In this Monochrome Monday edition we travel back in time to August 2010.
Fog is not something we normally associate with Arizona, but when we get it, spectacles happen.
In this case, it was a foggy day at the Grand Canyon. Our guests traveling from Wisconsin were appalled that it could be so cold in Arizona in August as they bought rain ponchos from the Desert View General Store.
And so we ventured out to the viewpoint, I under my umbrella and camera in hand. I remember that moment, in awe of the clouds dancing through the ridges of the Palisades of the Desert.
With all the fog and rain in the atmosphere, even to the naked eye there was not much color to be seen. And so this snapshot felt natural with a black and white treatment.
Like most landscape photographers, I idolized Ansel Adams and especially his black and whites. And this was the very first photo I ever took where I felt like I was channeling my “inner Ansel.”
Of course, no one can compare to the master. But to channel him is not to attempt to replicate his style, but to embody his love for the natural world and to see the great and often surprising contrasts on display in our Southwestern landscapes.
And so as we start a new week, don’t forget to channel your inner Ansel. That doesn’t mean you have to take a black and white photo, or even take any photos at all. Just try to find a moment to lose yourself in a moment of awe and respect for nature. Ansel would love that.
-Jake
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Awesome, a favorite! 😍