What is it about new gear that inspires us to run out and test drive it? Last week I received a Breakthrough Filters X4 Neutral Density 6 stop filter and for two days it burned the proverbial hole in my camera pack. Finally, on Sunday, clouds filled the sky and I predicted a nuclear sunset. Never mind that I’m not known for accurate sunrise/sunset predictions. I pitched the idea of a sunset picnic dinner to Melissa and Jackson, and they bit, so we packed up the Funhawg and headed into Arches National Park.
I didn’t have a plan. We got a late start and luckily, there was no line at the park entrance. About halfway to Balanced Rock we all agreed that hunger, rather than my photographic intentions, would be our guide. The cotton ball clouds from just an hour earlier had merged into a single sheet of gray on the western horizon. It was looking like I’d get skunked. But, at least we'd eat dinner in one of the most majestic dining rooms this side of…anywhere. We pulled into the picnic area near Balanced Rock and Melissa quickly turned out three gourmet sandwiches while I explored with my camera.
I’ve visited this same location dozens of times. I have multiple images of Balanced Rock in my portfolio, including one that was a consistent top seller during the four years we operated the Edge Gallery. Yet, within five minutes I stumbled upon the juniper tree in the image above and decided that it would make a fine foreground, as well as serving to camouflage the hot pink #vanlife Sprinter and other vehicles at the Balanced Rock parking lot. I affixed my fancy new filter to the lens, set up my tripod and quickly dialed in a composition that was much wider than any I’d previously photographed. I left my camera setup on the tripod while I joined Melissa and Jackson nearby to devour our sandwiches.
Just as I was taking the last bite, a wee little bit of light snuck through the western clouds. It was quite faint at first, just barely enough to cast a shadow, but I noticed it. I put down my plate and ran back to my camera just as the cloud curtains were pulled back, revealing a flood of neon light that washed upon the landscape for no more than a minute and a half. With the 6 stop ND filter on the lens and the camera set to ISO 100 and f/11, I borrowed just 13 seconds of that golden light to create this image. The long-ish exposure smoothed out the clouds gently floating in the sky above Balanced Rock and the La Sals, lending an air of surreality to the image.
This image is available as a fine art print on a variety of mediums in sizes ranging from 8” x 12” to 32” x 48”. Please contact me for pricing and to place an order.