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A short uphill walk through an old growth forest lead me to a set of switchback stairs, a viewing platform and a 115 foot (35 meter) suspension bridge that overlooked this 99 foot (30 meter) waterfall. As I hiked up to the waterfall I was very quick to notice the terrain; it was SO lush! The old growth forest floor was covered with large broad leaf ferns and the surrounding trees were draped with heavy green moss; which in itself was photo worthy but because my time was limited I couldn’t stop. At the top of the stairs was a viewing platform and a suspension bridge that crossed over to the other side of the canyon. It was quite the sight to see and because the gorge was so narrow and deep, you can imagine how loud the sound of the cascading water was! I walked across the sturdy steel cable suspension bridge to a viewing platform on the other side. It however had a limited view of the falls so I decided this view was far better. From this view I noticed the natural lead in lines and the highlights created by the open sky above and although one might consider downed tree lying across the water a distraction, one might also consider it a point of interest (as I do).
The Grand Canyon is definitely both "Mighty" and "Grand"! Not only is it one of the most photographed locations in the world but it's also one of the most visited too. This photo was taken from the "Desert View Watchtower" (which is located near the eastern entrance to the Grand Canyon). I spent hours here, meandering the trails and taking photos as I did (I watched my step!). I had so much fun looking for a perfect shot, and when I came across this scene, I knew that this was it! It was mid-day however and the canyon was filled with sunlight, and as a result the canyon lacked color, contrast and texture. That said, the canyon basically looked flat, hmm.... who wants to see a flat Grand Canyon!? (lol). So, I decided to return when the sun was about to set; I was determined to get the shot I envisioned, and I did! 😊 With the sun lower in the sky and some contrasting shadows, this image now has depth, and with the inclusion of the foreground, it it has perspective too. Notice too how the warm light from the setting sun make the colors of the canyon walls pop, and come alive! Wow! Now the Grand Canyon looks “grand” and the Colorado River below, looks “mighty”, as it should be! I’d like to give thanks to the many professional Arizona artists whom have so openly shared their artistic principles with me over the years; including composition, visual flow and perspective; all of which I’ve applied to this photograph. Thank you all, so very much, for being part of my artistic journey. Love yas!
