Leaf in Ice, Redux

It was suggested that I crop the Leaf in Ice photo a bit differently than the original, to emphasize the crazing of the ice. It turned out to be a very good suggestion. I like each for different reasons. Thanks to Lu for the suggestion.

Three Guesses

I received the suggestion to crop the cactus photo up close to see if people would know what it was (and if I hadn't told them already). Here is the result - pretty interesting. Thanks TonyL.

Single Tree

I notice I have been focusing on the more "close-up" aspects of Zion. This tree is sitting on the edge of a precipice of approximately 2000 or more feet.

Cactus

One of the great things about Zion is that there are great photo opportunities everywhere, from the great landscapes to the spines of a cactus. Try and look at everything, as beauty is everywhere.

Leaf in Ice

I thought I would also show this shot of a leaf frozen in ice, since I am on an ice theme today. The ice was a thin sheet that was very brittle with nothing underneath. The leaf, since it was darker and absorbed more sunlight, had melted into the ice.

River Ice

Some of the mountains in Zion are high enough that the sun has a hard time reaching the floor of some of the valley's. Ice, then, can last over a period of days even though the temperature can be very pleasant. This is an up-close photo of an area of ice in a stream. I wanted to capture the shape of the bubbles in the ice.

Red Rock at Sunset

My wife and I were driving back to the lodge in Zion when, after having come through the tunnel (those who have been there will know what I am talking about) and caught the sun hitting a portion of one of the many cliffs in just the right way. The color was amazing, and even more brilliant orange than the picture shows. I have several shots of this event and will show more with time. Enjoy.

Indian Rock Art

There are a number of pockets in Zion where you can find indian rock art. These areas aren't publicized because of the inevitable vandalism and theft. They are fascinating.

Roots

This is a photo of a tree I came across in Zion National Park. While I didn't think much of the photo initially, when I looked at it later I was struck by the soft, subtle colors and the complexity.