2010 Utah Trip

Photo Notes

Canyon de Chelly

  • White House Ruin is a good late afternoon shot from the rim.
  • Spider Rock is sunset shot only. Shadows starts creeping up the rock about 1 hour before sunset. Do HDR here to help deal with shadows.

Monument Valley

  • Shoot the formations north of the main road to Monument Valley from the highway with sunset light. Very small window in one formation.

Fallen Roof Ruins

  • Although hard to visualize, the classic shot of Fallen Roof Ruin is from the canyon side of the ruin looking back at the ruins.
  • May be more structures if you continue around the corner of the main ruins.

Arches

  • After rain, main potholes for photographing the Courthouse formations are below the La Sal Mountain viewpoint and right in front of the main formations. They are not in the slickrock near the La Sal viewpoint parking lot. Park at the last paved pullout before the Courthouse parking area.
  • Area behind the Spectacles has a few potholes, but they are mostly shallow and don't align well for reflecting the Spectacles.
  • Good slickrock areas are farther east off the primitive trail.

Canyonlands

  • Grand View is a much better shot for sunset than sunrise. There are a few good potholes east of the main overlook at Grand View.
  • If shooting Grand View for sunrise, move as far east as possible along the cliff to cut back on flair. Lots of good foregrounds.