Monday, July 11, 2011

THE GRAND CANYON PART TWO

( Please remember to click on images for a larger view)
After we were shown our cabin and unpacked we started walking along the rim taking photos. As I mentioned in my first post on the Grand Canyon the view down into it seemingly changes by the minute. As the sun moves across the sky shadows form in different areas. Atmospheric haze can be seen more or less always but depending on the light it becomes more evident. Between the haze and the different locations of the sun, colors seem to change; intensifying or becoming muted.




If you're there after a rain shower the air becomes really clean and clear and the haze dissipates. On this trip there were no rain showers but the canyon is always wonderful to see. It is one of those places where you realize the enormity of the world and how small you are in it!! It's a great place to get a sense of perspective on life.


On the rim there are critters: the ones on the ground and the ones that fly.
  
The squirrels are very use to people and will take food from your hands. It is never a good idea to feed wild animals, they can become dependent on humans for food and loose their fear of us. In larger animals this can become really dangerous for humans. Also some of the food we usually have with us might not be healthy for the animals.




There are larger animals on the rim but I'd never seen any until later that night!! More about that later!






We wanted to try and photograph a sunset and one place to do that is at Mather Point. When we arrived there it was already getting crowded and we quickly staked out our place on the rim from where to shoot. I was amazed at the number of people, some with children who ventured out onto the rock outcroppings along the rim. These are natural formations and have no railings, one slip and you fall at least 450 feet on hard rock. Surviving a fall is rare. But people still feel the need to chance it. As you can see from this picture there is very little room for error. If the two people farthest out had ever slipped, stumbled or fallen they more than likely would have been dead. 


As I was standing there looking at them I heard a voice say, " That's nature's way of thinning the herd." I turned and saw a man in his 50s fully bearded wearing a cowboy hat. He was a local guide speaking to a group that was with him. He told them that at least once a year someone falls to their death. He said, "It's almost always due to their own foolishness. People don't think and up here. If you don't think you could die". He said that the year before on the same rocks a couple had taken their really young child out and didn't hold the child's hand. The child ran towards them and something happened: the child ended up falling to it's death. 




The sunset turned out not be anything great. Most people started leaving but we have been through this before. With nature nothing is guaranteed, it's not produced by Disney. We knew that sometime when the sun goes down you can still get some pretty nice images. We and a few others waited. It was not the best sunset we have ever seen but it was worth the wait.






I composed different images as the sun went down behind the mountain range. After dark we went over to the El Tovar Hotel for dinner. I think it is your best bet for a really good meal and a glass of wine (or two) on the rim. 


After dinner we went upstairs to the lounge for a few adult beverages. We were lucky because there was a small patio with one table and no one was sitting there. We spent an hour or so out in the night air relaxing and talking about our day. We knew we had an early morning and decided two martinis would do. In hindsight one might have done the trick quite nicely!! 


As we walked outside on the path to our cabin talking and laughing just enjoying the night and each other, we saw them. On the lawn in the back of the hotel were a few large plastic elks. I had my camera with me and thought it would be a fun image. Then I heard Phyllis say," Jim they're real!!" Now, why we thought that the park would put fake elk out side on the rim, I have no idea. Well, I think it had something to do with a few glasses of wine and a few martinis!! 


I have photographed elk before in Colorado and other places. I know the signs when you're getting to close to them, there are no signs!! The only ones who know how close you can get to them without triggering a negative response are the elks. They get as big as a thousand pounds and have a surprising burst of speed. I knew that you should stay about 30 yards from them. I repeat, I knew this. I had photographed them in the past but not after a few drinks. Remember my mantra..ABS (Always Be Shooting). At night after a few drinks and close to wildlife may not be the best time to ABS!!
I took a photograph from a reasonable distance, (not 30 yards).



The elk ignored me which gave me a false sense of security. I had a mid range zoom with me and decided I wanted a closer picture. Now even though I knew you don't go running up to the elk, I slowly started walking closer photographing. In the background, I remember hearing Phyllis telling me not to get too close. But I proceeded to go closer.



At this point I am about 60 feet from the elk and you can see he is eating but keeping one eye looking at me.



I am now about 50 feet from it. He is paying much more attention to me at this point.



I knew at this point I was as close as I was going to get. He was still looking at me as he ate. When he put his head down to get more grass, I really noticed how large his antlers were. I also remember thinking if he charges me, I really don't have anywhere to run, the rim was about 60 feet behind me in darkness. I started thinking I should back up and get out of there. But this time when he brought his head back up from the ground, he snorted. That's not a good thing and I remember seeing him charge at me. I still took one more images as I was backing up quickly.




You can see I clipped off the top of his rack and a hoof. At this point I wasn't thinking too much of composition. I walked really quickly back and to my right. The elk charged once more but stopped a distance from me and just looked. A false charge meant to warn me. It worked!!



He went back to eating as we walked up the path but he kept looking at me, I think daring me to come back. I thought better of it and we went back to our cabin. 


The next morning we went out early and started photographing the morning light on the canyon.




In this picture (above) you can see people (lower left) starting out on their hike down into the canyon.



This shows the early light warming up the walls of the canyon and reaching into some points in the canyon. 


The images below are of Lookout Studio. It was designed in 1914 by Mary Colter as a gift shop and lookout point. There are two good lookout points opened in good weather. You can see how well it was designed to blend into the surroundings.




This is the top of the rim in the early morning. There are not too many people up and walking around. You can see a small retaining wall and a bench carved out of trees from the canyon.




Like I had written in my earlier post, I have visited the Grand Canyon many times over the years.  Every time I visit, walk up to the rim and look down and out at this wondrous canyon, I feel the same feeling: a sense of solitude, no matter how many other people are near and a renewed respect for nature and the natural world. This is a wonderful country and world with many amazing areas. Go into it and search them out. The closer we all get to nature the more we will understand what we stand to lose if we do not try harder to co-exist with nature.
       
        

14 comments:

Roy Durham said...

love the grand canyon and the elk i have had a time or two with elk. that squirrel all most looks like mouse. have you ever taken the boat or raft ride down in the canyon lot of stuff yo photo if your luck you could get a picture of the grand canyon pones or or the ghost of the Anasazi's they put on a great light show. thank you for your visit to my back yard come again god bless

Vaisakhi said...

super amazin pics....felt like i had a beautiful tour of grand canyon....n tat squirrel pic was so cute....thanx 4 sharin...:)

Alpana Jaiswal said...

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything....and you prove it time and again,Jim

Kriti said...

Was here just 2 months back and have almost the same pics - but not the same as I am not Jim! Incredible post Jim!

Melissa Tandoc said...

Thank you it was a real treat spending time on your page. It was like being there myself.Very interesting, insightful, thrilling. It gave me different moods but generally I was happy with your reflections. I was more delighted to see your adventures with Phyllis and the elk.

I was able to appreciate the photos at different light settings (depending on the hours you took them. The hues created and changed with the haze surrounding the canyons.

From a wider angle you narrowed it down to the minutest details as the animals you saw to the people trekking down to the canyon.

I agree with certain points you have pointed out on not feeding wild animals and being extra attentive "up there". I'm extremely sorry for those who made a single mistake and fell down to their death.It's very tragic to die that way.

I loved that yellow ray that rested on the climbers...then the sunset...

The martini did the trick, yes, I guess so, otherwise, you wouldn't be as bold and daring as to come closer to that elk. Bravo on that quick and spontaneous thinking to step back.

As I wrote on earlier, I liked the shop. It was made to look as part of the mountains and not as something that would distract one's view.I like the angle of the first shot you took of the shop... and the warmth on the third.

I liked how you concluded your sharing on solitude and we are part of nature.

Awesome Jim! I had a real feel of the Canyons and a spiritual fill of its different dimensions.

BlogNostics said...

Jim this post is great! You've shown different aspects of your artistry both as a person and as a photographer. I admire you for your sensitivity towards nature and the different creatures that you shoot.

The Canyon is one of the best places to be. I hope I can go there some day and create experiences for myself.

Your photos are excellent! Good job!

cathy jones said...

Just gorgeous Jim! I've been to the Grand Canyon and will never forget how absolutely overwhelming it was and how minuscule I felt standing on the South Rim looking down.

Great photos and post!
~cath
Tweet me @jonesbabie

lakwatsera de primera said...

What a magnificent landscape! The Grand Canyon is on top of my places to visit someday. Thank you for the lovely visual tour. :)

Bec Owen said...

Fabulous post, Jim! I love reading your stories and soaking in the beautiful images.

And isn't it amazing what they can do with technology these days? Those plastic elk look so real!! LOL!

sheril benedict said...

OMG ..i have heard a lot about this place and now i see grand canyon in every angle .. terrific pics jim. one day i ll visit this place ..squirrel was a catchy pic too

Anonymous said...

Phyllis and Jim, this was the best trip ever. I like how these trips don't effect my bank account !! The views took my breath away. Wow! The squirrel was really furry. I liked how we capped off the evening with a glass of wine. Ahhhhh. Totally amazing!

JIM said...

Roy - I love Arizona and the rest of the South West lived there for a dozen years. Great part of this country
Alpana_ Your comments are better written then my postings lol

Kriti_ thank you You are always so supportive, I am sorry our families did not meet while you lived here
Melissa I love reading your comments. Seeing that God Ray land on the people was a once in the life time experience

Blognostic Thank you for your kind words I spend a lot of time behind my lens and looking at nature..It is easy to become enthralled with it.

sukanya said...

I am blown away by your talent Jim. Grand Canyon-its majesty dwarfs us. we went there last summer and were completely taken in by its beauty. I blogged about it
http://sukanyabora.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/the-kidless-weekend-getaway/

The Invisible Art said...

Really beautiful place to visit.Will plan a trip to the Grand Canyon,will have to after seeing all these photographs.Thanks a lot for sharing Jim. :)

Abhisek,
filmedit.blogspot.com