Slickrock and Shadow

Tallest Grass  In the field, looking at the bland clouds and hazy grey skies, I had to decide how to make an interesting photograph of my dear little cabin.  I wasn't satisfied with my standard shots taken from 2 to 6 feet above the ground.  The ground cover wasn't interesting enough to shoot down.  The skies weren't good enough to shoot up.   So I changed perspective radically by inverting my tripod and getting very, very low to the ground . . . so low that my subject (the cabin) was mostly obscured.  It became a complimentary subject while the grass and yellow flowers became my new star.  Even so, this is a less saturated picture than most landscapes.  It feels grey/neutral in many ways and accurately represents the colors that day.

Sunset with star burst effect and foreground detail Seeing sunset at White Sands National Park is a highlight of my year.  All the elements combined to give me a dream as the daylight disappeared.  As most people do, I walked out on the Alkali Flat trail.  This is no secret and I found it to be the most crowded and busy trail out on the dunes.  The only way I got away from tourist footprints was to just hike a mile beyond the trail markers.  The further I went, the more pristine the dunes became and it's tempting to just keep going . . . .  In my case the sunset happened and I found myself 2.5 miles away from the car.   I set up my tripod for the sunset shot at an angled dune that was catching light down its' diagonal slope.  I got shots without the sun but found my shot that included the sun was best.  This has lots of interesting pieces with the sun bursting its' rays being the top attraction.  The next eye-catching feature is the...

Grasses are thick, making it hard to spot the water Great Salt Lake's Shoreline Preserve State Park is the perfect sunset stroll.  The distances are do-able, everything is flat and the views vary enough from place to place to keep everyone happy.  Fall and Spring are pleasant times, thought the mid-day winter might be OK too.  If you get the timing right, birds might be migrating through the area, though that was not my passion.  I enjoyed the sunset over the lowland marshes and really liked the two lookout towers.  They give new perspectives and serve as good photo subjects.  Bonus!  Make the journey.  You won't be disappointed.   Two towers at the Preserve Reflecting pond Curling Boardwalk

  Bonsai Tree of East Zion The slightly famous Bonsai Tree of Zion National Park stands atop a sandstone formation right off the road.  This is a "Oh-that's-so-cute!" location for those who know where to park their car.  Speaking of which, this is between the tunnel and East Entrance, about midway.  There's no sign or parking lot and the roadside pullouts are small.  Nevertheless, it's worth a stop.  If you drive slowly and look for it on the south side, you'll see it easily.  Pullover and walk back to explore some more.   The first picture is what it looks like from the road.  That bend tree trunk points up, then sideways and then down.  Framed against a blue sky, it leaps out.  This looks great from all directions.  Below is a photo taken from the lower front and then an old photo taken from the far side back in 2008.  You'll notice the  tree has grown slowly over 13 years between photos.   The twiste...

Leeds Waterfall  The locked gate forced me to walk up the dirt road to Oak Grove for my hiking exercise this day.  Walking allowed me to SEE things that would overwise whiz right past me in a car.  Walking allowed me to HEAR those things too. So I HEARD falling water, I looked off the roadside and I SAW this lovely gem of a waterfall.  It's certainly worth a skinny dip to cool off on a hot day.  It's also worthy of a landscape photograph too!  

Ocean Surface from Sea of Cortez Minimalism is defined as "a trend in sculpture and painting that arose in the 1950s and used simple, typically massive, forms."  Another definition  a style or technique (as in music, literature, or design) that is characterized by extreme spareness and simplicity .   A large swath of ocean with small islands in the distance qualifies as minimalist.  Many areas appear empty.  By emphasizing the uninterrupted ocean surface, those features on the surface get noticed:  the swells, and small ripples.   This is minimalism to me and resembles mindfulness in it's approach to appreciate what's there.

Yovimpa Point is the end of Bryce Plateau and looks over a vast south land Yovimpa Point and Rainbow Point are the south-most views in Bryce Canyon National Park.  The lovely drive down takes time as the road curves and wanders.  Rainbow point is right off the parking lot and looks to the north and east.  This is a wonderful and classic Bryce-type view.   Rainbow Point has the delicate spires typical of Bryce Canyon As lovely as Rainbow Point is, it's not really unique nor are the spires near enough to make you feel like you're touching the heart of Bryce.  The views are too distant.  Better viewpoints are to be had along the road and at Fairyland Point, Agua Canyon, and other spots.   Yovimpa Point is a 10 minute stroll on a paved path through the pine trees and then ends at the south-most point of this plateau.  The views here extend 70 miles to Mollie's Nipple, Coyote Buttes, Paria and many other landmarks visible to the educated eye....

Sunrise at Fairyland Point is GORGEOUS! Fairyland Point is the most easily accessible Bryce Canyon location.  Fairyland Point is the first viewpoint when entering the park, before the park entrance and before you pay to enter.   Bryce Canyon doesn't advertise this hidden gem to those entering the park, but there is a sign you see as you exit.  Sneaky, isn't it?  Well, if you know where to turn, you can see this yourself.   Directions:  from the Sinclair gas station across from Ruby's Inn, drive 1.5 miles south.  Take the unmarked  paved road on your left and you'll be gazing over Bryce in less than 60 seconds.    

Darwin Falls with the reeds on the left.  What a beauty! I found myself passing Darwin Falls trailhead this past summer en route to the Sierra Mountains.  As cool as they would be, Death Valley was roasting at 118° F.  Though I'm no stranger to triple-digit temperature, this was a new record for hiking conditions.  I was literally passing through in the middle of the day, with the sun directly overhead.  One step out of the air-conditioned Subaru and I was uncomfortably hot.  I felt like I was standing too close to a roaring campfire the whole time.   2 miles and I could see no sign of shade.  Taking only my hat, water bottle, camera and tripod, I marched off as efficiently as I could.  Marching in place in a sauna would be the best training for this hike.  After 20 minutes of hiking up the wash, water and trees appeared in the canyon.  Grateful for the shade, I hopped over a few puddles and then water flowed slowly down the sh...

  Columbine Spring is the source of a clear Leeds Creek.  Water just emerges from under these rocks! The origin of Leeds Creek is Columbine Spring.  Columbine Spring emerges from the ground in the foothills of Pine Valley Mountain, the largest mountain in the St. George region.  From the spring, Leeds Creek rambles down the mountain to eventually drop into Harrisburg Creek and then Quail Creek Reservoir.  Leeds provides more water for the reservoir than any other source.   Recently on a training hike I saw "Columbine Spring" listed on a map near Oak Grove campground.  Knowing this is a beautiful region, I wanted to find this spring myself.  After hiking to Oak Grove, I set off in the direction of Columbine Spring.  Be warned that travel to this water is not easy.  Shoulder-height bushes prevent easy movement and travel is slow for the whole 1-2 miles.  It feels like torture.   Having committed myself to go, and gettin...

Lost Lake Dock -- near Whistler, Canada Photography composition is an essential element to any quality photograph.  Even when light may not be "golden", composition can make or break a photo.  Composition is personal.  Two photographers at the same location, photographing the same subject in the same light will come up with different results because their composition choices.   What are the elements of composition?  These things spring to mind for me.  There are others.   1.  Focal length of lens 2.  Distance from subject 3.  Height of camera 4.  Angle of camera (looking up or down towards the subject, or even on the side) 5.  Shutter speed (adding motion blur or smoothing water) 6.  Aperture (for depth of field) 7.  Symmetry or Asymmetry 8.  Lines and curves 9.  Dark and light areas Simply by changing any one of these, the whole photographic expression changes.  An example of  how shutte...

  Poverty Wash glowing slot canyon walls My blog seems to be turning into a homage to Parunuweap Canyon and its' tributaries.  Poverty Wash is another lucky place.  If you make it here, you are lucky.  If you see the walls, wade through shallow but totally clear waters, you are lucky.  If you reach the last section ending in a circular room, you are lucky.   Getting into Parunuweap can be done in several ways.  I've come through Rock and French Canyons.  That's the hard part.  Once you're in, Poverty wash is a walk in the park without any obstacles.   French Canyon short cut into Parunuweap Traditional Route with good photos As you may guess, visiting Poverty Wash is a highlight for anybody's life.  Now that I've explored several sections of Parunuweap (Rock Canyon, French Canyon, Mineral Gulch, Fat Man's Misery and Poverty Wash) I'm thinking Poverty is my favorite of them all.   Poverty Wash curves around smooth...

Sidewinder curves in the depths of Crack Canyon Crack Canyon in Utah's San Rafael region is another of Utah's less-known gems.  Down a dirt road in Central Utah, this trailhead is not even listed on maps.  The canyon makes for a pleasant stroll on a clear or cloudy day.  A short slot section resembles the "Subway" of Zion but I liked the impressive rust-colored walls and Swiss-cheese holes in the sandstone.  This place has more holes in rocks than any other location I've seen.  It's quite "holy".  Here are a few pics from this wonderful little location. Cave-like Crack Canyon with light at the end of the tunnel A glimpse of the amazing holes, cavities and caves in this canyon -- and the namesake "Crack".

Fat Man's Misery exits into a warm green bath-like pool!  Go down the waterslide for good time! Green waters thrill me.  I've always thought emeralds were the most beautiful color of green.  This hue exists in Parunuweap Canyon within the green glassy clear waters.  You need a filter to drink the water but no camera filter to get this amazing color!  It's entirely natural and stunning to see. Some pools are blue but for me the most beautiful are these in Parunuweap Green. If you go, bring a dry bag for camera equipment and good shoes.  Also known as "the Barracks", this East Fork of the Virgin River is the most beautiful of the three (Main Fork and North Fork). Green turquoise waters in a deep slot canyon, Parunuweap, Zion Boulder and Pool in Parunuweap

Temples of Zion from Coal Pits Wash Coals Pits Wash is a beautiful spot for anyone wanting to escape the crowds of Zion National Park.  This secluded area has a great trail into remote canyons.  The further you explore, the more rugged the scenery and trail.  As this follows a wash, the climb is pretty level if you come up from Rockville area.  Another shortcut is from Dalton Wash Road, passing a landmark cinder cone. I came here for my birthday during the pandemic and saw no one else.  My daughters accompanied me as we explored to the ends of two canyons:  Coal Pits and the next-north canyon, Jennings Wash.  Both have water in the Spring, making drinking water an easy thing.  This is not the case in the hot summer, FYI. Coal Pits Wash, typical views in the lower sections.   Waterfall and Plant Life in Upper Coal Pits Wash Water Slicing Through Sandstone Layer in Coal Pits Wash Creating a Series of Tiny Lovely Waterfal...

Steven's Arch high above Coyote Gulch is an excellent detour! Coyote Gulch has world-class photo opportunities and I'm here to show you the best spots to visit.  I'll share lens recommendations as well as time of day advice.  Coyote Gulch has so much to offer in scenery, relaxation, adventure.  I spent 3 days and 3 nights here and want to return again soon. Starting at the Escalante River and then going in upstream order , I shall list the sights and give you my 2¢. Stevens Arch: The most important thing to know about Stevens Arch:  it get better and better as you get closer.  The view from the Escalante River is very fine but if you climb and get up close, you will be richly rewarded. Like many days, the skies were clear in the morning, clouds gathers in the afternoon and then turned overcast.  Hiking up in the morning allowed me to have mostly blue skies and just a few clouds here and there to add interest.  I just waited a few minu...