Tag Archives: utah

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Cliffs and Trees

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Red Cliffs and Trees
“Red Cliffs and Trees” — Kolob Canyon red sandstone walls in morning light and shadow, Zion National Park.

There are plenty of people whose knowledge of the red rock sandstone formations of the Southwest exceeds mine. But I have observed tremendous variations in these rocks as I photographed in Utah. The rock generally comes in layers that vary significantly in color and texture. Sometimes they are thick, uniform, and massive. In other locations they are filled with textured sub-layers and contain curves and cracks.

The example in this photograph is one of those massive, solid layers. This cliff is in Zion National Park’s slightly-more-remote Kolob Canyon. It is in a location where you can get quite close to this impressive layer. I made the photograph on a morning with a bit of haze. The position of the sun in front and to the right of the camera produced rim light on the cliff’s edges.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Red Rock Sunset

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Red Rock Sunset
“Red Rock Sunset” — Sunset light on red rock formations near Fruita, Capitol Reef National Park.

This spot is obviously full of spectacular scenery, though it was a bit tricky to photograph near sunset. One of the “problems” actually turned out to be a plus. There was some overcast that muted the light, but the light was still strong enough to be softly directional, especially on the more distant cliffs. A second issue is geological. The area is on an inclined formation that rises to the west, so the sun actually drops behind the uplifted western horizon a bit earlier than true sunset.

The color was astonishingly red in this sunset light, especially since the soft light reduced harsh shadows and highlights. I don’t often include roads in my landscape photographs, but in this case, a) it was unavoidable and b) it produced a useful leading line heading toward the groves of trees and the campground at Fruita.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Sandstone Formations, First Light

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Sandstone Formations, First Light
“Sandstone Formations, First Light” — Sandstone towers and walls in first light, Arches National Park.

I made this photograph from an “official” viewpoint…. that is named for an entirely different view that lies behind my camera position. There is something interesting in that other direction, but this tableau of sandstone towers and walls, near and far, seems more compelling to me, especially very early in the morning when the rising sun illuminates them. I made this photograph just before actual sunrise, when the earth’s shadow is visible in the distant sky.

My feelings about Arches National Park are complicated. When we drove into the park in the morning on my very first visit, I really had little idea of what I would see. I was dumbfounded by the wild formations — huge sandstone walls, tall towers, rocks perched in improbable places, long views. It is definitely worth a visit or two, but be aware that it is a heavily impacted place. Its beauty is part of the reason, but it also lies just outside the town of Moab, Utah, making it (perhaps too) accessible.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (If you are reading this on the home page, click the article title to see the full article and the comment form.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Fall, Photographs: Fall Color, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: The Southwest, Photographs: Utah

Cottonwood and Sandstone

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Cottonwood and Sandstone
“Cottonwood and Sandstone” — A cottonwood tree with autumn foliage grows against Utah sandstone.

Right up front, a few things about this photograph. First, it is not recent — I photographed this scene back in 2014. I have been busy reviewing old raw files recently, and this one came up during that process. Second, unlike some of the others resulting from this review, this is a photograph that I have shared before, albeit in a different form. What you see here is a very different crop from the original, and by eliminating some elements from the original image I think I have significantly changed the effect.

The location is a place far out in theUtah backcountry — not exactly inaccessible, but not easy to get to. I was part of a group of a half dozen photographers who four-wheeled it out there and set up camp for days so that we cold photograph the heck out of the area. Sadly, from what I hear, this tree is no longer living, perhaps having succumbed to a drought and heat.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.