Mountains and Clouds off US89, Part 2
I cropped this vertical panorama to a 1×1 aspect ratio- I included both color and B&W versions because I like both, and I think they emphasize different elements of the photograph.
Clouds and Mountains off US89 (Color Panorama #3), Utah (20″x20″)
Clouds and Mountains off US89 (B&W Panorama #3), Utah (20″x20″)
Sandstone Bluffs in Zion East of Tunnel, Part 2
A stream cuts its way through crossbedding in sandstone in Zion National Park.
Stream Cutting through Crossbedding in Sandstone (B&W Panorama #1), Zion National Park, Utah (20″x40″)
Sandstone Bluffs in Zion East of Tunnel
While on a trip to Zion National Park, I hiked up an unmarked slot canyon to see a wall of petroglyphs and visit a slot canyon. The glyphs were amazing, but I was most impressed by the swooping crossbedding in the sandstone leading to towering bluffs and canyon walls.
Cross-Bedding on Sandstone (B&W Panorama #3), Zion National Park, Utah (20″x31″)
Mountains and Clouds off US89
A panorama of late winter clouds and mountains behind a structure and pond east of US89 in central Utah.
Clouds and Mountains off US89 (B&W Panorama #1), Utah (20″x81″)
Dead Tree and Sandstone
This dead tree on the sandstone looked to me like an octopus creeping across the ocean floor.
Dead Tree on Sandstone, outside Kanab, Utah (15″x22″)
Sandstone and Cross-Bedding
I love the swooping lines in cross-bedding in sandstone.
Cross-Bedding on Sandstone Bluff near Diana’s Throne (B&W Panorama #1), outside Kanab, Utah (20″x54″)
Cross-Bedding on Sandstone Bluff near Diana’s Throne (Color Panorama #1), outside Kanab, Utah (20″x54″)
Sandstone Bluff near Diana’s Throne, UT
On a work-related trip to Salt Lake City in March, I spent a couple of days between Kanab and Zion National Park exploring a few of the sandstone bluffs north of Kanab while we waited for the flash flood watches/warnings to end so we could hike into a few slot canyons. After spending several years in North Carolina, where most of the rocks are covered in vegetation, I am always impressed by the sheer cliff faces and strata exposed to the casual hiker. I included color and B&W versions of some of the sandstone.
Sandstone Bluff near Diana Throne (B&W Vertical Panorama #1), outside Kanab, Utah (24″x34″)
Sandstone Bluff near Diana Throne (Color Vertical Panorama #1), outside Kanab, Utah (24″x34″)
Winter Clouds over Sandias 2022, Part 4
Final 2022/2023 winter panorama of clouds over the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico- full-sized, this print is about two feet tall and 8-9 feet long.
Winter Clouds over Sandias (B&W #6, 2022), Sandia Wilderness, outside Albuquerque, NM (21″108″)
Winter Clouds over Sandias 2022, Part 3
Clouds over the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. I like this panorama quite a bit because the clouds had advanced far enough over the mountains that they don’t exit the frame of the photograph, helping to keep the ‘subject’ in the center of the image, making the edges of the photograph less distracting.
Winter Clouds over Sandias (B&W #3, 2022), Sandia Wilderness, outside Albuquerque, NM (20″x74″)
Winter Clouds over Sandias 2022, Part 2
Clouds over the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Winter Clouds and Moon over Sandias (B&W #2, 2022), Sandia Wilderness, outside Albuquerque, NM (18″x66″)
Winter Clouds over Sandias 2022, Part 1
The setting sun casts shadows across the foothills of the Sandia Mountains outside Albuquerque, New Mexico. I always appreciate when the moon shows up over the clouds- see the upper right corner of the panorama.
Winter Clouds and Moon over Sandias (B&W, 2022), Sandia Wilderness, outside Albuquerque, NM (24″x66″)
Panoramic View of Blue Ridge Mtns from Pisgah Inn
Early spring view of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the Pisgah Inn. No fancy sunset or spectacular clouds, just ridges stacked on ridges rolling away into the distance.
Ridges Fading into Distance from Pisgah Inn, Pisgah Forest, NC (20″x78″)
Setting Sun from Big Arete on Pilot Mountain
One of my favorite climbs at Pilot Mountain, Smooth Sailing (a nice 5.10a) tops out on a cliff that juts out over the valley, providing 200-degree views of the rolling hills below the mountain. I had the pleasure of removing our anchors and sitting alone with a few circling birds as the sun set behind the clouds.
Setting Sun from Big Arete, Pilot Mountain State Park, NC (21″x56″)
Fog over Lowlands from Pilot Mountain Summit
A few weeks ago, we camped near the base of Pilot Mountain and got up early the next morning to start climbing. When we arrived at the summit, we were greeted with a spectacular view of fog filling the low-lying areas between hills, with the fog almost looking like a meandering river or lake.
Morning Fog in Valleys from Pilot Mountain Summit, Pilot Mountain State Park, NC (10″x22″)
Panorama of Clouds from Sandia Crest
Early autumn clouds over Albuquerque from Sandia Crest.
Clouds over Albuquerque from Sandia Crest (B&W Panorama #1),
Sandia-Manzano Mountains, NM (15″x61″)
Panorama of Rain Clouds over Sopris after Sunset, in Color
A full panorama of the clouds and fading light over Mt Sopris after sunset. Black and white version posted last week.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (Panorama Color #1), Carbondale, CO (19″x40″)
Panorama of Rain Clouds over Sopris after Sunset
A full panorama of the clouds and fading light over Mt Sopris after sunset. Color version next week.
Mt Sopris and Rain Clouds after Sunset (B&W #1), Carbondale, CO (19″x40″)
Panorama of Stillwater Reservoir, CO
Low water in the Stillwater Reservoir on the edge of the Flat Top Wilderness Area in Colorado. Note the driftwood stranded on the reservoir wall/bank/berm.
Stillwater Reservoir (Color Panorama #4), Routt National Forest, CO (20″x71″)
Building Clouds North of Albuquerque
Late spring/early summer clouds build over the desert north of Albuquerque.
Building Spring Clouds North of Albuquerque (2022), outside Albuquerque, NM (21″x46″)
Panorama of Approaching Storm
A series of full panoramas of an approach storm over Albuquerque, New Mexico. I included both color and black and white versions – each seems to have its own focus and strengths.
Approaching Storm over Albuquerque (B&W Panorama #3, 2022), Albuquerque, NM (22″x86″)
Approaching Storm over Albuquerque (Color Panorama #3, 2022), Albuquerque, NM (22″x86″)
Storm Clouds from NM 556
Storm clouds over the Sandia Mountains, shot from NM 556 in the North Valley outside Albuquerque. Two crops- one of them removes the tree in the foreground on the left. Can’t decide which I like more, so I shared both panoramas.
Storm Clouds over Sandias from NM 556 (Color #1, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (20″x54″)
Storm Clouds over Sandias from NM 556 (BW #2, 2022), Albuquerque, New Mexico (20″x40″)
Late spring rain clouds over Sandia Wilderness
Panorama of spring rain clouds over the Sandia foothills and Wilderness area near Elena Gallegos outside Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Rain Clouds over Elena Gallegos (Panorama #1, Color), outside Albuquerque, NM (20″x50″)
Panorama of Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields
After taking a brief hike up to Devil’s Courthouse, we drove to Graveyard Fields and walked to the Upper Falls- lovely scenery, and a beautiful set of falls at the end of the hike. With a 10-stop ND filter, I made a series of 5-second exposures of the falls as they cascade over the rocks and around the corner.
Upper Falls at Graveyard Fields (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (18″x45″)
Panoramic View from Devil’s Courthouse
Last weekend, I took a trip out to the Blue Ridge Parkway- I stopped by the Devil’s Courthouse as some dramatic spring storm clouds were rolling in. The trees at ~4,000-5,000 feet were just about to leaf out, but not quite, so it still looked a bit like late winter on the Parkway.
Spring Clouds from Devil’s Courhouse (Panorama #1), Blue Ridge Parkway, NC (17″x54″)
Luke Parsons Photography 