There are places in which I can visit over and over, and find something new every single time. This is one of those places. I have been here a half a dozen times, the majority of those trips just this year. Every time I have been able to come away with an image I like. This trip was no exception. The last few trips out I have wandered around this area to find myself alone and unbothered by crowds or small groups. With every trip, a new idea springs about for a composition, or for a specific type of scene. This particular location yielded some of my favorite images of this place since I made my first visit in 2013. With the summer monsoon storms lingering and eventually passing over, they brought clouds which is always what I wish for here. Sometimes the clouds are too thick, or they disappear just as the light is going to get good. The light on this evening was really nice, that glowy warm light that works so well for these types of scenes. The moisture in the air definitely helped with that. I sat here for a while working the various leading lines up to these spires. The sun was going to set just behind one of the more unique spires, and I waited until it just hid behind to capture a slight sunburst next to it. The landscape seemed to transform into rich reds and oranges and as the sun began to get lower, I decided to move on and search for more compositions. In the back of my mind, I was thinking how awesome it would be if there were pools of water below the rocky spires. Somebody must have been reading my mind, because the following morning this basin was full of water as a heavy storm passed over night. I was like a kid in a landscape made out of candy, literally. The next morning was spent photographing the same spires reflected in the wonderful pools that were set out that night. By the way, the bird in the upper left was actually in the image here, not added or blended in from another image. Sometimes you just get little lucky out in the field.
Freebird
