# @noahwetzel on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DL883dKOu1I
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/59722652-noahwetzel-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/7dec019d3d.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-07-11T03:26:19.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Noah Wetzel (@noahwetzel) — https://gondola.cc/noahwetzel

## Caption

This is the ceiling of Northwest Colorado, the 12,067ft summit of Big Agnes ( bigagnes ) under a beautiful and clear September night sky in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. I’ve been waiting 3 years to reveal this image. What makes this image so magical is the combination of soft moonlight illuminating the alpine scene (more or less studio lighting the scene with soft-box esque lighting), balancing the last fading hues of subtle twilight that strikes the western facing slope, bathing it in a soft warm light. I also love how the moon leads into the Milky Way. 

This was captured via 7-separate exposures, a vertical panorama composed of horizontal exposures (20 seconds at f2.8 - ISO 800). This is hands down one of my favorite alpine images I’ve ever captured, and I’ve never shared it, nearly three years after it was captured on September 4th 2022. 

This is a very unique perspective of the peak, showcasing its prominence, while looking southeast towards the rising moon. Few individuals access this vantage point each year, and that’s exactly why I wanted to capture this perspective. I spent five separate occasions over the course of 36-hours shooting near the summit of Big Agnes and the Sawtooth Ridgeline to capture a few incredible images. It was absolutely exhausting, but so special witnessing these calm and peaceful moments next to a honorable summit. 

The best landscape images, are often captured in early dawn or late twilight, when the highlights of the sky are balanced equally with the foreground composition. It’s a magical window of 15 minutes or less, and utilizing Graduated Neutral Density filters (like I did in this photograph) to darken the sky can accentuate the balance of the image even more so. I can’t wait to add this to my artwork portfolio and start printing it soon! 

#highpeaks #summits #coloradomountains #coloradophotos #coloradophotography #coloradosummits #coloradosummer #backpacking #backpackingphotos #wildernesspics #mountainpics #mountainphotos #bigagnes #rockymountains #mountzirkelwilderness #steamboatsprings #landscapephotos #interiordesign #mountzirkelwilderness #coloradoart #utahart

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 213
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 18

## Tags

rockymountains, mountainphotos, backpackingphotos, coloradosummer, interiordesign, coloradophotography, landscapephotos, backpacking, coloradoart, summits, mountainpics, coloradomountains, highpeaks, coloradosummits, steamboatsprings, mountzirkelwilderness, bigagnes, coloradophotos, utahart, wildernesspics

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