I've been up here to shoot several times over the past few years and decided to look for new perspectives while there this time. Of course, my non-photog spouse started getting a little impatient after awhile so could only experiment to a certain extent. I had wished for some clouds rather than a blank sky, but got too many clouds and never saw the warm glow on the arch (until I had packed up my tripod and headed back down, then the sun peeked out of the clouds for about 1 glorious minute). Any thoughts if this looks a little more original than a lot of shots you see?
Posted by Larry Daniel on July 1, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Seems to be a different perspective than most I have seen. Taken at Arches I assume? Which one? I have not been there, planning a trip in October.
Larry, this is the oft-photographed Delicate Arch at Arches NP. Come early for sunset to stake out your spot - there's mobs of photogs up there unless you go in the winter months. It's also a fairly challenging hike. Although only 1.5 miles to get to the arch, it climbs about 500 feet up, the majority of which is over a slickrock section about a half mile long. There is NO shade so bring plenty of water and rest on the way up.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on July 2, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Angela, I can honestly say that I've never seen an image from this perspective of Delicate Arch. I can visualize where you were set up but I don't know how you managed to get there.
We didn't spend a great deal of time at Delicate Arch as it was mid-day, loads of people and our first full day in Moab. I took the requisite standard images but nothing to write home about.
Now on to the image. I like the idea of a unique shooting position, it is good to think outside the box. The clouds are a nice bonus, the detail in the f/g rock is very nice but the composition minimizes the impact of the main subject (i.e. Delicate Arch kind of gets lost in the strong f/g and distant b/g). That being said, this is better than any image I made of Delicate Arch.
I've been enjoying your images from the Moab area Angela, please share more!
Hey Angela, I have never been to the Delicate Arch area, I can't really comment on how tough it was to get this shot or wether you shot it out of the window of your car. However, I like the dark red coloring of the rocks in the foreground and the various contours leading to the arch. With that said, if you could go to the right and get a shot of the arch from that angle ( I know - it is probably 250 ft straight down - or that is where 35 other photogs are waiting) it would make a great angle.
The only time I was in Moab was in '95 when my son and I were there mountain biking. There is so much to shoot that I could spend weeks there - if I could afford it...
Thanks for sharing and putting up with my ramblings....
It is a different view on Delicate Arch. Bravo on that. I am not sold on the ridge filling the arch though. Perhaps with stronger back light the arch would pop a little more but I think they blend too much.
FWIW-I went for a different view there and use one as my thumbnail image here.
Discussion
6 repliesI've been up here to shoot several times over the past few years and decided to look for new perspectives while there this time. Of course, my non-photog spouse started getting a little impatient after awhile so could only experiment to a certain extent. I had wished for some clouds rather than a blank sky, but got too many clouds and never saw the warm glow on the arch (until I had packed up my tripod and headed back down, then the sun peeked out of the clouds for about 1 glorious minute). Any thoughts if this looks a little more original than a lot of shots you see?
We didn't spend a great deal of time at Delicate Arch as it was mid-day, loads of people and our first full day in Moab. I took the requisite standard images but nothing to write home about.
Now on to the image. I like the idea of a unique shooting position, it is good to think outside the box. The clouds are a nice bonus, the detail in the f/g rock is very nice but the composition minimizes the impact of the main subject (i.e. Delicate Arch kind of gets lost in the strong f/g and distant b/g). That being said, this is better than any image I made of Delicate Arch.
I've been enjoying your images from the Moab area Angela, please share more!
The only time I was in Moab was in '95 when my son and I were there mountain biking. There is so much to shoot that I could spend weeks there - if I could afford it...
Thanks for sharing and putting up with my ramblings....
It is a different view on Delicate Arch. Bravo on that. I am not sold on the ridge filling the arch though. Perhaps with stronger back light the arch would pop a little more but I think they blend too much.
FWIW-I went for a different view there and use one as my thumbnail image here.