Since my workshop didn’t start until this afternoon, I rose early (3 AM) to drive to Canyonlands National Park, the location for one of the iconic landscape photographs, the sunrise at Mesa Arch.  It’s known for the incredible glow on the underside of the arch from the reflected light of the sunrise off the surrounding rocks. I was first at the trail parking lot but it was still pitch black outside.  A number of other photographers trickled into the parking lot before it was light enough to see the trail.  The arch itself is not very large and the area at the arch is fairly confined so the 11 photographers who were there to record the moment were pretty much shoulder to shoulder.  Everyone got their photographs of the sunrise and packed up and left.  I stayed behind and watched the sun rise higher and higher and took the image above just as the sun broke over the top of the arch.

After leaving Mesa Arch, I drove the park roads to check out the scenery.  I was here about eight years ago and always wanted to return to this spectacular park with its incredible views, like the one below.