At 8803′ Point Imperial on the North Rim is the highest overlook in Grand Canyon National Park, and since it faces primarily eastward there is no chance of a sunset opportunity, yet something almost as spectacular can sometimes be seen. Looking to the northeast, the desert stretches away for miles into the spectacular uplift of the Vermilion Cliffs, the second step of the “Grand Staircase;” and in the late-afternoon, when the light no longer touches the shaded lower reaches off the point, the rise of the first cliffs catches the waning glow and sets the rock on fire. In the contrast between the twilight valley and the radiant vermilion wall, the beauty of light reveals itself. I wanted to isolate a very small portion of the larger visual field in order to increase the drama of the light, and so I chose a focal length of 450mm. The lines of the foreground cliff and the low midground mesa added depth and visual paths into the image. The focal length reduced my depth-of-field, but the camera-to-subject distance and an aperture of f/22 gave apparent sharpness throughout. A shutter speed of 1/4th second at ISO 100 gave me a somewhat darker-than- medium exposure.
I am enjoying your Grand Canyon photos which are small enough slices to give us a feel of the terrain and the relationships of the cliffs, mesas, hills and valleys. Last week I saw lines and repetitions, this one I see lines and contrasts between: yellow and blue, light and dark, hills and plazas. It looks like nature created a geometric abstract. Thanks for sharing.
Very, very nice. It gives me the impression that I am standing right there. Great Capture. Congratulations.
Really gives me a nudge to get back to the north rim. I’ve not been there in probably 30 years. Beautiful location.
Pulls at my nature-lovin’ heartstrings. I hope I’m back that way by summer.
Howdy Don – I love these scenes of light and shadow. The different zones/layers of contrast and clarity adds so much depth to the image. I especially like that you left the foreground zone/layer nearly black. So many of today’s digital photographers would have HDR’ed that an ruined it. The darkest and lightest zones/layers had nice sharpness and the 2 mid-tone gray zones/layers have a softness which also is another sense of contrast and depth to the image.
A little different look for you, Don. Your signature diagonals are not as evident though the foreground has just enough of one to lead you into the distance. The placement of the vermilion wall is perfect with just enough detail in the foreground to give the image the depth that was needed to make it work. The distant mountain in the background finishes off the message of a vast landscape without giving us so much information that the whole feeling is lost. I like your choice of focal length here. The temptation for too many of us is to try to capture everything we see in one frame. As this image proves it is often more effective to carve out a small part of the scene that tells the story and focus on that. A perfect example of “less is more”.
Hi Everyone; thank you all for joining me for this final Southwest “Image” for a while. I really like Nancy T’s term “geometric abstract. The Colorado Plateau and the Desert Southwest are wonderful abstractions, full of lines and tonal contrasts and luminance contrasts that it’s easy to think of nothing but those kinds of images when you are there. Of course, there is much else as well. I’m glad, Nancy T. that these have spoken to you. And thank you, Jessyca, Bob, and Margaret. If I can encourage you, in looking at an image, to feel that you are there, then I have accomplished one of the most important tasks of a nature photographer; and I am always grateful to succeed at that; even more so if I encourage you to want to go there. Thanks for your kind comments. Michael, I completely agree with you about the wonder of contrast in an image: the layers of light and shadow, the tones of light and dark – these are things that add so much depth to imagery and in so doing encourage us to appreciate them for what they are. It’s always good to hear from you my friend. Dorsey, thank you for all that you have seen in this image. Where would we be if we never ventured beyond our comfort zone? As a teacher of creative imagery I am fortunate to be encouraged regularly to venture beyond what is comfortable and to constantly ask “What would happen if I…?” Pushing the envelope has its challenges and perils, but it also has its rewards.I am always aware of the presence of the spirit of Eliot Porter and his great observation, “I can take a slice of the larger whole, and in that slice I can tell, at least as if not more effectively, the story of the entire whole.” I believe him without question. Thanks, again, everyone. Next week we’re headed to a different part of this beautiful country.
And before I get too far away from the beauty of the desert, I feel it appropriate to mention that on the website under “Week-long Workshops” there are two such events scheduled for this year, in southeastern Utah and south-central Utah. Please consider these excellent opportunities for yourself and suggest them to your friends. We’d love to share these amazing places with you.