Ha Ho No Geh

After a planned minor canyoneering trip in NE Arizona was scotched by last week's 5-6 days of rain, creating deep pools of water throughout, I headed over to the Ha Ho No Geh and Coal Mine Canyon areas to try and salvage the rest of the weekend.
Every single time that I've visited this area, I've never seen another soul, although the folks who live nearby have told me that spirits do inhabit this place!

I've tried to photograph the night blooming Sacred Datura flower for years now, always at the wrong time, wrong place and/or the wrong light....'til now.

A 20 sec. exposure reveals twilight colors of the canyon rim about 20 minutes after sunset.

While another 20 second exposure during the pre-sunrise hour achieved the same thing in a different locale.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!
And a special 'Thanks!' to Doug 'Rainbow' Koepsel for all of his help.

Neat Stuff, John!!!

Love how your images just pop that 3D feel. Way cool stuff.

Great images, John. Wish I'd hooked up with you when I was in AZ last week. Didn't really have the time though. I think the Datura may well be my favorite desert plant.

Cool shots, John. That last one absolutely soars! It has such perceived vertical relief.

Ya-HOO, great images! I like the perspective you got in #2 and #3, that wasn't a superwide focal length, was it... you feel like "right there". Great job, the diffused light is outrageous.

#3 really sings for me! I'm rather partial to those long exposures in soft light. Great composition!

All good but #3 is unbelievably awesome. Looks like a gorgeous and unusual canyon and your composition is spot-on.

The Datura is absolutely gorgeous John! #2 makes me wish for a little more room, it might just be purely because I just want to see more of this insane landscape. But the 3D feel in the last one pretty much makes me forget all of that

Edit: I went back and stared some more at the Datura! Gosh, I really love this image! It's so delicate and the lighting is just perfect. I'd be tempted to do a fine art BW conversion to bring out some more detail in the delicate flower and tone down the background leaves. I think it would make the flower pop a little more and give the overall image some more drama. But then again, I'm a BW freak so it might just be me. Either way it's a killer shot John!

I absolutely love what the sensor picks up in this twilight time! And it works so well in the two landscape shots! #2 feels a little tight at the top but the detail, color, and variation in shapes are great! And #3 is so well done compwise that I'm getting vertigo just looking at it. You need to put the Datura shot over in Flora, too. Very well done, John!

#3 is awesomely composed, giving it a 3D appearance> Wow, mind-bending without the use of chemicals!

John, I agree with everyone above. They are outstanding. I need to visit that area some time. Great job!

Thanks!
I may try the flower in b&w, Aleks. Thanks for the tip!

Love #3! It gives me vertigo just looking at it.

I like 3 the best also.
Were you leary being on the edge of the overhanging caprock?

Very much so, Doug! There's also a 3' hole in the caprock just right of here that exits clear down on the canyon floor.

Damn fine set, John! That must have been the same rain that started on my last day at Mesa Verde and made a mess of my plans! Glad to see it worked out for you...

#3 is an incredible image. I love the spacial relationships. Pretty sweet light as well.

John, I really like each and every single one of these, but that third one is the bomb for me. Love the lines and contrast in rock patterns....just awesome. I also have to say....your processing is so pitch perfect! You really should be offering PS classes...I know I would learn a SH**load!

John - I am always fascinated by the images I have seen from these canyons and these images are no exception. As others mentioned, I really like the 3D effect you have captured, especially in the third image. I also really like the colors in the second one - I think that one is my favorite. Really wonderful work (as always!). I need to find a way to get myself down there to see these places for myself!

Very nice John. Really like the detail in the flower image. The dark greens really help it stand out.

interesting set, John--one and three are great! id crop just the very very top line (top millimeters) of #3.