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I can't begin explain the level of excitement I feel when given the opportunity to capture some of this world's most amazing places. Even more exciting however is to come across scenes like this that are truly unique and different; they usually involve the weather and the sun (or lack of). In this photo, thick valley fog, falling snow and darkness completely surrounded me; winter was in the air. I was focusing on a field of wispy bulrushes when to my astonishment the sun suddenly appeared, and only on this tiny spot. I had no time to waste, so I found the best composition and adjusted my camera accordingly. I was elated by the vibrant, vivid and contrasting colors; they demand the viewer's attention. That said, I thoroughly enjoy sharing these rare photographic moments with you. I hope that you can feel the "wow" too.
Superstition Mountain is located east of Phoenix and Apache Junction. It was once volcanic but now this sleeping giant is a popular recreational area for bikers, ATV'rs, and horseback riders too. It's rugged and sheer sided peaks are well over 5000 feet and can be seen for miles. I camped at the Lost Dutchman State Park, which is conveniently located behind from where I took this photo. I left my campsite early; giving myself plenty time to find the perfect composition. It wasn't easy to get here; I climbed over boulders, around bushes and dodge the prickly cacti too (ouch!) and it seemed to never end (lol). As the mountain grew larger, I stopped to take a series of focus stacked shots until I eventually parked myself here. I stayed until it was dark and watched as the light changed, and took photos as it did. There is a trail at the bottom of the mountain that runs from left to right, and then into the shaded canyon on the right. Those that are agile climb to the top of the mountain on the far right. I did hiked into the canyon a few years back but I wasn't prepared to go that far on a hot day. Arizona is known for it's amazing sunsets which casts some amazing colors on the desert floor (just like this photo). I headed back after I got some blue hour shots but boy, was it dark and walking back in darkness wasn't fun! Oh well, I made a new memory and I chuckle at the new (more) scratches on my legs (which seems to go hand in hand to get the shots I want, lol).
Over the years I've grown to appreciate and love all art, and it occurred to me one day that art is so much more than my personal taste or a first impression but that there is an "art" to observation. To stop and look beyond our first impression we see the subtleties in the details and gain greater appreciation. That said, when I approach a scene (or peace of art), it's more about how I see the scene than my first impression. This photo is a prime example. At first, I only noticed the vivid pink leaves (!) but with an intent to observe, I noticed a beautiful blue truck was parked behind the trees, which resulted in this myriad of color.
