Recently, my wife and I traveled to Montrose, Colorado, which served as our base for exploring Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and the scenic Million Dollar Highway in search of Colorado's spectacular fall colors.
On an overcast, rainy day—ideal conditions for photographing autumn foliage—we departed Montrose and drove south toward Ouray, Colorado, where we planned to begin our journey along the Million Dollar Highway.
Shortly after passing through Ouray and beginning our ascent into the mountains, I glanced back toward town and spotted a brilliant rainbow stretching across the valley. Fortunately, I found a roadside pull-off where I could safely stop the car. I quickly grabbed my Canon EOS R6 Mark II, equipped with an RF 24–105mm f/4 L lens, and began photographing the rainbow.
After capturing several images from the pull-off, I carefully crossed the road to explore a different perspective. From this vantage point, I discovered a breathtaking panoramic view of Ouray nestled in the valley below, surrounded by rugged mountains adorned with brilliant autumn colors. Above the historic mining town, a magnificent rainbow stretched from one mountainside to the other, creating a spectacular scene.
It was one of those unexpected moments in photography when being in the right place at the right time transforms an ordinary sightseeing excursion into an extraordinary photographic opportunity.