2023 Western Landscapes Wall Calendar

I'm excited to announce that my 2023 Western Landscapes wall calendar is now available!  It includes images from all over the Westerm U.S. and Canada, including Mount Rainier NP, Olympic NP, Grand Canyon NP, Bryce NP, Canyonlands NP, Glacier NP, Teton NP, Robson PP, North Cascades and more!

You can purchase the calendar for $15.99 ea. at Western Landscapes 2023 Wall Calendar (lulu.com).  What's better is that you can even preview before ordering by clicking on the preview button!

Happy Holidays and hope to see you on the trail!

NEW 2020 Wall Calendars!

 I'm excited to announce my NEW 2020 wall calendars!  I've been working feverishly on these for some time now, and am very happy with the results!

The first one is my Western Landscapes calendar.  It includes images from all over the western U.S. and Canada, including Bryce NP, Bugaboo PP, Glacier NP, Grand Canyon NP, Mount Rainier NP, Redwoods NP, Mount Robson PP, Mount St. Helens NM, Yellowstone NP, Yosemite NP and more!

The second one is from my home state - Mount Rainier! It includes images from throughout Mount Rainier National Park including, Paradise, Mazama Ridge, Spray Park, Emerald Ridge, Christine Falls, Tatoosh Range and more!

You can now order these calendars online in time for the holidays!  I hope you find these calendars as fun to look at as I did making them!

As always, thanks for looking!

Newly Updated Southwest Gallery!

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands National Park

 I have FINALLY finished updating my Southwest Gallery on my website.  I'm proud to say it is finally up-to-date, and includes images from all my visits to national parks, state parks, national monuments and recreation areas.

I've enjoyed several trips to the southwest over the years, yet I just can't get enough of the area.  While I have visited most of southern Utah and some of Arizona, I still have so much more to see (and will be very soon).

Here are some of my favorites.

Soda Springs Basin, Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park near Moab, UT is a fantastic park to visit, and much less crowded than its neighbor to the north, Arches National Park.  It is comprised of three districts - Island in the Sky, The Needles and The Maze. 

Island in the Sky is by far the most popular and accessible.  It provides access to Mesa Arch (pictured above), Grandview Point, White Rim Overlook, Green River Overlook, Murphy Point and more.  These are all accessible by car or short walks.

Don't forget to visit Dead Horse State Park while in the area.  It is reached via a spur road just before the Island in the Sky entrance, and offers amazing views that will rival anything in Canyonlands!

Gooseneck, Dead Horse State Park.

The Needles District can be accessed by car, but its best offerings are from the trail, including a hike into Chesler Park.

The Maze is 4X4 or mountain bike country and is visited much less.

Practically across the highway from the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands is Arches National Park.  There are many things to see along the road into the park, starting with Park Avenue and the Courthouse Towers.  These require a short hike to be fully enjoyed, though it is quite easy (and can be made a one-way hike, all downhill, with a second vehicle).

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park

Next up is Balanced Rock is just off the road a little further, and can be enjoyed from a picnic area.

Delicate Arch, the state icon, can be reached by a 3 mile trail to the fantastic viewpoint.  Be prepared for the crowds, but understand the area is large and accommodating.

Fiery Furnace is a maze of confusing narrow canyons.  Ranger led tours through this labyrinth are recommended, at least for your first visit.

Balanced Rock, Arches National Park

At the end of the road is the trailhead to The Devil's Garden.  This trail accesses Landscape Arch, Navajo Arch, Double O Arch, and many more.

5 miles east of Escalante, UT is Hole in the Rock Road.  This is the main access to Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument.  There are several popular slot canyons to hike along the road, and also sports its own Devil's Garden (not to be confused with Arches).  The first 12 miles of this road are suitable for cars, as long as weather conditions are nice.

Calf Creek Falls, Grand Staircase - Escalante NM

Also near the town of Escalante is a short hike to a wonderful waterfall, Calf Creek Falls.  This waterfall has a beautiful pool at its base, making the hike quite popular on a hot day.  It also sports a fair amount of poison ivy, which I have yet to be successful in avoiding!

Scenic Byway 12  is an incredibly scenic road that connects Escalante and Boulder, UT.  This section passes through some of the most incredible scenery Utah has to offer and always ranks among the top scenic drives in America.  It's not to be missed!

Bryce Canyon National Park is beloved by most all.  It offers easy access to prominent overlooks along its rim,  and excellent hikes down into the canyon that add to the experience for those wanting more.

Sunrise and Sunset Viewpoints are easily accessed from the parking lot.  Sunset Point is probably the best spot to view Bryce Canyon - and is also the most popular.  A little further south is Inspiration Point, which requires about a twenty minute walk.

The Cathedral, Bryce Canyon National Park

To really experience Bryce Canyon, I highly recommend descending down into the amphitheater and wander amongst the hoodoos.  Two popular trails to do so on are the Queen's Garden Trail and the Navajo Trail.  You can connect these two trails for an even better experience, and enjoy the sights of Thor's Hammer, Wall Street and The Queens Garden in one enjoyable stroll!

Fairyland Viewpoint, Yovmipai Point and Rainbow Point are also nice visits, though much different.

The light on the hoodoos changes drastically throughout the day.  This place should be experienced in both early morning and late afternoon to see it at its best.

Oh, and don't forget to visit Red Canyon just outside Bryce NP!

The Temple of Sinawava, Zion National Park

Zion National Park is a much different park than those already discussed.  It basically consists of two areas - the canyon and the plateau.  The plateau is easily viewed by car and incredibly scenic, especially around Checkerboard Mesa.

The canyon is also extremely scenic, but lends itself more to hiking.  It can be zoo at times.  It has a mandatory shuttle service to get you to the end of the canyon, and the Visitor Center's parking area to catch this shuttle is usually full by mid-morning during peak season.  That being said, the shuttle system is the best I have experienced and could be modeled after.

Admittedly, I have a lot left to do at Zion.  The popular attractions on foot are Angel's Landing, The Subway, and The Virgin Narrows.

Sights to see from the road are Towers of the Virgin from the Visitor Center parking lot and The Temple of Sinawava at the end of the road.

Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Recreation Area

The Glen Canyon Recreation Area in Arizona is an incredible place to visit, and offers something for everyone.  Lake Powell is a man-made lake (still the subject of controversy) and an excellent place to base camp.  Nearby are numerous slot canyons and hikes, enough to spend days exploring.  There are scenic road tours as well.  Nearby are such attractions as The Wave (good luck getting permits!), The White Pocket, Cathedral Wash, Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Glen Canyon Dam and more.

View from Mather Point, Grand Canyon National Park

Finally, there is one of the great wonders of the world - the Grand Canyon.  Grand Canyon National Park is divided into two sections - the South Rim and North Rim.  The South Rim is the popular side with easier access.  It two incorporates a shuttle service all but a couple months of the year, and it works quite well.

Mather Point is probably the most popular vantage in Grand Canyon National Park.  Nearby Yavapai Point is also very nice.  Both serve well for both sunrise and sunsets.

View from Mather Point, Grand Canyon National Park

Hopi Point is an excellent point to experience sunset on the South Rim - possibly the best in fact.  One can hike out to this point, then take the shuttle back after dark.

Yaki Point is best for sunrises and popular with photographers (along with Mather Point).  This requires an early rise and the use of the shuttle service.

The North Rim is at a substantially higher elevation.  The winter months bring road closures, which makes access difficult.

For the more ambitious, there are numerous hikes down into the canyon.  These are best planned well in advance as permits can be challenging to obtain.

There are many more places to visit.  I have only scratched the surface.  Many more images can be viewed in my Southwest Gallery.  You may also view images from many other areas at my website, www.mountainscenes.com.

I hope my images and the info I have shared spark a desire to visit one or more of any of these areas.  As I write this, I am only a week away from going back to some of these wonderful areas myself!  I hope you enjoy.  Thanks for visiting.

Photographing Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon from Hopi Point at dusk.

I wasn't sure what to expect when visiting Grand Canyon National Park for the first time.  Based on all I had heard and read, I expected to be under-whelmed.  I heard stories about the almost permanent haze, the crowds, the canyon being too big to get a true perspective, etc.

Well, visiting the first week of April, none of these came into play.  I was absolutely amazed!

The South Rim offers amazing views of the canyon along its entire stretch.  I highly recommend walking the West Rim Trail to experience all the viewpoints, then come back with your camera for the golden hour and hopefully, a spectacular show.



Canyon wall from Mather Point.

The most obvious viewpoints along the South Rim are Mather Point and Yavapai Point.  Both are very accessible and can be quite crowded during the day.  In mornings and evenings, I didn't have any problems photographing from these locations.  They were quite pleasant and the views outstanding!  Both these locations are excellent for both sunrise and sunset.  Enjoy the views of Wotan's Throne and Vishnu Temple, as well as the sheer views down into the canyon.

As with all locations, I recommend arriving at least half an hour early (I typically arrive an hour early) to not only get set up, but to allow the creative juices time to start flowing on how you are going to approach the scene before you.  Depending on the weather, there are lots of different ways to approach photographing the canyon, whether it is isolating certain scenes, offering an expansive panorama, or something in between.  Storm clouds can add much drama to the scene and make you want to capture much of the sky above the canyon.  Clear skies will probably have you wanting to cut the sky out as much as possible and focus on the canyon itself.



Sunset on the Grand Canyon from Hopi Point.

Hopi Point is located along the Hermit's Rest Road and is an excellent sunset location.  To get there, you must either walk the West Rim Trail or catch the shuttle bus as private vehicles are not allowed on this road (the exception being December thru February).  I always chose to walk simply so I could scout other locations along the way, then catch the shuttle bus for the return after sunset.  Hopi Point can get pretty crowded, so be sure and arrive early.


Grand Canyon from Mather Point.

Yaki Point rivals Mather Point as the supreme destination for sunrise photography.  The view is very open looking westward, offering miles of canyon.

Getting to Yaki Point requires the same logistical challenge as Hopi Point.  You must catch the shuttle bus at the Canyon View Information Center.  I recommend arriving an hour before sunrise.  Both mornings I did this, I found myself alone on the bus and the first one to arrive at Yaki Point.

The other option is to park at Desert View Road and walk the mile to Yaki Point.



Grand Canyon at sunrise from Yaki Point.

As for lenses, I recommend mid to long range telephoto lenses.  You can leave the wide-angle lens at home, in my opinion.  The exception might be if you are lucky enough to get a dramatic sky with storm clouds, but even then the mid-range telephoto should serve you well.  I would also recommend a warming polarizer and a selection split GND filters.  Of course, a tripod goes without saying.

Above all, take time to enjoy your visit.  The Grand Canyon is an amazing place and should be experienced beyond the camera.  Be sure to get out and walk around and experience this magnificent wonder.

You can view more of my photography at www.mountainscenes.com.  I hope to have more of my Grand Canyon images uploaded soon.

As always, thanks for looking!

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone - Yellowstone National Park

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River is incredibly photogenic, especially if you like spectacular waterfalls. Witnessing the raw, thunderous power of both Upper and Lower Falls is very impressive.

Both the north and south rim provide a variety of excellent viewpoints, with options of hiking even closer if desired. My favorite locations along the north rim were Lookout Point and Red Rock Point, the latter a 1/3 mile descent from Lookout Point to a very beautiful, up-close viewpoint - the location this first image was taken.

Grandview is also nice.

At the end of the north rim is Inspiration Point, a very interesting overlook of the canyon. It offers no view of waterfalls, but the expansiveness is impressive. I didn't walk away with anything exciting, but I think it would be a great place to capture dramatic clouds at sunrise.

The south rim offers excellent viewpoints at Upper Falls Viewpoint and the famous Artist Point. Upper Falls can be framed up close, or to include an arching bridge behind it. I found the bridge to be an attractive element.

This is also the starting point for Uncle Tom's Trail, a very popular trail that descends precariously down to the edge of the river. However, this trail was closed during my visit.

I missed another viewpoint further south of the main one. Considering that I spent multiple mornings at this location, I really kicked myself for missing it!

Further down the road is the icon for the area - Artist Point. This viewpoint is a further away from Lower Falls than Lookout Point or Red Rock Point, but offers the classic composition of the river snaking toward you below the falls.

Artist Point can also be absolute mayhem, depending how many tour buses are in the parking lot. The viewpoint can get very congested and frustrating at times, with personal space often feeling compromised. Guided tourists only have a short amount of time to collect their snap shots (including groups posed in front of the falls) before hurrying back to their bus again. There is a conflict of different cultures and customs interacting here, with the English language often not a common ground.

The good news? As crazy as it can get sometimes, understand that all can change in only 10-15 minutes as the tour guides collect all their patrons and herd them back to the bus to move on to their next destination. I was amazed at how quickly things changed. Several times I witnessed the tour buses leave only to look around and see but a handful of people left and a suddenly quiet surrounding. So if you find yourself amongst the numbers, relax - take a deep breath, and be patient. You will surely be rewarded.

The observation deck at Artist Point is large, and offers subtly different perspectives depending on where you set up, so be sure and give it a quick scout. Also, there are other very rewarding compositions available before the observation deck, which some photographers actually prefer. Options abound for the attentive photographer!

There are a couple of things worth noting when photographing the falls. The first involves shutter speed. A slow shutter speed of 1/4 to 1/2 a second will blur the water and give it a smooth appearance, while a shutter speed 1/30 or faster will render the waterfall as our eyes see it. For larger waterfalls such as these, I think the faster shutter speed does a better job of capturing the power and intensity of waterfall. But play with it and find what you like.

The second item worth noting is the regular appearance of rainbows at the base of the falls in late spring and early summer. These typically appear mid-morning and add a beautiful element to your composition. I was successful in catching rainbows at the Upper Falls viewpoint and at Red Rock Point, but not at Artist Point.

Once you've exhausted your compositional ideas of Lower Falls from Artist Point, don't forget to turn around and follow the river down canyon. The colors in the canyon wall are very attractive and well worth your camera's time. This area was formed by a combination of lava flows and thermal action. The lava rock below the falls is much softer than above the falls, allowing the river to carve deeper into it. Geothermic activity also works to make this rock softer, and can be witnessed along the canyon walls on cool mornings in the form of steam.

The bright colors in the canyon walls are best witnessed under diffused light. The pinks really pop out when a thin cloud scoots in front of the sun. These colors are from the presence of iron and magnesium oxides, a product of the geothermal activity in the area.

Don't forget to visit Brink of Upper Falls to witness the intensity of the falls up close and personal. This is an impressive viewpoint of Lower Falls at the brink of the falls (as the name would suggest!). It's turnout is half way between North Rim Drive and South Rim Drive.

Another beautiful waterfall worth visiting in the area is Tower Falls about 17 miles north of the Canyon area. Unfortunately, the trail was closed due to washout during my visit. Hopefully you will have better luck!

This is the second part of a series I am posting from our visit to this wonderful park last June. I hope you are enjoying it and finding the information useful for your own planning!

Next Up: Upper Geyser Basin.