Canyons and Desert

Sunset over Rio Grande Gorge, near Pilar, New Mexico.
Flowering Yucca, Valley of the Gods
Two flowering yucca bask in the sunruise light in Valley of the Gods near Mexican Hat, Utah.
Chasm Glow, Mohave Point
The alpenglow on two prominent unnamed peaks reflects into the shallows of a lake deep in the heart of the lesser-visited San Juans.
Desert Tundra
Tundra-like grasses fill the bottom of a dry lake bed in central Arizona. On the way to the Overland Expo, I fell in love with the red and green round shapes and colors and asked my friend Adam Schallau to pull over. We shot around the area for at least 30-minutes, until we found this nice area of boulders above the lake bed. Thanks Sally Stacks Smithies for your patience! Shocking that such a cold-feeling, nearly arctic like place can be found in the desert southwest!
"Reflecting Pool"
My good friend Adam led me to the reflecting pools above Red Rock Crossing so I could attempt to get a classic view of the iconic Cathedral Rocks above Sedona. After a day of rain, there were numerous pools. Unfortunately, we never really got much of a sunset. But I waited till after sunset to make this image of a pretty scene.
The rising sun lights red rock cliffs ablaze underneath the watchful eye of Henry Mountains near Hite, Utah. After a blissful night of camping in our own private campground next to White Canyon, my friends Adam Schallau, Sally Sally Stacks Smithies, and I raced to find a sunrise location where we could see the fresh snow on the Henry Mountains contrasted with the red rock cliffs below. With slightly different visions, we ended up about a quarter mile apart at sunrise, but we were all treated to a fabulous light show that none of us will soon forget.
"Totems' Shadow"
As a storm clears out, an eerie shadow shrouds Monument Valley's Totem Poles in mystery. Image made last Sunday afternoon about this very time. For the first time I can recall, I had a corrupted memory card and feared I lost all the images I took from Monument Valley. But with a little persistence and help from my friend Adam Schallau, I was able to recover this image, as well as my other images, from Monument Valley.
"The Mittens, Monument Valley"
Just a pleasant, late afternoon at the Mittens overlook in Monument Valley.
Heart of the Matter
In the painted hills of O'Keeffe Country, a red heart presides over a small wash. I find that the grey bones and red flesh of the desert reveal themselves best under the soft light of twilight. This place is hidden in plain sight. I've thought long and hard about how to make an image here, but I've never visualized an image worth making until this weekend. Sometimes in photography it takes a long time until something finally clicks in your mind's eye.
Sunset, Little Colorado River Canyon
The sun breaks through a wall of snow above the distant North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Below the plateau, the chocolatey Little Colorado River cuts through its gorge towards the confluence with the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon, a mile or so upstream.