PFTA: Stuck in Stone

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the world famous Antelope Canyon in Arizona. It is just outside of Page, Arizona, and it’s managed by the Navajo Tribe as a Tribal Park. There is a fee to enter the canyon and you are required to have a guide to go into the canyon. Tripods are not allowed, and it’s always full of people. Sometimes you get lucky and find an angle that doesn’t have people in it, and maybe enough light that the photo you’re taking isn’t blurry. It’s a wonderful place, but it is getting a bit too popular and the number of people that can go in at a time is getting restricted.

In the image below, I was amazed to see what looks like a face in the stone that looks like its yearning to leave the canyon and look over the top. There is a look of frustration and sadness on the face that realizes it will never be able to get out of the canyon.

This image is available for purchase at ArtPal.

Enjoy

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March 13, 2023March 11, 2023 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wildernessTags: antelope canyon, Arizona, Colorado Plateau, desert, face, hiking, lake powell, Navajo, peace, photography, slot canyon, solitude, Tribal Park Leave a comment

PFTA: Grand Canyon Sunset

A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to spend a week at the Grand Canyon South Rim. After work, I took the time to visit my old stomping grounds. I worked at the South Rim several years ago, and it was awesome to see the Grand Canyon again. This was during the late winter, or early spring, and I decided to walk the Rim Trail near the Bright Angel Lodge to catch sunset. I was happy to see the Canyon in all its spleandor. This image is available for purchase on ArtPal.

Enjoy

March 6, 2023February 28, 2023 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wilderness, winterTags: Arizona, Colorado Plateau, desert, Grand Canyon National Park, peace, photography, snow, sunset, winter 5 Comments

PFTA: Alpine Pond

There is a nice, moderate two mile trail, just north of the visitor center at Cedar Breaks National Monument that leads to an alpine pond. It’s a beautiful trail, with many interesting trees, flowers (especially in mid-summer), and of course the pond.

It is very peaceful there and one could meditate for hours in the beauty and solitude it provides. Just be aware that oxygen may be hard to acquire for some people, because Cedar Breaks is approximately 10,000 feet above sea level.

It is a special place to enjoy with friends and family.

This image is available for prints on my ArtPal store.

Enjoy,

Kelly

March 28, 2022 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, insects, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wildernessTags: alpine, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Colorado Plateau, forest, nature, peace, photography, pond, solitude, trees, Utah, water 2 Comments

PFTA: Cedar Breaks National Monument

Cedar Breaks National Monument is a spectacular place to visit, but it is only accessable in the summer months. It sits on Cedar Mountain at an elevation of 10,000 feet above sea level. It’s about 30 miles east of Cedar City Utah, home of the world famous Utah Shakespeare Festival.

I have always enjoyed my visits to Cedar Breaks over the years. The views are amazing and the air is always fresh. In mid-summer there is a wild flower festival there, and it’s also designated a Dark Sky location. The views of the stars at night are out of this world. I have many photos of this amazing place and hope to share some more soon. This image is available for purchase at my ArtPal store.

Enjoy,

Kelly

March 16, 2022 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wildernessTags: Cedar Breaks National Monument, Colorado Plateau, desert, hoodoos, nature, peace, photography, sandstone, solitude, Utah Leave a comment

PFTA: Old Faithful Lodge

I had the unique opportunity to visit Yellowstone National Park during the winter a few years ago. I won a trip for two for two nights at the Old Faithful Snow Lodge. I booked the trip the previous summer for mid-January the following year. I timed the trip perfectly. The week before I got there, the high was -15F and the lows were sub-zero. When I was there, the high was 15F and the lows were about -15. The day after I left, it snowed several feet. It was an amazing trip, and I was able to walk around the Old Faithful Basin as long as I could feel my toes-then it was inside to warm up. The morning of my second day, I looked out the hotel window and watched the Old Faithful Geyser erupt, so I grabbed my camera and took this photo of the eruption. In the foreground is the Old Faithful Lodge and some snow cats.

This image is available on my ArtPal store for prints and other items.

Enjoy,

Kelly

December 22, 2021 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, snow, solitude, wilderness, winterTags: old faithful geyser, old faithful lodge, photography, snow, solitude, winter, Wyoming, yellowstone 3 Comments

PFTA: John Ford’s Point

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park on the border of Utah and Arizona. At the time, I was a tour guide and brought two wonderful couples from Germany here and was able to join them as translator. During the tour, we stopped at John Ford’s Point overlook. There was a Navajo gentleman who rode his horse out to John Ford’s Point and waved his hat for the tour groups that visited the Valley.

John Ford’s Point got its name from the movie director John Ford as a tribute to him for bringing Monument Valley to life on the Big Screen. Mr. Ford filmed several movies in Monument Valley, including John Wayne’s famous She Wore a Yellow Ribbon. The ending of The Code Talkers was also filmed on this point.

The history of this valley and area is vast and deep, and there is no way I could ever do it justice. I will just say that it is an amazing place that should be visited and hallowed as sacred ground.

Enjoy,

Kelly

October 29, 2021October 28, 2021 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, PhotographyTags: Code Talkers, Colorado Plateau, desert, John Ford, john ford's point, john wayne, monument valley, Native American, Navajo, photography, solitude, Utah, westerns Leave a comment

PFTA: Great White Throne

First, I must profusely apologize for not posting for a while.  Life has been very busy lately and I’ve had an extremely poor internet connection for a while now.

Anyway, this image is of the Great White Throne in Zion National Park.  It’s probably one of the most photographed peaks in Zion Canyon.  I took this image a couple of years before the massive landslide that closed this area off completely.  This landslide dropped over 24,000 tons of rock debris in seconds that basically destroyed the East Rim Trail and Weeping Rock area.

This is likely one of the last images of the Great White Throne from this angle that anyone can take, at least for a decade.

This image is available on my Artpal store

 

August 19, 2021August 24, 2021 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wildernessTags: fall colors, Great White Throne, photography, Utah, Weeping Rock, Zion Canyon, Zion National park Leave a comment

PFTA White Pocket

White pocket is on the Arizona Strip near Page and Lake Powell. I went here a couple of years ago and got lost, got found and almost stuck in the sand in the middle of nowhere. Otherwise it was a fun trip. The formations here are absolutely stunning. I will be posting other images from this area soon.

This image is available here.

Enjoy!

April 26, 2021April 26, 2021 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wildernessTags: Arizona, Arizona Strip, Colorado Plateau, desert southwest, hiking, Images, photography, prints, Recreation, sandstone, Travel, White Pocket Leave a comment

Virgin River

Last week, I hiked along the Middle Emerald Pools Trail. This trail has been closed since the trail head was washed out in a flood in 2010. It was reopened last September after years of repairs and stabilization work in the trailhead area. It was close to sunset when I captured this image of the Virgin River looking towards The Great White Throne. This is also part of the Weekend Sky challenge .

This image is available as a print on Art Pal: Virgin River

Enjoy!

April 24, 2021April 24, 2021 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitude, wildernessTags: #WeekendSky, Colorado Plateau, desert, emerald pools, Great White Throne, nature, peace, photography, Recreation, solitude, sunset, Travel and Tourism, Utah, Virgin River, water, Zion Canyon, Zion National park 3 Comments

PFTA: Valley of Fire, AKA Veridian III

Today, I decided to go back a couple of years to re-visit Valley of Fire State Park, in Nevada, or, as my friends call it, Veridian III.  It was here that the ending of Star Trek: Generations was filmed.  It’s an amazing place with a lot of history and gorgeous vistas.

Enjoy,

Kelly

December 13, 2020 by Kelly Guymon Photography Categories: hiking, landscape, nature, Photography, solitudeTags: desert, desert southwest, history, Nevada, Star Trek, Vally of Fire Leave a comment