Notes To My Mother

I am going to give you some advice and if you are like me you will hear the advice, know that it is good advice and then you will find ample opportunity to ignore it. I knew at the time that what I am about to tell you was a good practice to follow and I ignored it and learned from real life that yes, indeed, it really is good advice. The Green River I was on my way to Moab, Utah, driving in from Grand Junction along the Green River. It was early October and the cottonwoods were in color and since I was looking for color you might say I was in photographer’s heaven. A bit west of Fisher Towers to the south of the highway I saw a line of trees against a silhouetted background. To shoot it I had to pull off the road and hike up a hill, maybe a half mile, not far. It was late afternoon and the sun was getting low casting backlighting on the trees. The scene held promise. Green River Valley I reached the top of the hill and began shooting and looking for good per...

When the first light of the day hits the underside of an arch in Canyon Lands or Arches National Parks they glow a beautiful shades of crimson much like those found in slot canyons. A magnificent example is Mesa Arch located in Canyon Lands, Utah. However, as with many of the more popular photography spots, if you want to get a good shot you have to be there early. We were staying in Moab and it was about an hour’s travel time from the motel to getting on site at the arch. But arriving at or near sunrise would not be sufficient, we had to be there at least two hours before sunrise in other to have assurance of a front row seat. This is one of the parts shooting sunrises that I enjoy tremendously. Getting up around 3 am, traveling to the site under the stars, walking in to the location in the dark and setting up without being able to see the whole scene that is going to unfold. On this morning we had a treat. We were the first ones there so we could pick our spots. But more...

There is a place in Canyon Lands, Utah that is one of my all time favorites. Like so many places I’ve been I first learned of it through images published in photography magazines and on line. When I first saw a picture of it I knew it was a place I just had to visit. I began searching for its location and how to get there. Much to my surprise there were no maps showing the route into it. I did discover it is located high up on a canyon wall in an isolated area of Canyon Lands National Park in Utah. And I learned that it is a Class II Archeological Site, still being excavated and studied. This location is called False Kiva, and it dates back to the 1200’s.  It was believed until recently to belong to the Anastasi Indians. More recently the thinking is the site belonged to the Pueblo Indians, likewise of the same period of time. The Park authority does not permit the printing of maps showing its location because of its archeological status. So finding it is quite and adventure in i...