Zion and Bryce
I recently re-processed some pictures from a trip that I made to Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks in 2014, allowing me to relive the experience in my memory. These parks are in close proximity to one another but offer very different landscapes. During my stay in Zion, I was particularly captivated by views of The Watchman from different perspectives. In Bryce, hiking in the early morning during golden hour provided a visual feast as the distinctive sandstone formations known as hoodoos came alive in the warm light of the rising sun.
Zion
The Virgin River and The Watchman
The Watchman viewed from a foot bridge crossing the Virgin River
The glow of sunset illuminates The Watchman
Panorama of The Watchman and the Virgin River
This is the entry to The Narrows. Unfortunately, this was a far as I got on this trip, though I have wonderful memories of a hike that I made up the Narrows on an earlier trip when I was younger and came prepared for a walk through the water.
Bryce
The hoodoo known as Thor's Hammer offered a distinct and recognizable subject in a sea of otherwise indistinguishable formations. I was pleased that my arrival at this location coincided with the rising sun poking above the sandstone wall.
The afternoons usually brought interesting cloud formations to add further drama to the colorful rock formations.
The warm light of the rising sun really accentuated the golden tones of the sandstone formations.
When composing landscape photographs I usually try to include a foreground element in combination with a single strong subject, but Bryce offered the opportunity for a completely different type of image: an abstract vista of amazing shapes and colors, where the repeating pattern is itself the subject.
The yellow leaves of aspens added to the overwhelming display of gold during the sunrise hour.
Aspens and hoodoos were eye candy during an early morning hike toward Thor's Hammer.
The technicolor hues of the hoodoos demanded that most of my Bryce Canyon pictures be processed in color, but I did find one subject that called out to me to be rendered in monochrome.
Thanks for viewing and allowing me to share my experiences.
