2013—The Grand Canyon With Moose— Days 51—56

From Wednesday of last week through Monday of this week, I was a participant in a photography workshop with Moose Peterson and Kevin Dobler of K and M Adventures and seven other photographers in the Grand Canyon. It was a once in a lifetime experience for many reasons, not the least of which is that I had never previously visited the natural wonder that is the Grand Canyon. In addition, it was a thrill and a privilege to shoot along side Moose Peterson who is a renowned wildlife and landscape photographer and, as a designated Nikon Legend, he is frequently the eye behind the lens to test and feature many of Nikon’s new cameras and lenses, including Nikon’s newest, the D7100.

I was in awe of both the Grand Canyon and Moose from the time we arrived until Monday morning’s last stroll along the rim which was only fifty feet from the Bright Angel Lodge inside the Park where we stayed for five nights. We were up and on the road by 6:15 each morning following the light (drive west for sunrise; drive east for sunset except when we did just the opposite; it’s all about the light). Most mornings were a brisk and invigorating 0 degrees; daytime temperatures reached the high 20’s and low 30’s although I think one afternoon might have been a balmy 40 degrees. The skies and the light changed so quickly that the views of the canyon looked different moment by moment. Morning sunrises featured clear skies or snow flurries or dark clouds or mists or fog. The one midday shoot on Thursday featured no views of the canyon; the snow and mists shrouded it in pure white. Late afternoon sunsets were like mornings: clear skies or snow flurries or dark clouds or mists or fog.

As a result of one of Moose’s comments to me, which comment was, “what is the subject?” when he looked over my shoulder at a shot I took the first morning and I was unable to quickly tell him what it was, I was more selective about what I chose to capture. As a result, I took far fewer photographs that I expected I would take. Despite taking fewer shots, I still have not had the time to review and edit most of the photographs I took. It will take some time to digest all that I learned and to assess the photographs I took.

What an incredible experience I just had though. I was privileged to photograph one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders along side one of today’s most talented wildlife and landscape photographers. I was not ready for the experience to end. The good news is that I will be featuring more of my Grand Canyon photographs in this blog as I have the time to review and edit them. In the mean time, here are just a few of the photographs I took there.