Last month, I experience two sunrises and two sunsets from the south rim of the Grand Canyon. Forunately, the weather forecast was wrong. It called for clear skies. Instead, I was treated to some incredible clouds and dramatic lighting. Of course, the Grand Canyon is an amazing place. Each time I approached the rim, the colors and contrast of the scene changed--depending upon the lighting/cloud formations.
Here are a dozen of my favorites from my short visit:
1- Sunset from Pima Point
2- Sunset from Hopi Point
3- Sunrise from Mather Point...can you see the couple who worked their way down the ridge to view the sunrise? Amazingly, of the 5 million visitors to the Grand Canyon each year, only about 2 or 3 people fall to their death annually.
4- Cloud formation over the Grand Canyon. I have a collection of cloud photographs now from this road trip.
5- From Hopi Point
6- This time the Canyon took on a green/red combination
7- Sunrise from Yaki Point
8- Layers from the historic El Tover Hotel
9- The historic Grand Canyon train depot. I saw the train arrive from Williams, Arizona...and then saw it depart. I saw it once again in Williams.
I think one of the most difficult things about Grand Canyon photography is successfully re-presenting the interplay of light, geography and sky you experience there. All of these are really nice images, but I think #'s 1, 5, 7 and 11 are especially effective at this. I really enjoyed viewing this, thanks for sharing.
JWRisinger wrote:
I think one of the most difficult things about Grand Canyon photography is successfully re-presenting the interplay of light, geography and sky you experience there. All of these are really nice images, but I think #'s 1, 5, 7 and 11 are especially effective at this. I really enjoyed viewing this, thanks for sharing.
Thanks...I think layering helps convey more depth. The telephoto lens also helps to compress things to bring various lines closer together. Thanks for commenting.
GroovyGeek wrote:
#2 and #6. For me the Grand Canyon is all about partial illumination, preferably in the middle and background.
Thanks...and I agree about the partial illumination.
I just got back from the Grand Canyon (and Flagstaff!) last week. I'm so jealous of the sky you experienced there! Such gorgeous color and shape. The skies during my visit weren't nearly as dramatic - such is the luck of travel landscape photography!
I really enjoyed seeing your photos, especially those with an interplay between warm light and deep shadow. Well done!
