Category Archives: Photographs: The Southwest

Sandstone Towers

Sandstone Towers
“Sandstone Towers” — Red rock sandstone towers, Arches National Park.

Remembering the October day when I made this photograph, I recall that there were some thunderstorms around the area and that we had mixed light. These were those wonderful conditions where it might rain one moment and the next there might be brilliant sunshine, always with the possibility of a dramatic sky. It appears that I made this exposure during one of those sunny breaks. (Looking at other original exposures in the sequence, not all of them had this light.)

Continue reading Sandstone Towers

Canyon Trees, Layered Rocks, Autumn

Canyon Trees, Layered Rocks, Autumn
“Canyon Trees, Layered Rocks, Autumn” — Layered rocks and small trees with the last leaves of autumn, Utah.

This was a magical spot at a deeply-shadowed bend in the canyon of an Utah River. A small group of us had spent the morning working our way slowly through a section of red rock canyon, alternating between sun in the straight sections and shade where the river inevitably made the next bend. At every bend we would peek around the corner, see something interesting, and say, “Just to the next bend.” Finally, we ran out of time at this point, photographed here, then turned around and started back.

Continue reading Canyon Trees, Layered Rocks, Autumn

Autumn Brush

Autumn Brush
“Autumn Brush” — Autumn colors on brush in Utah canyon country.

A few years a small group of us were headed into a beautiful Utah canyon on a late-October morning. We were looking forward to photographing the colorful canyon walls, the river flowing along its path, and autumn cottonwood tree colors. But as we approached the canyon entrance, before the walls began to rise above us, we were distracted by an area filled with this brush with its own version of fall color.

Continue reading Autumn Brush

Autumn Tree, Sculpted Sandstone

Autumn Tree, Sculpted Sandstone
“Autumn Tree, Sculpted Sandstone” — A cottonwood trree with autumn foliage grows next to a sculpted sandstone cliff.

A group of us ventured down into a narrow Utah canyon, lined with red rock walls and dotted with autumn trees. A creek flowed along its length, and the soft sound of its moving water was never far away. With the fall colors and the colorful rock faces there were photographs everywhere. Not surprisingly, our progress was slow… but very productive.

Continue reading Autumn Tree, Sculpted Sandstone