On the last full day of our long-weekend vacation to Moab we headed into Canyonlands National Park (via Dead Horse Point State Park) to take a rather short but scenic overlook hike. After getting to the White Rim Overlook area on the Island in the Sky area, we were bogged down for lunch in our vehicles because the wind was too strong and cold to coordinate lunch. After eating what we could, and bundling up, we headed down the trail to the overlook. As soon as we got 200 yards down the trail, the wind stopped and the clouds started moving away, making all of us shed a layer or two. I had my Manfrotto tripod in tow and stopped to capture a few formations and scenes along the trail. But when we reached the final overlook, I made my way to the edge to photograph The Needles along with the White Rim of a beautiful national park with a very different look than its neighboring park – Arches National Park.
After capturing a few shots, I put my camera away, thinking I was done. But once everyone in our group backed off the point, I saw this scene and pulled my camera back out sans tripod. I should have used my tripod to assure stability and a tack-sharp photo, but I was making an effort to not focus on my photography during a family hike. Not sure I was really succeeding – anyone else think that photography can be as bad as almost any addiction? 😦
Canon 60D | 10mm | 1/400 | f/8.0 | ISO 100 | RAW
I hadn’t ever really been to Canyonlands National Park, so this scenery was pretty new to me. This single trip was wet my appetite for a longer photography excursion to this photographer’s paradise, so I am sure I will be back to this park, and am really interested in venturing out to the south entrance to check out The Needles a little closer up.
~signed, Carltonaut
Carltonaut 