Tonight I was flying into DIA (Denver International Airport). We were landing about an hour before sunset (about 4:30pm local time, I believe). So the sun was still shining over the Rocky Mountains and creating nice long shadows across the snowy ground.

First off, I was amazed that there was still snow on the ground. The typical winter behavior for greater Denver, CO area is that the snow is typically gone about a half day after it falls. But the weather this winter has kept the snow around from the past few snow storms that have hit the area.

Next, I was amazed at the imagery that I was catching a glimpse of as we landed. The area around DIA is largely open grassland. You see an occasional river bed with trees growing within reach of the water. Since DIA was built there has been a growing amount of development in the area, so you also can spot landscaped rows of trees lining driveways and roadways. As we were flying over, you had very Fargo like scenes of a white canvas with brown sticks and long black shadows.

It was another one of those moments where I wish I had my camera! Thought I would have had to sneak it out to take the pictures as “electronics are not allowed during take off and landing”. And then there is the issue of the hazy and scratched airplane windows. Regardless, I found myself longing for my camera.

This is the largest downside of my photographic passion. That I don’t (or can’t) always have my camera handy to take images I see.

I don’t because I already find myself lugging a 20 pound briefcase around with me when I travel for work (my day job). If I were to take my camera bag with a few standard lenses and gear, it would be bulkier and heaver than I care to deal with (I just can’t quite demote myself to shooting with a digital point and shoot since having moved to DSLR). I have tried this on a few business trips and ended up sacrificing items that I wanted due to space limitations in my Lowepro CompuTreker backpack. Maybe it’s time to buy yet another camera bag…with room for my laptop and work materials as well as my stripped down camera gear. But it has to be the size of a briefcase or backpack as I hate checking luggage and I need to take some clothes with me in my wheelie case.

Then there are the times when I can’t have my camera with me. The downside of traveling for a non-photography related business is that you get some strange looks from co-workers/customers/partners when you show up with a camera around your neck…

But I have digressed…I guess I’m going to have to look into doing a helicopter rental in Denver some time in the future to be able to capture the images that are now stuck in my head. Maybe, I can find some other local photographers who would be interested in doing this together…