I love being a snowbird! For the past 7 years I've left the grey and rainy pacific northwest behind in late fall to follow the sun down to the American Southwest to explore and photograph the stunning landscapes until spring. I've seen some truly remarkable places, but to become an all-time favourite, a location has to meet a few criteria: The most important thing is … [Read more...]
Kolob Terrace
While trying to get away from the spring break crowds in Zion National Park, Utah, we discovered Kolob Terrace in the central part of the park. To get there from Zion Canyon, you exit the park on the south, travel west to Virgin, and go up Kolob Terrace Road where you re-enter the park. (Note, this is a different place than Kolob Canyons.) Along the 23 mile road you'll … [Read more...]
Kolob Canyons
Zion National Park can be a pretty busy place with all the hikers doing Angel's Landing and the Narrows and all the photographers lined up on the bridge. Plus, we made a critical mistake. Because we had been there before, we didn't do as much research as we usually do. We just booked a week at the RV park. It turned out that the week we chose was spring break!!!! … [Read more...]
The Watchman, The Virgin River, and No One But Me
As I made this photo, there were at least 20 photographers lined up on the bridge in front of me making a very similar photo. They are just around the bend in the river. The perspective is a bit different: a more elevated position, less river, no tree. But is it really that much better? Is it better at all? The first time I visited Zion National Park, I had to make "the … [Read more...]
Towers of the Virgin
It was one of those mornings when I lift the blinds on the window, a little bleary eyed, and suddenly I'm awake, excited about what I see. With a little hop and a jump I grab my camera gear and I'm off! I was staying at an RV park just outside Zion National Park in Utah. The clouds looked pretty thick, but the chances were high for a dramatic view so I set off to one of the … [Read more...]
Checkerboard Mesa, Zion National Park
One of my favourite sections of Zion National Park was the first part I saw: Checkerboard Mesa. It has layers upon layers of slickrock as seen in the foreground of this image I made of a lone pine tree growing mysteriously out of the rock. The Mesa is the great mountain in the background with criss-cross lines like a checkerboard. Please click the image to view a … [Read more...]
The Virgin River, Zion National Park
There are two things that make Zion National Park as unique as it is: the great red sandstone cliffs and the Virgin River. Please click the images to view larger versions. I made a few images using a low angle perspective that would allow me to capture both the river and the red walls, and that usually meant getting some green trees in there too. I would love to come … [Read more...]
Lizard in Zion National Park
Do you ever dream of basking in the sun with towering sandstone cliffs on one side of you and a rushing river on the other? If you do, you might find this lizard is your neighbour: Please click the image to view a larger version. I'm not sure what kind of lizard he is. But I really liked the contrast in texture between his skin and the sandstone rock. I made both … [Read more...]