/// Wild Tracks - Landscape Photography by Eduardo Gallo

WILD TRACKS

Passion for Landscape Photography

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Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, UT, USA

October 2011

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, UT, USA

Canon 5D MkII & EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, 2s f/8 ISO400 @32mm

Google Earth for this photo
GLOW

When construction of Glen Canyon Dam concluded in 1963 blocking the natural flow of the Colorado River, its waters started to back up creating what was to become the second largest reservoir in the US, with more than 2000 miles of shoreline. In the process, it flooded 186 miles of the most beautiful stretch of Colorado River, the last sections of three important tributaries (the Escalante, Dirty Devil, and San Juan rivers), and innumerable small streams. Not a single rapid existed in Glen Canyon, where the river lazily flowed along a wide colorful canyon filled with abundant wildlife, natural arches, and archaeological sites, while surrounded by riparian vegetation and clear streams, creating a garden-like environment. Not many people were lucky enough to visit Glen Canyon before its destruction, but their chronicles tell of slowly floating down a peaceful river while enjoying the virgin riverside environment, and their photographs are proof of what has been lost.

Adding insult to injury, the reservoir was named Lake Powell in honor of Major John Wesley Powell, the first man to descend the Colorado River and its main canyons, who would likely revolve in his grave if aware of what was to become of his river.

This does not mean that Lake Powell is not an attractive location, though; only that most of its beauty (and ecological value) lies below water. The calm and clear waters of the lake have opened lots of recreational opportunities for boaters and jet skiers, who come from far away to play with their noisy machines in this otherwise empty area. There is also lots of interest for the photographer, as the otherworldly scenes created by the huge contrast between the red sandstone cliffs and the blue water are quite photogenic.

It takes a little bit of effort and the right vehicle to drive along the North shore of the lake to Alstrom Point, with the few last miles being specially hard on your vehicle´s suspension and your body´s skeleton. The panorama that awaits you there, however, makes you quickly forget all the inconveniences. I arrived in late afternoon on the day of full moon, set up my tent, and walked towards the rim with my photo gear, a bootle of water, and a sandwich I had previously bought in town, with the intention of having a pleasant time while enjoying the sunset.

First negative surprise: there were several jet skiers in the lake, so instead of the expected silence I got the loud sound of the two stroke engines. Second surprise: there were lots of sightseeing flights, with their associated noise, and all of them seemed to pass right above my head. And finally two huge SUVs came and left their load: a bunch of photographers from Germany and Switzerland. If I were to describe them, I would say that their bodies were not much larger than their photo bags, which were mostly equipped with wheels. And I am not implying that they were small people in any way, just that each of them had more equipment than what is likely present in many photography studios. So there I had a bunch of nicely dressed people pulling their wheeled photo packs through the desert, which certainly made for an interesting sight. As I was the only human being on dry land for miles around, they obviously decided to inmediately head in my direction, and I was soon surrounded by half of them on my right and the rest on my left. And a few minutes later by half on my right, half minus one on my left, and the remaining individual in the narrow space between my tripod and the edge of the cliff.

After a nice but not spectacular golden hour, in which the cliffs turned red but the light was too harsh for my liking, the Sun set behind the horizon and the photographers said it was time to go if they did not want to miss dinner in town, leaving as suddenly as they had appeared. I then started eating my sandwich and realized that the boaters and the pilots must have also gone to have dinner, as the silence was absolute. And then as the sky darkened I noticed the slow appearance of a wonderful subdued light, making the water and cliffs glow, like if they were radiating the accumulated heat of the day. So I set my dinner down and took lots of photos while the light gradually improved until it suddenly disappeared. Only then did I had my food, and then slowly headed back to the tent to sleep completely alone below the full moon.

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