After the relative isolation of Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks, entering Zion came as a bit of a culture shock. Located about 150 miles north-east of Las Vegas, Zion is more accessible than the previous parks and towns we visited. A few years ago, the main canyon was so over-run with vehicle traffic that a shuttle system was implemented to reduce smog and the headache of not being able to find parking in the canyon. The up side of the increase in human traffic was the corresponding increase in the amenities and restaurants in Springdale. (Check out The Spotted Dog restaurant if you're ever in town. The owner had fabulous taste in the kitchen and the photographic art hanging throughout the dining rooms.) There's always an up side!
I took this picture on our way into Zion for the first time. We had stopped at the side of the road to gawk at the magnificent canyon walls. There is no denying it - drastically different from the other parks we had visited, Zion is a knock-out in it's own right. I had been fighting to make "nature" images, trying to crop out any sign of people and our trappings. I remember turning around and leaning on my tripod, gazing to look at the way the sky was mimicking the crest of the canyon wall. I envisioned the shot from the other side of the vehicles, but I was either too tired or lazy to make the walk. So I thought, "I'll just take a grab shot" to show what it was like.
Looking through the camera mounted on my tripod, I started composing the image. I tried to go over the cars, but that didn't work. Then I gave in and started to work the cars in to the image. Once I had the shot lined up, it made me laugh out loud. Before I had realized it happened, the vehicles had become an integral part of the image. It wasn't a grab shot after all, this image was telling a story.
No comments:
Post a Comment