Horseshoe Bend

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Horseshoe Bend is just a couple of miles outside of Page.  We shot our first sunrise there, and also shot sunset the second day.  It was interesting to see the difference. On the second time out, several of us got a little crazy with edge of the cliff.  I had two of my tripod legs about an inch from the edge with the tripod leaning toward the canyon.  It makes me queasy just to remember it.  I don't know what I was thinking at the time.  Probably one of those "guy" things.  Once the sun comes up or before it goes down it's hard to get a good picture because of the extreme contrast between the sunlit background and the canyon below.  Here are my attempts.

Click on images for enlarged view.

Canon EOS 1Ds, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @ 32mm, ISO 100

Horseshoe Bend at dawn. 

This is actually four images stitched together with Pano Tools and PT assembler.  This is just before sunrise.

Canon EOS 1Ds, Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS @300mm, ISO 100

Golden River

The reflections of the canyon walls in the river made for some nice images.  The water at this point is crystal clear (and cold) since it just came out of the bottom of Lake Powell.

Canon EOS 1Ds, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L @ 18mm, ISO 100

On the Edge - Horseshoe Bend

This is a single frame with my widest angle lens.  It's nice to be able to use the full effect of the wide angle lenses.  On the D60 and the 10D a 16mm lens is effectively a 26mm lens.

Content and Images Copyright 1998-2008 Jeffrey W. Johnson.  No use without permission.