Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. Series 2

One thing about Bryce Canyon from a photographer's point of view is that it actually is very easy to get stunning photos if one adheres to a couple of principles:

1. Shoot during the Golden Hours: just before and after sunrise and sunset.
2. Compose your shot well.

The geologic chronology and morphology of Bryce Canyon is roughly this: First there is a level area that erodes into a plateau, which erodes more, forming a fin, that further degrades, creating a window or an arch, that eventually crumbles to form hoodoos.

 One of many trails leading down into and amongst the hoodoos.

 

As the sun reaches higher into the sky, those wonderful, rich, vibrant and fluorescent colors become muted and muddied in appearance. The next best time to view Bryce for a Kodachrome moment is at sunset. In fact, below Bryce Canyon in an area which is part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante, is a region named Kodachrome Basin in honor of the once ubiquitous Kodak film which was known for its warm and vibrant colors. Kodachrome Basin is so named for the colors and hues which are showcased within the rock in this area.

I find myself mesmerized by the photo above. The way the hoodoos are lockstep lined up, along with their general shape, reminds me of the columns and colonnades one would find in old and abandoned Hindu temples, far from civilization, guarding the memories of many events of an ancient past tucked away within its myriad rows. I particularly find the uppermost strata to be most fantasy-provoking.

Natural Bridge is one of several arches that inhabit Bryce Canyon. 

This photo of Natural Bridge was created using the photographic technique known as HDR, short for High Dynamic Range. For you geeks out there, below is a definition describing how the technique is achieved and why:

HTG Explains: What is HDR Photography, And How Can I Use It?

This wraps up the Bryce Canyon series. Next comes photos I call Creatures.