. At the end of the day my memory card was full with a variety of wildlife and landscapes from a unique mountain environment. Highly recommended.

Our family thoroughly enjoyed the tour offered by Gene. He was in communication with us before the tour and hit all of the items we were looking for (moderate hiking and spectacular mountain views) I especially liked how he checked in with us throughout the day to see how we were doing. I would not hesitate in recommending Gene for future tours in Colorado.

Photo heaven! – Thank you Gene for taking me to some of the most fantastic photo locations I have ever seen! From the fighting elk to the sunset above the clouds, the bull elk in the forest and the shimmering aspens, I was in photo heaven! Your attention to the details, your expert guiding and your photo knowledge were all invaluable!  Thank you for such a wonderful experience, I can’t wait to join you again on another photo adventure.

Thanks for a great photo shoot.  I really enjoyed it and our almost perfect weather with plenty of clouds.    It was nice to have someone drive me to the good spots that I may not have found myself.  It’s a great way to go to have a private photo tour.

Colorado is a state that I have always wanted to explore. When I came across Gene’s website, I contacted him and he was extremely helpful from start to finish. He offered recommendations for which hotels to stay at, and ways to improve my overall picture shooting experience given his photography background. Everything I needed he did what he could to make it happen. He drove me around from place to place, which was more than 500 miles of driving in 4 days. During that time, Gene was able to get me to The Great Sand Dunes, Mount Evans, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and Garden of the Gods. Any stops along the way whether it was simply for food or to take a photo he was more than willing to do so. We also went camping at the Sand Dune area where he set up camp and made dinner and breakfast. The guy had everything covered. All I had to do was sit back and relax. I highly recommend. Being at the top of the Sand Dunes in particular was a terrific experience and one of the best moments of my life. Thank you Gene for making my Colorado experience one that I will treasure for a lifetime!

Gene, thank you so much for this amazing and unforgettable trip to Mount Evans. There was a wonder around every corner.This private tour went beyond my wildest expectations. I really enjoyed the breathtaking wilderness areas, the amalgam of hardy wildflowers, the alpine lake, the rainbows, the marmots, but the most fun was taking pictures so close to the magnificent mountain goats. That was one of the highlights. I consider myself now a much better photographer thanks to your accurate and specific advice.

Just want folks to know that my recent time with Gene Tewksbury in Colorado was a fun adventure.   Gene is very knowledgeable of the area and had great ideas for ‘creative images’   We were at great altitudes and had some fun snow shots. as well as some valley.   I know any one would love to spend the day with Gene’shooting in the wilds’.

Big Sun Photography,
“I’m twice the photographer I was last week thanks to your tour.  It really is amazing how learning basic concepts and strategies can make you see the world completely different through the camera.   Anyway, I really enjoyed the tour.  I appreciate the great locations we got to visit.  I’m sure I would have never found those myself in any tour guide.   I’ll be sending you some friends of mine this fall.

Traveling for my job has given me opportunities to seek out and hire Photo ‘Safari’ guides in many unique spots.  While on a business trip to Denver recently, I  heard about Big Sun Photography in Golden/Denver area.  I’m extremely happy I  registered online for a photo tour with Big Sun.  After shooting the mountains and lakes around Golden Colorado with Gene Tewksbury from Big Sun, I know I’ll return.  I loved the sites Gene hand picked  for me and the wealth of photography information he shared in one day would compare to a week seminar elsewhere.  Thanks Gene, I’ll be back!

My girlfriend and I just got back from an awesome photography tour through the Colorado Rockies with Big Sun Photography.  Let me also say now – what’s a fantastic gift for anyone interested in photography.  I am an amateur photographer equipped with a Canon XSi and no training to speak of.  That said, I was a bit nervous about making a fool of myself with a professional photographer, but I was immediately put at ease once we started shooting.  Arriving at our first site (St. Mary’s Glacier), Gene’s photography expertise was obvious – explaining composition, exposure, the use of reflectors and diffusers and even explaining specific functions of my camera all in a manner that I could understand and immediately apply to my shooting technique.  Gene’s patience and genuine interest in making me the best photographer he could in two days let me feel comfortable in asking questions and showing my mistakes so that I each shot I took was better than the last.

The second day is when I got really excited.  We met at 6:45 AM to head out to Roxborough State Park.  We hiked approximately 4 miles up to a beautiful meadow overlooking Denver in the distance.  Gene’s boyscout-like knowledge of the rocks, flowers and wildlife we experienced shined through as he provided insightful and interesting asides as we made our way up and down the trails.  Once we ate, we got on the road to continue our tour – no time was wasted as Gene proceeded to explain post-production techniques using Photoshop and Lightroom (surprisingly well considering we didn’t have a computer with us).  Our last stop on the trip is one that I would recommend to anyone heading out with Big Sun – Mt. Evans.  At 14,264 feet up, the views were nothing short of majestic.  At this height, Gene demonstrated a 360 degree panoramic shot (I saw the final version after post-production – unbelievable) and I tried my own 180 degree panoramic, but got interrupted by a cloud heading directly for me – nevertheless, I got the shots with Gene’s help and that pano turned out pretty well too.

I’m the kind of person that generally judges an experience by asking myself ‘Would I do it again?’.  I would absolutely do this again (although I’d definitely want to try out some new locations).  I highly recommend Big Sun Photography and Gene Tewksbury.  If I can work up the courage to do it, I’d also like to go back in the Winter for the Photo Ski Tour – with Gene at the helm it would definitely be a epic trip.

Dear Gene,
“Thank you for the amazing tour of the Rockies.  It really made our visit better than it would have been.  When we passed that tour bus jammed full of people filing out to view a “scenic view” on the side of the highway I laughed.  We had just experienced a wonderful secluded trail with breathtaking views and wildlife, with just out family, with your expert photo advice, and I thought to myself.  “That could have been us on that awful bus tour”.  We enjoyed every moment and I learned some real good tips for improving my photography.   We will be back again next year to use your services.

We are lucky to get his tour. Our booking made only one day before of the tour. He learned some words of our own language as a nice jesture. We’ve really appreciated for his warm hospitality. We will promise to choose him when we visit Denver next time.