The Grand Canyon Experience

Photography in national parks brings with it a mixed bag of emotions for me. On the one hand I'm thrilled to be photographing some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, if not the world. And yet, I realize that many of these parks have been shot by tens if not hundreds of thousands of photographers over the decades. What can I do that hasn't been done before? How can I put my own spin on it when I'm only there for a matter of days? Such were the thoughts swirling in my head prior to my first visit to the Grand Canyon.

After three wonderful days in Zion National Park, my friend Brian and I packed up and headed for the canyon. We both fell in love with Zion, and while Brian was eager to experience his first glimpse of the canyon, I was ambivalent. The Grand Canyon is arguably the most popular national park in the world, how the hell was I going to capture it in a way that hadn't been done before? While popular in its own right, Zion offers many opportunities for different photographs. The variety of scenery in Zion is in my mind its greatest attribute. Yes, there are iconic scenes, but with a little effort it is possible to find different and unique images in Zion.

My other issue with the Grand Canyon was that while this was my first visit, I was afraid that all the pictures of the canyon I had seen over my life would make it feel like I had already been. Sure enough, my first glimpse from the overlook seemed all too familiar. Still spectacular, but not in the way that Zion was the first time I laid eyes upon it. At that moment I wasn't even certain I was going to bother trying to photograph it. The inspiration just wasn't there. There was no thrill of discovery.

And then there were the people. Throngs of people on the rim, crowding each and every overlook I turned in to. That first evening I tried three different overlooks before I found one with available parking. "Are you s*&%$# me?", I muttered (or perhaps yelled) to myself, as I drove to the next overlook down the road. Not exactly the one on one communion with nature I enjoy. I took pictures at sunrise the next morning from one of the overlooks, me and three dozen of my closest friends. It wasn't until a couple hours later when Brian and I began our hike down into the canyon that the sheer majesty of this wondrous place unfolded before us. It was then that we had finally arrived at the Grand Canyon.

Travels With Myself and Someone Else

That someone else is my best friend, Brian. Yesterday we returned home from a week out west, visiting Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks. Unlike most of my trips the primary focus wasn't photography. Rather, I was looking forward to spending time with Brian. We hiked during the day, drank at night, and talked and laughed throughout it all. That's not to say there wasn't some picture taking going on. Most early mornings and evenings I was out there with my camera, although on this trip Brian was with me on a few of these occasions, a rare treat. He would wait patiently as I too waited for the elements of nature to do their thing. The picture you see here was one such occasion. We spent almost an hour at this spot, watching the shadows creep across the canyon in the fading evening light.

Brian and I have known each other literally from birth. This past week was the most time we had spent together in God knows how long. And while we were both ready to return home, it wasn't without a certain degree of sadness. Not because I was leaving those beautiful places, but rather because it was the end of our vacation together. For me the trip wasn't about Zion, the Grand Canyon, or even photography. It was simply about spending time with my best friend, a reward far greater than any photograph.