The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is something very special, an "awesome statement, even for nature to make," as John Muir said. The entire region is wierd and wonderful. Nowhere else is there this sweet combination of uplifted sedimentary rock in a desert environment, exposed to carving by a raging river for millions of years. The result is an alien landscape of form and color played upon by light.

Vault of the heavens! A picture framed by sky! And all the other inadequate words that fill tomes. Despite the best efforts of poets, painters, philosophers, photographers, presidents, and normal folks, the Grand Canyon defies representation. It must be experienced with heart and senses, and even then the canyon remains aloof from mere mortals, sharing her deep secrets only with the angels. And so we return (14 times for me), ever in search of the canyon soul, beyond worldly grasp.

 

A bit of trick photography? Perhaps. This picture was taken in the gorgeous slot of Antelope Canyon (see previous picture), where every day a shaft of light beams down as the sun arches over at midday. With normal exposure the subject is awash in unflattering harsh light. However, with one simple tweak of a camera setting, called spot metering, the angel is rendered in perfect light, as the canyon walls go dark. Such is the phenomenon of dynamic range.