The sifting of water between rock for impossible periods of time throughout the American West has created the world's most fantastic landscapes. It is my favorite destination on the planet and what I like to imagine heaven will be like.

Antelope Canyon, near Page in northern Arizona, is an "A-frame" slot canyon carved out of red sandstone into phantasmagorical shapes and colors. It is a remote part of the northern Grand Canyon system. The walls of Antelope give a daily performance that is orchestrated by the migration of the sun across the brillant blue desert sky. Light sneaks in through the tiny slot above, at various angles depending on the time of day and the season, and bounces around the sliced walls to create the kaleidoscopic show.

The highlight for photographers occurs at high noon when the sun appears briefly as a spotlight to illuminate levitating dust and the silence of the canyon floor. (next photo)