I love photographing Boyd Lake at sunrise and sunset. This year I visited this State Park twice.

Gravel biking

First time it was in late January. The lake was covered by a solid ice and there was a lot of ice fishing going on. I rode a gravel bike, Trek Checkpoint, from my home in Fort Collins opting for one of several routes ranging from 22 to 26 miles, primarily on dedicated biking trails. For added variety, I occasionally incorporate sections of bike routes on residential streets. While these trails are mostly paved, it’s possible to find dirt paths along the shores of Boyd Lake.

Canoe paddling

The second visit was in the middle of March with Seawind canoe. The lake is opened for boating or any form of paddling this year on March 11th. It looks that there are no winter restrictions for paddling on lakes within Larimer County parks: Horsetooth Reservoir and Carter Lake.

I paddled a 8.5 loop around the lake starting a the rowing beach. It was a good workout with some wind. Seawind canoe is my strongest candidate for 340 Missouri River race this year. The lake was pretty full (88%), but I couldn’t reach the dam structure in southeastern corner, so we need a little bit more water. I was paddling too slow and missed beautiful sunset color by 10 minutes at my launching and finishing spot. However, I shot some pictures at blue hour. What is the blue hour?

Blue hour

Blue hour refers to the period of twilight before sunrise or after sunset when the sky takes on a deep blue hue with a soft, diffused quality of light. It occurs when the sun is below the horizon, and the indirect sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere, scattering shorter blue wavelengths more effectively than longer red wavelengths. As a result, the sky appears predominantly blue during this time, creating a unique and visually appealing atmosphere for photography.

Photographers often cherish the blue hour for its atmospheric qualities, soft lighting, and vibrant colors. It’s considered an ideal time to capture landscapes, cityscapes, and architectural shots, as the gentle, diffused light can add depth, mood, and a sense of tranquility to the images. Additionally, during the blue hour, artificial lights such as streetlights and building illuminations become more pronounced, further enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the scene.

Dawn and sunrise

Later in spring and summer the lake will become very busy and crowded with all sort of power boats including jet ski. It may be a good time to practice stand up paddling skills in waves and chop. But, I will be rather driving to Boyd lake before sunrise when it is still calm and quiet. Here is a selection of old pictures and a video clips from early mornings on Boyd Lake.

Royalty free images

The pictures above were shot with Sony A7R5 mirrorless camera with 24-105 zoom lens on a light travel tripod. It is my standard gear for biking and paddling. As usual, I am adding all pictures to my stock photography portfolio. There are available for licensing as royalty free images from Adobe stock and other agencies online. My portfolio currently includes: 30,000+ still images, 1000+ video clips, and growing stock of conceptual vector illustrations.

Feel free to explore the paddling and rowing playlists on my FitOver67 youtube channel for more content.