Utah - Bryce Canyon Photos
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I visited beautiful Bryce Canyon (in the southern state of Utah) on a brisk and stellar February day. It was truly an amazing day to say the least, and having never been there before I was in utter “Awe”! I was not only lucky to arrive on a sunny day but after a fresh snow fall too! Everywhere I looked the colours seemed saturated, especially in contrast with the shadow cast snow and the high altitude, deep blue sky (the rim is 8000 - 9000 ft. above sea level) . Albeit very cold (-5C, 23F) and very windy, we hiked to the valley floor below, were it was surprisingly warmer, I even peeled off our jacket! On the climb back up I happened upon this view and knew it would make an amazing abstract. With the "rule of thirds" in mind, I captured this shot as you see it. There were trees above the snow line however I chose not to include them in the shot. Notice the the colours! The snow in the distance is purple-blue in color (drawing from the blue sky). The brilliance of the orange and yellow sandstone was the result of reflective lighting from where I stood (I was standing on a vertical ledge and the sunlight bounced back off the wall of the ledge below me). Did you notice that the sun highlights the lip of the yellow sandstone? It's exactly what I looked for when I shot outdoor portraiture. I thoroughly enjoy abstract photography; I hope this photo leaves you wondering, “What is it and where is it?”.
We visited beautiful Bryce Canyon (in the southern state of Utah) on a brisk and stellar February day. It was truly an amazing day to say the least, and having never been there before I was in utter “Awe”! We were lucky to not only arrive on a sunny day but after a fresh snow fall as well. Everywhere I looked the colours seemed saturated, especially in contrast with the shadow cast snow and the high altitude, deep blue sky (the rim is 8000 - 9000 ft. above sea level) . Albeit very cold (-5C, 23F) and very windy, we hiked to the valley floor below, were it was surprisingly warmer, we even peeled off our jackets! As we climbed back up to the rim, I happened to notice this view across the way, and I knew it would make an absolutely amazing panoramic abstract. With the "rule of thirds" in mind, I captured this shot and a few others of similar. What’s not shown in this photo are the trees above the snow line, but I chose to crop them out so your eye wouldn’t be drawn to them; instead, I want you to notice the the vibrant colors! The snow in the distance is a purple-blue color because it has absorbed the deep blue color of the sky, and the brilliance in the oranges and yellow sandstone is a result of the sunlight reflecting off the canyon wall falling away, below my feet. Notice too that the sun kisses the lip of the sandstone pillars, which helps to define the ridges by separating the two orange tones. This panoramic shot is one of my (all time) favorites, and it hangs on our family’s wall.
On a cold February day, we visited Bryce Canyon, in southern Utah. This was my first visit so you can imagine my “Awe”! We live in such an amazing world, with such beauty, but what I saw before me was truly breath taking. We were very lucky that it was a sunny day and also very lucky that bits of snow remained in the shaded areas (which added yet another color to the scene) . The vibrant colors of Bryce where very saturated when we were there; the result of the bounced lighting between these pillars. Albeit very cold (-5C) and windy along the canyon's edge, as we hiked down to the bottom it grew warmer and warmer, eventually we had to peel off our jackets. When we climbed back up to the canyon’s ridge, I happened upon this view; I knew it would make an awesome abstract!
We visited beautiful Bryce Canyon National Park (in Utah), in 2015. Having never been there before I was in absolute "Awe"! We were lucky to arrive on a sunny day (after a snow fall) and everywhere I looked the colors seemed saturated. I happened upon this view and knew it would make an amazing abstract. These colorful pinnacles are called “hoodoos”; they’re eroded limestone, some of which reach 200 feet (60 m) high. They extend for more than 20 miles (30 km), from north to south within Bryce Canyon National Park. We purposely arrived early for this photoshoot; when the sun was still relatively low and the shadows were strong and long. Together, it made the vivid colors of the hoodoos strikingly vibrant and the contrast separated some of the columns. “Oh wow”, we remarked (thrilled and with complete amazement). It was chilly here, on this February day (at 9000 feet above sea-level in February) but I was so fixated on getting (these) amazing shots that I forget how cold my hands were! *See the other Bryce Canyon photos. I named this photograph, “The Hoodoo Expressway” because the pillars remind me of people, whom appear to be making their way through the canyon's exit, in the far-off distance.
We arrived at Monument Valley with plans to tour and photograph the valley; we were so excited! We didn’t however do our homework prior to our arrival, and were disappointed to find out the park was closed because of Covid. So, we made the most of our time here and decided to explore the area around Monument Valley instead. We chose to explore a side road that was paved to begin with, then it turned to gravel and then it turned into a forestry service road. We were alone and it felt freeing to be alone; the only car in the middle of nowhere and away from civilization. Suddenly I saw something move across the rocky desert scape, “Wild donkeys!” I said with excitement (I had never seen them before). They were a far distance away so with my camera and long lens in hand I slowly walked towards them; not knowing anything about wild donkeys, I wondered if they’d be curious about me. Then with some trepidation I wondered what would I do if they did! Quit quickly however, they ran off and I didn’t even get a single shot. We continued on and as we turned a corner, these four wild donkeys stood right in front of us! Now, knowing how skittish they are, I quietly (and quickly) got out of the truck to take aim. Initially, they were huddled together but as I approached them (ever so carefully) they backed off and stood as you see them here; just as curious about me as I was about them. I knew how very, very blessed I was for this once in a lifetime opportunity, so with that in mind, I made sure all my settings were I wanted them and held my camera steady. What I love about this photo is how perfectly lined up they are!