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!
I went to Zion today to take care of some business, and it was raining like crazy! After I got everything done, i drove up to the Temple of Sinawava to check out the waterfalls. I saw waterfalls where I haven’t seen them for a very long time, and others that I’ve not seen before. At one point, the water was just pouring over the side of the cliffs. Enjoy!
Employee Falls
Refrigerator Canyon (Angel’s Landing on right)
Above Weeping Rock
From Hidden Canyon I have not seen this waterfall at the Temple of Sinewava like this in a very long time.
First, let me apologize for my absence. Work seems to be getting in the way of my photography lately, and I need to get out more.
This past weekend I said enough is enough, and I’m going shooting! I grabbed my camera and decided to use my 50mm prime lens (which I haven’t used for some time), hopped on the shuttle and went up to the Temple of Sinawava. It was close to sunset, so light was fading fast and I needed to hurry. 
East Mesa
I went to look into the Virgin River to capture a rapid or two.
Right after sunset, I captured the dramatic sense of how deep Zion Canyon really is.
Heading back to the shuttle, I happen to see a bumble bee buzzing around, so I tried my hand at freestyle macro. By the way, I’ve never seen a bumble bee look like this, anyone else?
After arriving back at the Lodge, I took this of the Mountain of the Sun. 
Enjoy,
Kelly
Life is full of storm clouds, and gloom and doom. A friend of mine likes to say that stormy black clouds are “ominous and foreboding”. It’s very difficult sometimes to look for the good in all that gloom and foreboding, but no matter where you look there is always hope and beauty.
There may be pouring rain, but look for the water falls and rainbows. There may be dark skies and a stiff wind, but listen to the leaves in the trees rattle and swish. There may be black clouds, but the sun is there poking his head through to brighten even the darkest of days.
Here is my home on a stormy afternoon, rife with clouds and threats of flash floods. There is always beauty in Nature around us. Go out there and enjoy. If there are storm clouds on the horizon, anticipate the rain, relax and enjoy.
Kelly
Today I opened my Red Bubble Store and Zazzle Store. Currently there are only two images available in my Red Bubble Store, and several images available in my Zazzle Store, and I will be adding more very soon. There are many products available for these two images, and these options will be available for the coming images as well. There are prints available of these images that are framed, posters, unframed, wall art, canvas, and metallic prints. The sizes currently are 8×10 and 12×16 with more sizes coming soon. Also available are iPhone and Samsung cases, iPad cases, totes, pillows, mugs, and greeting cards, mousepads, key chains, and speakers available. More products will be coming soon. Visit the Prints and Accessories page for more information and to visit my store front.
The first image is of Zion Narrows in Zion National Park, Utah. It is one of the most popular hikes in Zion. It was carved from solid rock by the very unassuming Virgin River and its tributaries. The image was taken at the confluence of the Virgin River and Orderville Canyon.
The second image is The Great White Throne in winter. This mountain is one of the most photographed in Zion. Most photos you’ll see of it is in the summer or spring. However, it’s unusual to see it covered in snow and clouds.
I’m participating in LetsBeWild.com’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge. This week’s Challenge is: Movement!
THE biggest mover and shaker in the Desert Southwest is: Wind! Wind is accountable for a lot of damage and destruction. However, that being said, it also gives opportunity for interesting photography. Take this image for example:
These are the famous dirt devils that are actually miniature tornados. I found this while exploring the desert in Arizona.
Here is another dust storm in Arizona.
Of course, wind is responsible for creating sand dunes and shaping them. At the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Utah, which by the way are the only sand dunes located on the Colorado Plateau.
If you look close at the top of the sand dune, you will see dust and sand being blown around by the wind. Incidentally, every time I have been here, it has always been windy! Here is a close up of the dune.
Wind isn’t the only destructive force in nature. Water also falls into that category. Here is the Virgin River in an extreme flood stage, well over 3000 cubic feet per second; which has the ability to rip grown cottonwood trees right out of the ground and also carry boulders the size of SUV’s down stream.
Water can also be lots of fun. Here for example are a couple of swimmers in the Caribbean in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
In the ocean, you will find all kinds of creatures that call those watery depths home. Here are a couple of dolphins having some fun.
And here:
Now for some real fun! Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stand on Yavapai Point in the Grand Canyon, at 11:00pm, in January, during a full moon, and take really long exposures? Well, from personal experience, it’s a blast! What’s really fun is taking 15 second exposures and jumping around in front of the camera. This is the end result:
I was with a friend while taking these images, and yes, I’m in the photo. Can you see me? This is probably how ghost images are taken. I had so much fun that night!
First of all, I want to wish all you Ghouls and Goblins, Orcs and Halflings (and other such creatures) a very happy and safe Halloween!
I am participating in this week’s Wild Weekly Photo Challenge of Water. This photo is of Zion Narrows. This canyon was carved by the amazingly small Virgin River over many millennia. It’s also one of Zion’s most popular hikes, but is prone to flash flooding.
I also decided to include a photo I took of a sunset in the Gulf of Mexico while on a cruise. This was taken just after leaving Cazumel, Mexico. It shows the beauty and desolation of the ocean. Almost like being lost at sea.
Kelly Guymon Photography 