Delicate Arch - Bring a Light if you go at Sunset!

Was in Moab for the weekend, not much photography, just some kayaking on the Colorado and some mountain biking, but did make it up to Delicate Arch. Pretty much overcast with no color at sunset so I continued my Fisheye project and took a few different shots than the normal. All the Arch shots are taken with the fisheye lens. This first one was right after sunset when the moon came up, and in a few seconds it disappeared behind the clouds.

I took this shot and then hear this voice coming from below the arch asking if this was Delicate Arch. This guy had gotten lost coming up in the dark and came up through the "amphitheater" instead of up the trail. I had to go down by the arch to show him the way up with my headlamp. We get up to the top of the amphitheater and he asked where the arch was, and I tell him we just walked underneath it. He then says thanks and asks where the trail down is so he can find his wife. I tell him to wait, we are about ready to leave and he says "I can see fine it's not too dark." So I asked him as nicely as I can that if it wasn't too dark out, how did he get lost coming up 30 minutes earlier when it was lighter; how he didn't see a 60 foot high arch when he walked right below it; and if he didn't see a 60 foot high arch, how was he going to see little trail cairns? Amazingly enough he said he still wanted to go down without a light. I had to basically order him not to go without me. So on the way down he tells me he got separated from his wife but doesn't know where. After about 10 minutes she calls him on his cell phone, as she was getting scared. She had climbed to the top of a knoll where she got a signal. After about 5 minutes of him asking her where she was in relation to the moon I told him to just have her yell. She did and we heard her about 500 feet away and I went and got her. It still amazes me how someone could leave their wife, in the dark, after they were already lost, just to go see the arch.

This was my second time at the arch at sunset, a few years ago we were there at Christmas and about 14 people were there taking photos. My bother and I stayed and chatted with 2 other photographers well after dark and then headed down. My brother and I were the only ones with headlamps. About halfway down we hear this scream "I see a light!!!" and begging us to wait for them. Turns out the other 10 people all went down without a light and ended up waaaay off trail. So anyway, if you go there at sunset, darkness comes shortly thereafter (and it is very dark there without a moon and overcast skies) and you should remember to bring a light.

This one is below the arch, it is a 3 exposure blend and I desaturated it a bit. I also cropped it to a square format, the next photo is uncropped, I liked it for the scale with the person in it and would be interested to hear which y'all prefer.

#3

#4 from the butte just to the side of the arch looking down the valley.

I just noticed some haloing in the second/third shot from the sharpening, so I went back and fixed it but didn't replace the images here.

An all too typical tale, but still an interesting one to hear from you.

May be the first 'moonstar' I've ever seen with the first image.
However, the next one is my favorite. I like the dark (almost 'negative') side of DA, the unique composition, the square crop and the fisheye perspective.
I prefer it greatly over the uncropped version because I like the cropped sky better. There's just something I can't pinpoint about the uncropped sky that I don't much care for there.
The person does add a sense of scale, but in a way that's almost not needed with this instantly recognizable icon.
You did well with your creative and unique choices on this evening!

Scott, I really like the 2nd and 3rd shots. The guy in #3 adds a sense of scale to it for sure. I like the subdued colors here...definitely a view of the arch I haven't seen before.

I'm w/Jack, the second one is really cool, and the inclusion of the human in #3 adds nice context.

Great story about the unending level of douchebaggery that can be found in the casual traveler.

Really cool stuff Scott. Todd, your poetic use of the english language never fails to make me smile

Love the low wide angle shots! Very brooding with the overcast sky. Great story as well. Some people just do not have any common sense!

Scott, that 2nd shot is one of the best DA shots I've seen because of its unique (to me at least) angle in combination with the lens used. The clouds sure add to it as well.
The 3rd shot is also a great stock shot! The moon in the 1st one is what makes this shot really interesting. Great series!

2 and 3 really work for me, Scott. Well done on all of these though. I've been considering a fish-eye for a long time and I keep talking myself out of it. I think you changed my mind again.

#2 is unique so well done Scott, your story doesn't surprise me but it still made me shiver, last year we met a mountain lion not too far away from there!
I've been on the big island of Hawaii hiking miles across the lava fields and seen people with small children hiking in in the dark with little or no lights while I was heading back! Scary!

#2!!!!

Scott, great pictures. How was riding in Moab? I would love to see some mountain biking pictures if you took some. As for people without lights, welcome to the real world. Most people get themselves into all kinds of trouble out in the wild... nothing new there. =)

Koveh,

No mountain biking photos, didn't want to bring the extra weight, I can't keep up with my girlfriend already. This was my first time riding, I usually hike and 4WD. We just found some trails and followed them wherever they went but had a great time. I have a map now with all the trails so next time we'll be more prepared.

I understand that.. great place to ride, hope you had a good time. I'm still tossing around the idea of taking my SLR with me on rides, so we will see how that works. =)

Funny story! I love #3 here, it totally rocks! The blues in #1 are a bit too strong for me, but the comp is cool.

Quite a story! And #3 is truly one of the more intriguing landscapes I've seen in a while. Excellent image. The muted color, the drama, the scale, the incredible perspective. Awesome. I might suggest cropping of the extreme left edge, where it runs vertical in the corner.

Funny story. I was up there in July and there had to be 75+ people there and on the way down there was about 10 people with lights of which I had two of them. Even crazier was that there had to be at least another 10 or so people that were trying to make their way up to the arch as we were coming down, of which most of them didn't have any light either. And it was pretty much completely dark.

Scott.... great job.... your compositional skill is outstanding...1,2 and 3 are amazing... especially 2 and 3 .... best of DA shots I have seen ...

Great unique angles of D.A.

Who says there are no original comps to be had at Delicate Arch? These are all new views for me. I love #1, 3 and 3 are hard to choose between. They each say something very different to me. #2 does feel very dark, sinister even, almost an oppression of stone with the arch presiding. #3 feels more mysterious; I want there to be a story in it, a relationship between the arch and the human. Great stuff!

Some people have no common sense.

That first shot is breathtaking; I love the composition and lines.