~ Joy of Photography
Neon Canon is one heck of a hike. It’s about 10 miles round trip with a 1300-1500 foot elevation change depending on the route. Add another 0.5 miles for a side trip to some interesting but graffiti-marred petroglyphs.
The rain this Spring and melting snow from winter made for some spectacular waterfalls in numerous Southern Utah locations this year. Here is another set of images.
Willis creek normally has minimal water flow and is frequently dry.
Continue reading “Exploring Willis Creek Slot Canyon: A Hidden Gem”
Hell’s Backbone makes a nice milky Way image Mid-summer through September.
Hell’s Backbone Road (Forest Road 153) is a 38-mile mostly unpaved road that connects the towns of Boulder, Utah and Escalante, Utah.
Continue reading “Capture a Stunning Sunrise at Hell’s Backbone Near Escalante”
Devil’s Garden is located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It’s about 18 miles from Escalante, Utah down Hole-in-the-Rock road.
The road is unpaved with deadpan washboard, but any car can handle it. The garden features two arches, these trolls and other interesting rock formations.
Continue reading “Photography Tips for Grand Staircase Devil’s Garden at Sunrise”
Calf Creek is a perennial stream located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. There are two waterfalls which you can visit, the upper falls and the lower falls. The lower falls is more accessible, a bigger drop, and much more popular.
The 6-mile out-and-back hike to the lower falls is relatively flat, and the trailhead is located just off of Utah Scenic Byway 12, the highway between Escalante and Boulder. There is a sign for Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Calf Creek Recreation Area.
Although the trail is flat, it is somewhat of a slug as much of it is in the sand.
Continue reading “Photography Guide to Lower Calf Creek Falls in Grand Staircase”
This is a view with an extreme wide angle lens from beneath the Escalante Natural Bridge in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Continue reading “Capture an Amazing Vista Under the Escalante Natural Bridge”
Wahweap Hoodoos
Hike Details
It’s an 8 or 9 Mile Out and Back Hike to the Wahweap Hoodoos. 4-weel drive vehicles can get closer.
The best light is just before sunrise to an hour or so after sunrise.
The elevation gain is minimal, about 400 feet spread out over miles. Getting to the trailhead early enough in the morning then hiking in to be there at the right time is the main difficulty.
Summers are hot. The hike is best in Spring or Autumn. In the winter, there is no direct light on the hoodoos but the light is soft and nice.
Image Details
I took a number of images just before and after sunrise.
The lead image is just after sunrise before the light hit the hoodoos. The caps are of a harder sandstone than the white entrada sandstone that is eroding away much faster.
The lead image was F16 for 1/30 of a second at ISO 200 with a Canon 24-105MM F4 L Lens on a EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera at 35mm.
Additional Images Continue reading “Wahweap Hoodoos in Grand Staircase, Photography Tips for Stunning Shots”
Towers of Silence
Hike Details
It’s an 8 or 9 Mile Out and Back Hike to the Wahweap Hoodoos. 4-weel drive vehicles can get a little closer.
The best light is just before sunrise and an hour or so after sunrise.
The elevation gain is minimal, about 400 feet spread out over miles. Getting to the trailhead early enough in the morning then hiking in to be there at the right time is the main difficulty.
Summers are hot. The hike is best in Spring or Autumn. In the winter, there is no direct light on the hoodoos but the light is soft and nice.
Image Details
I took a number of images just before and after sunrise.
The lead image is just before sunrise. The caps are of a harder sandstone than the white entrada sandstone that is eroding away much faster.
The lead image was F16 for 1/60 of a second at ISO 1250 with a Canon 24-105MM F4 L Lens on a EOS R5 Mirrorless Camera.
I do not normally shoot at that ISO in the daytime but we were there very early and things were dim.
Additional Images Continue reading “See the Majestic “Towers of Silence” Wahweap Hoodoos in Grand Staircase”