Post Cards from the Road Part 3

PAGE, AZ
UPPER ANTELOPE CANYON Click on a photo to see a larger view.

Our Navajo guide picked us up in a difficult-to-describe vehicle. Was it a truck? A van? A bus? We scrunched onto two back-to-back benches attached lengthwise to the bed. We wrapped our cameras in plastic in a futile attempt to protect them from the blowing sand (of which there was an abundance). Our vehicle was also wrapped in plastic (an opaque tarp covered the sides and back of the vehicle) in a futile attempt to protect us from the wind and sand.

The classic shot inside the canyon includes a beam of light streaming through a gap in the rocks with the light pooling on the floor. The exact time and location of the beams are predictable, but with dozens of tours of dozens of people all crammed into the narrow canyon corridors, clear beam shots are difficult to capture. Even without the sun beams, the light & shadows are compelling.

These white strings are sun light draped on a canyon wall.

STUD HORSE POINT
Our 2nd location in Page (& 3rd for the day) was Stud Horse Point to photograph the pedestal rocks against the beautiful sky of the setting sun. The rocks did their part, but the clouds obscured the sun set.

HORSESHOE BEND

The next morning, a short drive and a long walk took us to this iconic scene. Our goal was to photograph a sun rise and a moon set at a spot where the Colorado River makes a U-turn. It was not to be. Thick clouds blocked both the moon and the sun. No matter! I had so much fun scrambling around on the rocks looking for a unique view. There is no safety rail at the edge of the chasm and this was as close as I dared to go. You can see one leg of my tripod in the lower right corner of this photo.

The blue cast disappeared as the sun rose higher, and the clouds provided a lovely, low contrast, diffused light. Don & Gary continued to stress the inclusion of a strong foreground object.

I thought this double curve in the river was worth isolating. When I turned off the polarizer, the water glowed turquoise. Do you see the rock face on the right?
SEDONA, AZ

Sedona was the last stop for the workshop and my road trip. This was my 4th visit to a place I considered enchanted. On previous visits I was charmed by the red rock beauty, the energy vortexes, and the psychics & crystals. This time I was struck by the urban sprawl and the excess of cars and people.

One target in the workshop was to capture the classic shot of Cathedral Rock aglow with the light of the setting sun. Once again, the sky did not co-operate. Clouds masked the sun and turned the sky gray. But that didn't mean there were no shots to be found. When the sky isn't that pretty, just leave it out of the photo.

Gary trudged through the thicket to set up this shot.

The next morning, after a cloud shrouded sunrise shoot and breakfast, the workshop ended. Everyone scatted to catch flights and/or start a long drive. I wasn't quite ready to head home, so I re-booked my room for another night. Just as predicted, rain hit and continued through out the day. I went back to bed for a couple of hours, then donned my rain gear and headed out into the fray. I strolled though the downtown shops, visited the Center for New Age Thinking, had lunch at the Blue Moon Cafe in Oak Creek Village, and then set out to explore some of the back roads. I was thrilled when the rain turned to snow. After one last stop at my favorite vortex on Airport Road, I returned to my room. I took this photo the next morning from the hotel balcony, and looked forward to the sky that a breaking storm would provide.

I revisited Bell Rock Pathway and encountered a small miracle. I spotted the glove I had lost the previous morning. Someone had set it on top of a path marker so I could easily see it. Maybe there is something to this vortex energy.

I climbed about a third of the way up Bell Rock.

In the evening, I headed back to Red Rock Crossing for a second chance at a Cathedral Rock sunset. As the sun dropped toward the horizon, the rock lit up.

I learned from Don and Gary to glance around to see what the light is like in a different direction.

A second glow appeared after the sun set.This is the last photo, taken after dark.

Even though we did not have optimal weather conditions during the workshop, it was still a successful experience. Don and Gary are experienced, enthusiastic leaders and teachers, and I valued the time I spent with them and the other participants. With photography, if you wait for perfect conditions or go after only the iconic shots, you miss out on a limitless list of possibilities. Joining a workshop led by a professional photographer is a smart way to combine travel & photography.

You may view more photos from this trip on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/suebrazelton/page5/