United States - Southwest
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The numerous slot canyons around Page, Arizona, present wonderful photographic experiences. I’m amazed many of these slot canyons have even been found, since from above they look like no more than a narrow crack in the ground, and there is so much land to explore to find the entrance. No wonder most are found by accident. The most famous are Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, and I had the chance to photograph in both. This image comes from Lower Antelope, which was the last place I shot before heading on in my travels, but it was also—I think—the best canyon to photograph. The colors, lines, height, and size of Lower Antelope made it my favorite. It also didn’t hurt that there were few people in the canyon, which made it easier to photograph. It was almost hard to take a bad picture during my two hours in Lower Antelope, but some images stand above the rest. Over thousands of years, rushing water has formed these canyons. As I walked through these incredible geological formations, it was almost too difficult to imagine how much water had to have been required, and the speed of the moving water, to forge these canyons. However long, and however much water it took, the results are amazing. The lines are both smooth and sharp; the light filters in from above casting beautiful soft hues of yellow, red, and orange; and the shape of the canyon walls create a wonderful contrast of highlights and deep shadows. Each image from this place is unique in its own way. That makes it hard to choose just one (or a handful) that stand above the rest. But, so far, this image is one of my favorite. Hope you enjoy it, too.
I wish I could say this was a planned image. Alas, that would be far from the truth. It had snowed the day before, and had been snowing when I woke up that morning. So, instead of getting up for sunrise, I went back to sleep. A few hours later, the snow had concluded, the clouds had parted, and the sun was streaming down into Bryce Canyon National Park. I ventured into the Park, ready to brave the subzero temperatures. At Sunset Point, with the wind blowing around the Amphitheater rim, I set up my tripod and captured this image. The snow was being blown by the gusty wind, the hoodoo was painted in a warm glow by the low sun, and entire scene seemed almost to be out of a fairy tale. It wasn’t planned, it wasn’t expected. But, it turned out beautifully. Sometimes that’s just how things work out.
I honestly can’t remember if Canyon X was any better than the other slot canyons I visited near Page, Arizona. But, I do know that there were only three people in Canyon X when I was there, and for that reason alone I loved it. I was with one guide and one other photographer, and we could take our time photographing this lesser seen and visited canyon. Just because it is less visited than its more famous neighbors doesn’t mean it is any less spectacular. I captured hundreds of images in this canyon, and it seemed whichever way I turned, and whichever way I looked, there was another incredible scene begging to be captured. As the day wore on, and the sun climbed higher in the sky, the light from above streamed more directly into the canyon, penetrating the long narrow opening above. Hitting the canyon walls at different angles, being redirected by the unique curves and straight edges in the walls, the light painted the warmest colors and immensely vibrant hues as it worked its way through to the canyon floor. With gentle curves and sharp straight lines, this scene was crafted by the light from above that cast dark shadows and bright highlights, and solar yellows and deep oranges.
Sometimes it’s difficult, if not impossible, to explain why I like one of my images better than another. This is such a time. I had a great time shooting in Canyon X near Page, Arizona in December 2013, and came away with many good images; even a few spectacular images. It was only later, as I was working on this image that it began to stick out above the rest. In fact, at first I was a bit surprised this image caught my eye, so I let it sit for a few months to make sure. But, no matter how many days I let pass between viewings, I kept capturing my attention and imagination. What is it that draws me to this image? I wish I could say definitively; alas, I can’t. I think it has to do with the vibrancy, the lines and swirls that lead the eye through the frame, the fact that it’s impossible to know which way is up or down, and the contrast. All of it just comes together in this image. That’s why I enjoy spending time looking at it. This image was captured at Canyon X, which is why I’ve named it Abstract X.
The day after a Winter storm dumped several inches on Bryce Canyon National Park, I found myself battleing the extreme (-28F) cold to take some images of the Park’s Amphitheater. This image was captured my first full day in the park, just hours after the snow storm had ended. I headed first to some of the more popular lookout points where the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon are easily viewed; thankfully these lookout points also provide some of the best spots to take pictures. Despite the cold, there were quite a few people out that morning. Fighting against the wind, I worked my way around the rim of the Amphitheater for a while, watching the sun rise above the nearby mountains and begin to cast its golden rays onto the red and orange hoodoos below. The long shadows cast by the low sun, the golden hues that looked warm and inviting, and the lush green of the trees, all belied the extreme cold permeating the region that morning. While I didn’t enjoy the extreme cold, I’m glad that my first experience in Bryce Canyon occurred just as fresh snow covered the park. I can only imagine how beautiful the park must look in Spring and Fall, but seeing it with fresh snow was a pure delight and photographers dream.
Walking through Canyon X, near Page, Arizona, it quickly became apparent that the photographic opportunities were numerous, and the only limitation would be time. There is fun and challenges to be had photographing slot canyons, where one can focus on the big picture or the small details, focus on the gentle curves of the sandstone or the sharp cracks that have formed over time. In this image, I got to capture everything in one frame. I don’t know if the tumbleweed fell naturally from the canyon entrance above or whether it was placed deliberately, but this is how I came across it that day. I was enamored by the gentle curves of the sandstone, created over the centuries by rushing water through the canyon. Contrast that with the sharp edges and the change in rock grain that is cuts through the farm horizontally. Then, to have a simple piece of tumbleweed sitting precariously on a gently sloped ledge and the softly muted oranges radiating their glow. What a beautiful place. I hope to go back someday.
Natural Bridge actually isn’t. Rather, it is a natural arch, one of several located in Bryce Canyon National Park. I don’t really care what it is called, and whether or not that name is technically correct. All that matters, I think, is that it is incredibly beautiful. I loved seeing Natural Bridge in person, and I love seeing this image. But, as amazing as the sight is, I think the more incredible aspect is that this natural phenomena actually exists. Over countless years, it was formed through the erosion of the rock by water, frost , dissolution, and gravity. Think about it. At any point in that long process, if something had gone differently—more water in one place, or a crack in a different that frost could have formed in—this amazing natural feature would not have been. Yes, it looks strong and permanent, but that is merely a superficial facade masking the underlying fragility of the entire formation. This image was captured just a few days after an early Winter storm dumped several inches of fresh powdery snow over the entire Park. The road to Natural Bridge was closed for a day or so, but was reopened on my last full day at the Park, and I hurried to the end of it in search of a good sunset scene. With the sun setting behind me, the clouds and face of Natural Bridge were painted with the soft glow that came from ambient light reflecting off of the fresh snow.
There are numerous slot canyons around Page, Arizona, though none as famous or visited as Upper Antelope Canyon. It’s easy to understand why so many people visit this incredible geological formation: the lines, colors, shapes, size and scope of the canyon are incredible. I had the chance to visit it in December 2013, during the low season. I can’t imagine visiting it during the peak season when hundreds of people stream through the canyon entrance, almost like the floor and onrush of water that forged this canyon over millennium. During the peak season, I’ve been told, the people squeeze in like sardines, and the photographers are lined up tripod to tripod, all trying to catch a glimpse of the famous sunbeams that stream in from the narrow openings above. Putting myself into such a situation isn’t my style, so I choose to visit the canyons in the cold of winter, and I was rewarded for my willingness to brave the cold. No, I didn’t get to see the famous sunbeam in Upper Antelope Canyon, but instead of sharing the canyon with hundreds of other people—which would make a tripod nearly useless—I shared the canyon with no more than five other people. A trade off I’ll gladly make any day of the week. The lack of people meant I wasn’t rushed and didn’t have to worry about being in the way of other photographers, or of having people get in the way of my photography. I had the time and space to explore the canyon in its entirety, and then slowly work my way through it, capturing the colors and lines that make this place so special. It wasn’t hard to capture these special views: wherever I looked, I could see a great image in my mind. The hardest part was the sore neck that resulted from spending several hours looking almost straight up. While pictures can show much of the majesty that are the slot canyons near Page, they really need to be seen in person to fully appreciate. Just standing in the middle of one of these canyons, knowing that eons worth of rushing water was required to create it—-and that the onslaught of water continues to shape the canyons today—is a humbling experience. Then, when one sees the unique shapes, lines, curves, colors and hues that are highlighted by the light streaming in from above, it’s easy be emotionally moved in such a setting. This specific image captured my attention given the way the lines swirled around the frame. The lines lead the eye throughout the scene, and the light softly highlights the soft curvature that was created by what I can only imagine was swirling water. But, why was one piece of rock left stickup out like a peninsula? How has it survived the ages without having its sandstone washed away by the torrent of water that comes through here on a regular basis? And, how much longer will it survive?
What are the chances a peninsula of sandstone, floating about five meters off the ground, would actually survive the formation process? Think about it for a second… The entire canyon was formed as fierce rivers of raging water stormed through the narrow openings, either from above or from the canyon entrance, and forced their way through the narrowest of cracks and holes. Over time—thousands, if not millions of years—the cracks and holes widened until we arrive at what we see today. So, how did this piece of rock survive such an onslaught of natural forces? The rocks on top, bottom, left and right were slowly disintegrated by the water, yet this piece remained. How much longer will it remain? If my children were to visit Secret Canyon would this peninsula of sandstone still exist? What about my grandchildren?
It was COLD! About -20F (-28C) cold. There was hardly anybody in the park, yet I had traveled to Bryce Canyon National Park intent on doing some photography. If I’d come from the nearby town or even the next state, I probably would have just stayed in my hotel room and waited out the cold. But, I’d flown in from Australia, and a little—okay, a lot—of cold wasn’t going to stop me. I was fortunate enough to arrive at the park as a winter storm began bearing down on the region, dumping several inches of beautiful white power snow. While that complicated transportation within the park, and closed off long stretches of roads, there was still enough open for me to capture some incredible images. This image was captured my first full day in the park, just after the snow storm had ended. I braved the icy roads and subzero temperatures to visit some of the lookout points where the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon are easily viewed; thankfully these lookout points also provide some of the best spots to take pictures. The cold wouldn’t have been that bad if not for the wind, which whips around the end of the canyon picking up speed before it slammed into me and my tripod. It was the wind that eventually drove me back into my rental car, where I pumped up the heat and turned on the seat warmers to slowly defrost before braving the arctic wind again. This image is a small section of the grand Bryce Canyon Amphitheater, a stunning site of hundreds of hoodoos. I’ll be heading back to this park again in the future. Hopefully when the temperature is at least above freezing.
Sometimes photography is easy, and other times it is difficult. But, no matter what, it remains incredibly fun for me. Even on those early mornings where it’s hard to pull myself out of bed while the sun is still hours away from rising, I’m yawning constantly as I drive and hike into position for the coming sunrise, and it is bitterly cold. I can’t stress that last part enough: -22C is cold. Bone chilling cold. The kind of cold that will freeze fingers to metal lenses and render digital cameras inoperable. Yeah, it was one of those mornings. But, boy was it fun. I loved every second of it, though in all honesty I loved getting back into the warm car a bit more than normal that morning. I wish there had been a few more clouds in the sky that morning; i think that would have made the entire scene spectacular. As it is, it’s pretty darn good, though. I love how the early morning light is bouncing off the atmosphere and the fresh snow to cast a lovely red glow on the hoodoos. I’d never been to Bryce Canyon National Park before, but now I can’t wait to go back again. There is so much to see and explore there; so much to photograph!
Near Page, Arizona, the nightly Colorado River does something spectacular. It makes three massive turns in a very confined area, creating what is known as Horseshoe Bend. Pictures don’t really do Horseshoe Bend justice, as the the sheer scale of it is hard to show in an image. It’s a short hike from the parking area to this lookout, but be careful: one wrong step and it is about 300 meters (1,000 feet) straight down. I got as close as I dared to the edge of the cliff, especially given that I arrived in the inky black of pre-dawn darkness. But the risk was worth the reward, as I was able to capture this image as the sun rose behind me. A wonderful way to begin the day, seeing this sight slowly materialize before me as the sun cast its rays into the sky and the pre-dawn blackness gave way to a cold Winter morning.
There is something special about having a new experience. I’d never been in a slot canyon before I traveled to Page, Arizona in December 2013, to visit several. I remember walking into the first canyon I visited, Secret Canyon, and was just amazed. There was a solitude to the canyon since there were only three of us that day, but also a grander that could only come from knowing that the sheer power of nature had formed these spectacular canyons of thousands, if not millions, of years. I felt small inside them, knowing the time and power required to create them, and the fact that it was almost impossible to see the top of the canyon from inside. I walked the length of Secret Canyon before I took one picture. Sometimes I do that: either I’m so in awe of what I’m seeing that I forget about the camera, or I want to see the entire thing before I decide what to capture first. I think there was a little of both on this day: awe and planning. In the end it worked out great. I got to experience this incredible canyon and attempt to capture the beauty of what I was seeing.
In December 2013 I traveled to Page, Arizona, for the sole purpose of visiting several of the slot canyons that dot the surrounding landscape surrounding. Almost all of these slot canyons are located on Navajo Nation land, and require either permits or guides to access. While the most famous slot canyons in the area are Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons, there are several others that are worth visiting, including Secret Canyon, my first stop on this trip. I was one of three people in the canyon for several hours that day; just me, another photographer, and our guide. It was cold outside, and even colder in the canyon, but I was so excited to be in the canyon that I didn’t feel the chill that was present for the several hours we were there. I’d never been in a slot canyon before, so I was a bit surprised by the color, diffuse light, hues of the rock, and the texture of the sandstone carved over millennium by water from the occasional rain storm. The lines in the sandstone, carved by the rushing water are, at the same time, smooth and soft, hard and rigid. Swirls and gentle arcs intersect straight lines and cracks, creating a visual feast for the eyes. Near the exit of Secret Canyon I found this bush of tumbleweed sitting on a small shelf in the sandstone. Maybe it was placed there by someone, or maybe it had fallen through the top of the slot canyon high above and landed in this place; I don’t know. But, I loved how the brittleness of the tumbleweed is countered by the gentle swirl of the sandstone behind, and the graceful arc coming down from the corner of the frame. There was just enough diffuse light provide a golden glow to the scene.
The day after a Winter storm dumped several inches on Bryce Canyon National Park, I found myself battleing the extreme (-28F) cold to take some images of the Park’s Amphitheater. This image was captured my first full day in the park, just hours after the snow storm had ended. I headed first to some of the more popular lookout points where the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon are easily viewed; thankfully these lookout points also provide some of the best spots to take pictures. Despite the cold, there were quite a few people out that morning. Fighting against the wind, I worked my way around the rim of the Amphitheater for a while, watching the sun rise above the nearby mountains and begin to cast its golden rays onto the red and orange hoodoos below. The long shadows cast by the low sun, the golden hues that looked warm and inviting, and the lush green of the trees, all belied the extreme cold permeating the region that morning. While I didn’t enjoy the extreme cold, I’m glad that my first experience in Bryce Canyon occurred just as fresh snow covered the park. I can only imagine how beautiful the park must look in Spring and Fall, but seeing it with fresh snow was a pure delight and photographers dream.