Hey all!  Hope your still reading.  I haven’t gotten to post my blogs for several days.  Maybe I can get them posted soon.     Well today was a lot of fun.  Nikki and I got up from our hotel early so we could be to the train station in time.  We had ordered our tickets over the phone on the trip from Monument Valley to make sure we could still get a seat.  I dropped Nikki of at the McDonald’s next to the train station so I could go get the tickets.  I would recommend you get your tickets in advance.  We couldn’t get seats together in the open air car so we opted for the traditional...

As I stated in yesterday’s blog I ended up skipping Sedona.  I needed the sleep.  Nikki and I have been on the go for days.  We decided to head for Durango, Colorado so we could get there sooner and have more time to relax as well as get our train tickets for the next day.  Before we left we decided to try another place in Flagstaff featured in “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives” called Brandy’s Restaurant and Bakery.  It was breakfast time about 10 a.m. their time and they were full for mid morning in the middle of the week.  I understand why.  The food was really good.  Nikki got Eggs...

Nikki and I got up at a fairly decent hour to get on our way but like all things sometimes it takes a while to get moving. We got out of vegas about 11:00 vegas time.  Bad weather pretty much followed us most of the day. We got to the Grand Canyon and it was overcast and you couldn’t see as far as you would hope.  As I started to the canyon it started raining, I didn’t even take my tripod.  I had my camera tucked in my shirt to keep it as dry as possible.  So my photos won’t be the best.  I have to say it is an amazing spectacle to behold.  It was pretty cool there too, I think Nikki...

I got up this morning and knowing I had to pick up Nikki at the airport in Vegas about 4:00 (6:00pm Central).  So I decided to go to Nelson, Nevada. Nelson is an old mining town now turned ghost town.  People do live there but the “town” is mostly a mix of scattered residences with dilapidated structures in between.  Just beyond this is a general store and more structures renascent of the old west and similar to the feeling of a Madmax movie.  This is where you can go and photograph.  The proprietor of the store and surrounding area will let you wonder the property for a fee of $10 an hour. ...

If there is one thing that made this whole trip worth while it was the antelope canyons in Page, Az.  Even without a camera the slots are spectacular.  If your not photographing I would recommend the Upper Canyon they say it is easier to navigate.  There are some squeezes that make a fat guy have to suck in his belly also it wouldn’t be good for someone with ankle or knee issues.  It is hard to take a bad photo in the canyon if you look for the light.  The lighting in the canyon continually shifts throughout the day so if a spot you like isn’t lit well it probably will be later.   I...

I slept in a bit at the Bob and Bon Inn in Kanab, Utah.  My feet were killing me from the hike in the narrows at Zion.  It was well worth the soreness but I would have been better off to remember to take dry shoes and dry shorts.  Fortunately my camera shirts at Natural Gear shirts you can get at Sam’s Club and they dry very quickly and are vented well too.  If your hiking at all I recommend them highly.   I headed for Page, AZ they are doing construction on the Highway 89 between Kanab and Page so there were some delays getting to Page for the photography tours.  Page is on Pacific...

Wouldn’t you know it?  I ended up getting up and getting to Zion National Park at sunrise to find the major shot I wanted to take is a sunset shot.  That is lack of research and planning on my part.  It doesn’t really matter though because its not just about the destination or getting the perfect shot.  As much as I would always love to capture some iconic shots sometimes you just not their at the right time.  In those cases you just have to be happy with what you can get and enjoy the scenery.   Another thing I wanted to do while I was at Zion was to hike the narrows.  About...

Today I ended up staying at the Knights Inn in Richfield longer then I probably should have.  I slept in and therefore missed sunrise and any spectacular sunrise photo opportunities.  It was a clear blue sky and I knew there wouldn’t be a lot of interest in the sky and more likely then not a good chance of deep shadows and blown out highlights.  So I opted for staying in at the motel to take advantage of the Wifi connection there.  By the way if it seems I am changing present/past tense a lot it is because it may be the next day before I write the blog for the day in question, so I am trying...

Before I comment about today I would like to mention that a storm rolled in over Canyonlands yesterday which enabled me to get some interesting shots.  I actually enjoy stormy looking skies as it creates a lot more dramatic photos then a blue sky without anything in it.  Also I mentioned I had planned on taking Shafer Road yesterday but not knowing the road condition opted to turn back.  Well the picture above is of Shafer Road as it goes up the site of the Mesa.  Pictures don’t actually do it justice as you just don’t get the sense of depth into the canyon.I am sure I could have made it but it I would...

It’s one of those days.  I had a plan to photograph the potash lakes south of Canyon Lands and take the Shafer’s trail up into the park.  I woke up at the rest stop where I had not slept too well.  I headed into Moab and followed the GPS to Potash Road.  I must say my research on Google earth and GPS devices lead me astray as to how difficult traversing this road would be.  At some point I figured the GPS must be kidding about it being a road and not a goat trail.  In all seriousness this is not some place for the family Volvo.  I would not attempt it is my wife’s Altima and if I had felt...