After almost two weeks of concentrating on the ocean, feels like a good time to go in the opposite direction. I am fascinated with slot canyons; they are so awesome to hike through and make great photographic subjects at the same time. Can't ask for more than that. This one is known as Willis Creek and is somewhere out in the middle of nowhere in the Grand Staircase region of southern Utah, a bit east of Bryce Canyon. After 15 miles or so down a dirt road, you park by a little stream and actually follow the stream down into the canyon as the walls grow around you, like Alice down the rabbit hole. There are almost 2 miles of ever changing light and shapes as you follow on down; the stream eventually dies out, at least when I was there. These 2 backpackers are the only other people I saw during a whole afternoon of walking and shooting; they passed by as I was already set up, so I left them in the scene to give a sense of the scale.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Change of Scene
After almost two weeks of concentrating on the ocean, feels like a good time to go in the opposite direction. I am fascinated with slot canyons; they are so awesome to hike through and make great photographic subjects at the same time. Can't ask for more than that. This one is known as Willis Creek and is somewhere out in the middle of nowhere in the Grand Staircase region of southern Utah, a bit east of Bryce Canyon. After 15 miles or so down a dirt road, you park by a little stream and actually follow the stream down into the canyon as the walls grow around you, like Alice down the rabbit hole. There are almost 2 miles of ever changing light and shapes as you follow on down; the stream eventually dies out, at least when I was there. These 2 backpackers are the only other people I saw during a whole afternoon of walking and shooting; they passed by as I was already set up, so I left them in the scene to give a sense of the scale.
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25 comments:
Mark,
I'm sure you ever know that but this kind of rocks always makes me dream :)
Mark I am so excited about this change. I love dessert and rock shots.
I will be traveling through Utah myself later this summer and I can't wait.
Simply wonderful!!
Jackie:-)
wow, thanks for this info, we are making plans to go there actually this coming april, and i haven't heard of this before. been to bryce, zion, arches, but missed the canyonlands, so we plan to go back there, and also the grand staircase. and since this is only 2 miles from grand staircase, it is a big wow! i am a big fan of desert, i think it is so fascinating. thanks so much.
I was in Utah a few years ago (mostly around Moab and Bryce) and it was gorgeous. The prettiest landscape I've ever seen...hmmm, I may have told you this before. Anyway, this photo is great!
I've been here, many years ago. What a wonderful shot.
NOOOO! No fair..no one can go to Utah unless I get to go!:) Have to start planning a new trip. Seriously, if someone told me I could only photograph in one state for the rest of my life, I would pick here. The cool places to visit are almost endless.
Wow...it's gorgeous. I'm speechless...and jealous.
This is a very good capture where the texture and the perspective are so splendidly composed.
Excellent image off the coast!
yes, without the hikers, you wouldn't be able to tell the grandeur of the rocks. Looks like a lot of motion on that right side... kind of dizzying... or maybe it's just my morning coffee kicking in! lol Very beautiful!
awesome !!
Sir,
I came across your blog only today.
And have to admit that i was awestruck.
You have a really great collection.
I even write about you on my blog..
http://jammyspeak.blogspot.com/2009/02/feast-for-eyes.html
wow what a wonderful pic! Excellent pictures in general!
saludos
3dlandscapes
James: Yes, color and texture are what it's all about in this area. Don't miss it if you ever get to the U.S.
SB/Deb: The hikers are moving but not the rocks.. are you sure you were drinking coffee??;)
Donnie: Thanks for stopping by.
Saurabh: Welcome, glad you enjoy. Thanks for the mention on your blog.
Dario: Thank you. I gather you're in Argentina.. I would love to get down there and do some photography someday.
I've never heard of slot canyons until now - great pictures and educational at the same time!
LOVE this! I think you were right to have the people in the shot. Good call.
Cool shot. The canyon looks breath-taking.
An amazing scene and an amazing shot! Yes, the people give scale and make the view have even more impact.
Places like this excite me so much! Guess I have to travel to Utah.
Nice Image Mark. As I sit here in the cold and somewhat boring flatland, I envy your ability to drive on over to a slot canyon! I like the inclusion of the hikers to give the sense of scale. I have seen so many of these images, some of them with quite dramatic light, but it is not always easy to tell whether this is a grand scale or a closeup. Yours gives the viewer a sense of the grandeur of our American Landscape. Thanks for sharing!
Lynda: Thanks and good to hear from you again. I watch your blog all the time but you have so many commentators already that it's hard to find the bottom of the list to leave a comment!
Andy: Good to hear from you too. I came across your blog a while back and liked it but lost track for a while.. were you off line? Seems like you reworked it from what I remember. Anyway, I will put you on my following list from now on. You're right, I have lots of abstracts of rocks and canyons and they are quite popular, but is fun to show the scale of it all sometimes, especially since many people around the country and the world are unfamiliar with this type of landscape.
Mark, I value your professional opinion and I know you have your act together, so I hope you do come back to visit! :)
I'm always torn between writing, photography, painting and digital art. But I get the most excited either when painting (abstract: the adventure of texture and color) or shooting in nature's scenic places.
Your work is great!
Your photos are so absolutely amazing. How wonderful it must be to be out in a place of such majesty and then to be alone for most of the day. Incredible!
And, to be able to capture the images so brilliantly with your lens is a true gift.
Backpackers backpackers... where is Jimmy Stewart? :)
Another stoater of a shot! The forces of nature that must have created that :0
Wow, This must be a paradise for nature photographers.
I looked around your blog Mark Alan and your photos are of very high class. Continue the great job. Thank you for your kind comment on my page. I's sure to visit again.
Cheers John.
... BEAUTIFUL! All your work is. But this is my favorite. I can't believe the awesome power and time it took to create this.
David
Thanks David.. glad you enjoy. And, thank you also for the nice review on BlogCatalog!
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