/// Wild Tracks - Landscape Photography by Eduardo Gallo

WILD TRACKS

Passion for Landscape Photography

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Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument, UT, USA

October 2011

Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument, UT, USA

Canon 5D MkII & EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 1/60s f/11 ISO400 @35mm

Google Earth for this photo
MAJESTUOSITY

I've had the good fortune of visiting and photographing many arches around the Colorado Plateau. Over the years you slowly develop a kind of sixth sense that tells you where you can expect them to be (in fracture lines, along cliffs, between two distinct sedimentary layers, within canyons), and in that sense Sunset Arch is unique, as it stands in the middle of mile after mile of sandy and rather flat terrain, where common sense dictates that no arch should be. Even after standing there, it is difficult to envision how such an arch could have formed.

I had done my research, and even knowing that there was no trail leading to it, I had its coordinates and knew that it is located around a mile from a very sandy track branching off from the Hole in the Rock road, in the middle of the vast Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument. But upon driving there, nothing looked like it was supposed to, as I could only see a vast flat area with nothing of interest on it, at least at a distance. So I rechecked my data, and set off in the general direction of where the arch was supposed to be. Fortunately I located it quite soon in the distance, acknowledging that this terrain never ceases to surprise me.

It was late afternoon and sunny, but huge dark clouds were coming in, and I realized I had to hurry or risk missing the warm light. One part of me told me to take it easy and avoid running across the desert loaded with my photo gear, while the other knew that I was not getting there in time unless I ran. So I walked briskly, then ran a little, and on and off for a few times until I finally sprinted the last two or three hundred yards to get there just before the clouds started blocking the sun. I had enough time to shoot two quick compositions inserting Navajo Mountain in the distance below the arch opening before the light was gone. I remained there until sunset just in case, but the sun never reappeared, although the rain did, soaking me up in the return hike to my vehicle.

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