Glen Canyon

Sandstone Flow – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 Arizona, Colorado Plateau, Desert, Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Navajo Lands, Nikon D3x, Photography Trips, Split Neutral Density Filters  No Responses »
Aug 032011
 

Sandstone Flow, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona. Shot with a Nikon D3x and a Nikkor 24mm PC lens. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f13 for 1/2 of a second. The white balance was set to 5500K.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. Only a few days now before the Lake Superior Workshop. The usual last minute details from work and family commitments, in addition packing, are consuming my time. It is interesting how everything becomes an issue or at the very least appears in the flow of energy while you are trying to get away. The trick I think is to prioritize them on a list and take care of the important ones first. Some of the issues, like a squeaky, spinning wheel, are loudest but will have no impact and therefore should be tabled until your return. I have given up on perfect, calm, trip preparation. I have tried it all. Pack late in a rush, pack early to get a jump on it, but in the end all the “monkeys are trying to jump on my back” to get attention. Oh well, it is what it is. And it is the price we pay for pursuing our passions. I do pack early. Often a week to two ahead. This is simple preparation of cameras and equipment which I manage off of a checklist. Then clothes. I keep outdoor gear in separate bins so it is easy to pull out and select based on the predicted weather conditions. I just try to stay in a defined flow as I get ready not trying to have too many ups and downs along the way. I am the type that likes to have all the ducks in a row so to speak. It just gives me a little peace of mind when I am away. So stay in the flow. I highly recommend this approach.

Today’s image is all about flow. The flow of time and energy. I marvel when I see these formations formed by the forces of water and wind. Sculptures created by the slow processes of nature in the flow of time. Nature is a patient artist. It is a good thing though for we need a counter balance to human impatience. We are constantly on the move to the next thing often unaware that we just missed something really important. Personally I am the master of this behavior and I need to listen to my own advice. When I am in the field I do finally stop. The noises in my head and the constant pressures of the “monkeys” nipping at my heals are released and I am, for a brief moment, free to contemplate something as sublime as this sculpted stone. So much color, light and shadow, and connection from earth to sky with ripples that gave way to lines, that rolled into waves, that carried me away. For a brief moment in time all that defines me in “the real world” is washed away in the stone waves and I am left to simply contemplate its complexity. The real world will come back soon enough. But on this day nature asked me to stop and stay awhile. On this day I was caught up in a different flow and time stood still.

Thank you for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

 

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Sandstone Wave – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 Abstracts, Adobe Lightroom, Arizona, Color Burn Technique, Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Nikon D3x, Photography Technique, Singh-Ray Filters, Split Neutral Density Filters, sunset, Twilight Photography  No Responses »
Jun 252011
 

Sandstone Wave, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Arizona. Shot with a Nikon D3x and a Nikkor 24mm PC lens. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f13 for 1/4 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. In an article I posted on the Singh-Ray blog I talked about photographing images at the edge of light. I am continuing to explore this notion and to attempt to make images that capture the last fleeting moment of light before it disappears. I was shooting in an around the area surrounding this wave of sandstone. Earlier in the afternoon the light illuminated all of the formation, washing out most of the subtle color in the layers of sandstone. As the sun set I started watching the light move up and realized I had an opportunity to capture the edge of light. In this case I was attempting to shoot formation just as the last waves of light hit and before the sun dropped below the horizon. The nice part about this time of day is there is still a lot of soft, ambient light which helps bring out subtle details. The beautiful flakes of stone and striations were full of color-yellows, rose pinks, magenta, and a chalky blue-white. In the distance Navajo Sandstone hills gave way to soft clouds.

This shot is all about the timing and you have to pre-visualize the last strokes of natures light source. You also have to keep your eye on the horizon and watch the suns position as it drops. Within a few minutes of setting up this composition I knew I would get a last brush of light across the top of the wave. In order to maintain the balance of light I prepositioned a 3-stop, Singh-Ray Soft Edge, Split Neutral Density at the point where I believed the last rays of light would strike. Then I just waited and watched the light. I made a few test exposures to check my histogram and then took the shot. Not only did I get a beautiful wash of light across the top but I was able to pick up the subtle illumination of sandstone edges in the wave like striations. As it turns out this was the keeper of the day for me.

The RAW image was processed in Adobe Lightroom to ensure I had enough headroom in the file to bring out the edges and colors. This file is extensively dodged and burned with both light and dark layers to create the 3-D effect evident in the stone. There is also a color burn layer to accentuate the soft colors in the file.

Thank you as always for stopping by to visit.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

 

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Sandstone Fins – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 Arizona, Colorado Plateau, Desert, Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Navajo Lands, Photography Technique, Photography Trips, Sony α900, sunset, Twilight Photography  2 Responses »
May 312011
 

Sandstone Fins, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Sony SAL 20mm lens. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f16 for 1/2 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. Over the next few weeks I will be pretty busy with work related items including some travel time. To this end I may not be able to get up another post  before I return towards the middle of June. I will tell you that the back end of my travels will take me once again to the Grand Canyon and up to Page for a little slot canyon photography. I will be shooting in Canyon X, Secret Canyon, and out at the Fins at Waterholes Canyon, all on the Navajo Reservation. I have wanted to shoot both of these canyons for quite some time and I am quite excited to see them. The Fins are a collection of striated stacks of sandstone similar to todays image. If I have a chance to post another image before I get away I will. But if not I will see you again in a few weeks.

Today’s image was shot at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. On the road leading out of Page, towards the Glen Canyon Dam, there is a turn off to the right that will take you to a parking area. From there it is an easy hike in multiple directions out into the sandstone play land along the lakes edge. You do not have to travel far to find interesting sandstone formations and patterns. There are quite a lot of these sharped edged, stacked sandstone fins, that really glow in the early morning or late evening light. This image was shot in the late evening when I had just arrived in Page. I came down just after checking into the hotel just to unwind from the trip. It was an evening of beautiful light and a great way to start off another shooting adventure.

If I have the time I often like to begin a shooting trip in this manner. This was not my intended destination but it served to get my mind in the right frame and helped me to unwind and get ready for the next day. All too often we arrive with very little time to prepare and have to jump straight into our main subject. The results can be discouraging and I can think of many occasions where I have lost a days worth of shooting by simply not having my head in the right frame of mind. Learning to ease in, such as in this case, has helped me calm down and experience the light and feeling of a place. In many cases by letting go in such a way your “wind down” excursions can produce some very nice images. Afterwards a nice dinner and then checking your equipment sets a relaxed tone for the next day. Give this a try on your next trip.

I will see you again in a few weeks, and hopefully, with a lot of new images from a spectacular slot canyon.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

 

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Glen Canyon Twilight – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 Arizona, Colorado Plateau, Desert, Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Navajo Lands, Photography Trips, Sony α900, sunset, Twilight Photography, Zeiss Lenses  2 Responses »
Mar 282011
 

Glen Canyon Twilight, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 24mm. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f14 at 2 seconds.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. Todays image was shot along the banks of Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. I arrived in Page, Arizona in the late afternoon and did not have the time to get out to some of my more favorite haunts for sunset. So I decided to take a twilight stroll along the sandstone banks of Lake Powell. There is a parking area just outside of Page, off to the right, before you cross over the Glen Canyon Dam that allows access to some interesting patterns and formations along the lake. The light that evening was soft and subtle. The kind of light and time I really enjoy. I really had nothing in mind to shoot. It was more a time to unwind from the drive and feel the stone under my feet.

I came upon this composition just after the sun had set. A beautiful re-lighting was in effect that just hit the edges of this formation with a soft glow. The scene looked like someone had spilled a giant can of white acrylic paint on the sandstone. This area was underwater at one time before the lake levels began to drop several years ago. This is a kind of calcified material that is eroding and peeling off the sandstone. Over time wind an water will chip away the white surface revealing the Navajo Sandstone below.

If you get to Page, Arizona, this is a fun area to explore and photograph. The walking is pretty easy though there are some areas of uneven terrain. The area can be shot in the morning or late evening.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

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Horseshoe Bend Overlook – Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 Adobe Lightroom, Arizona, Colorado Plateau, Colorado River, Desert, Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Circle, Horseshoe Bend, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Singh-Ray Filters, Sony α900, Split Neutral Density Filters  2 Responses »
Mar 182011
 

Horseshoe Bend Overlook, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Shot with a Sony a900 and a Sony SAL 20mm lens. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f16 for 1/2 of a second.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. My apologies to all my visitors for a slowdown in my posts. I have been quite busy in a few other endeavors and needed to take a small break from the pace. Today’s image is a shot from the Horseshoe Bend Overlook located just outside of Page, Arizona. Next to Toroweap, on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend ranks in my top 5 places to visit in the US. It is simply unbelievable. The sheer exposure you feel while walking along the canyon rim is nauseating.

On the day I shot this image I was nearly 15 miles away shooting in the Wahweap Hoodoos when I noticed a band of clouds moving in. Based on the direction of movement I knew they would be sitting right over Horseshoe Bend. I raced out of Wahweap and made the 4 mile hike to the car in record time ( at least for an old guy). Then it was a race to the parking area outside of Page and another hike in to the overlook. I made it in time and sure enough the clouds were radiating out over the canyon. The light was soft and beautiful. I have shot the classic image of the canyon showing the full turn of the Colorado River around the butte but lately I have been working on a series of images featuring more of the canyon rim as part of the composition. I think this helps provide an entry point into the shot as well as a more dynamic foreground element. Along with the clouds, the foreground rocks and the angular direction of the river creates a series of dynamic lines that add visual interest.

I used a 4-stop Singh-Ray split neutral density filter to balance the exposure. The image was processed in Adobe Lightroom and exported to Photoshop for the final layer work.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Hozógo nasádo (Navajo): Walk in Beauty

Bob

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Tamarisk Tree and Rocks – Colorado River, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

 Arizona, Colorado River, Desert, Glen Canyon, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, River, Sony α900  No Responses »
Jan 302011
 

A tamarisk tree clings to life along the Colorado River, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Shot with a Sony α900 and a Sony SAL 70-300mm lens. Image exposed at ISO 100 at f18 for 1.5 seconds.

Hi everyone and welcome to today’s post. I have ben away for a week and as is always the case the return home brings a host of things to catch up on, from family matters to e-mails, and of course a new blog post. Add to all this the clean up from a 13 inch snowstorm and the weekend just flies by. As the old saying goes there is no rest for the weary. Today’s image was shot along the Colorado River above Lee’s Ferry and just below the confluence of the Paria River and the Colorado. The mad rush of the river’s flow often reminds me of my life. On this day, many miles from the inner gorge of the Grand Canyon, the Colorado River was flowing fast and furious, its roar echoing off the canyon walls. I was struck by the concept of edges. Behind me, from the edge of the river, the land slopes upward gently. But in front of me the rivers edge flowed against a sheer red wall of rock. As I walked down from the Paria I came upon this embattled jumble of rocks with a lone Tamarisk clinging to life. I wondered how many times the river had risen and attempted to up root the tree. I wondered how long it might last in the face of the rivers fury. Of course only time will tell.

There is a metaphor here I think. Some of us are like the river. We flow from one thing to the next sometimes so quickly that we do not see what passes before us. Others are like the rocks. Slow and methodical, pushing hard against the flow. Though we may flow like the river or stand fast like the canyon walls we are all cut from the same place. The river reminds me that all things change. The tamarisk reminds me of the power of perseverance in the face of change. It becomes a duality-a yin and yang. And in this there is balance. I am reminded of Norman Maclean’s words from a River Runs Through It, “Eventually, all things flow into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world’s great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.”

Though I am like the river I have the power to stop. My life, as are the lives of many of us, is filled with a furious pace. For me it is a noise, a distracting chatter that pelts me from all sides. So I become the river and the rocks alternately riding the flow and pushing against its force. On this day in the canyon I stopped and for a small moment of time experienced the delicate balance of nature. On this day I let the river go and became the rocks. On this day I sat upon the rivers edge and contemplated the fate of the tamarisk.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Bob

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Horseshoe Bend Twilight

 Arizona, Glen Canyon, Grand Circle, Landscape, Landscape Photography, National Parks, Photography Trips, Singh-Ray Filters, Sony α900  No Responses »
Feb 122010
 

Horseshoe Bend at Twilight. Shot with a Sony a900 and a Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 24mm. Image exposed at ISO 200 at f16 for 3 seconds.

Todays posting is from a shoot I did last year in the Page, Arizona area. The image is from Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. It is arguably one of the most dramatic overlooks and vistas I have ever seen. Walking to the edge will make you swoon and it is not a place if you have issues with heights. On this day I had been shooting at the Wahweep Hoodoos in the Escalante and on the walk out noticed clouds moving in to the area. Knowing the positioning of the canyon I realized the clouds would be stretching out over the landscape and I might get a shot I had thought about on previous trips. But I had to get there and light was going. The hike out of Wahweep is about 4.5 miles and I had a 15 mile drive back to the trail to the overlook. A daunting task. But I did make it (won’t divulge how fast I drove) to the trailhead and literally ran the 3/4 of a mile in. Sure enough the clouds were sitting in like I hoped.

The sun was blocked by the cloud layer which really helped with the light. I really liked how the clouds had a curve that mirrored the Colorado River below. The shot required a 4-stop Singh-Ray split neutral density to balance the contrast. All in all an amazing day at Wahweep and a great way to end it at Horseshoe Bend.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bob

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Colorado River and Canyon Wall

 Colorado River, Glen Canyon, Landscape, Water  No Responses »
Jan 032010
 

A small cottonwood tree clings to life against a canyon wall as the Colorado River races by. Sony α900, Sony SAL 70-300mm lens at 180mm, f/11 at 3 seconds.

This image of the Colorado River was shot above Lee’s Ferry in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. I was attracted to the small cottonwood tree clinging to life against the far canyon wall. To get the river in flowing motion I used a Heliopan Circular Polarizer combined with a Singh-Ray 4-stop neutral density filter. This combination allowed me to slow down the shutter speed and balance the light and exposure.

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