ZION & BRYCE: A SUBJECTIVE VIEW

“In art as in life, form and subject, body and soul, are one.”- Edward Abby

Photography is an art form that has the power to evoke strong emotions and capture them in a single frame. It allows us to freeze a moment in time, preserving it for eternity, and reliving the emotions attached to it every time we look at the photograph. When leading workshops, I am often bringing this to the attention of the guests and how photography can transcend beyond its technical aspects and deeply impact our emotional state, both from the creators’ as well as, the observers’ point of view. As a guide, I feel it is not my vision that I am trying to invoke, but rather to offer techniques and skills that will assist the guests in capturing THEIR vision and emotional connection. After all, photography is a deeply personal and subjective art medium.

Zion and Bryce Canyon are two breathtaking national parks known for their stunning landscapes and natural beauty. These locations attract photographers from all over the world who strive to capture the essence of these places through their lenses.

But what makes these photographs truly special is not just their visual appeal but also the emotions they convey. I often share how the Colorado Plateau, home to these parks, has such a lasting impression on my being, and despite living and visiting the area multiple times, I never tire of the wonders that this area displays.

On BCJ’s most recent trip to these iconic parks, this past April, I was fortunate enough to have a group that embraced this ideal, and it resulted in a truly memorable experience. One of the ways I encourage guests to make these emotional connections to their imagery is to experiment with their photography. The group seemed eager and open to trying new things with their photography. Whether it was switching their cameras to “Manual Mode”, experimentation with different camera angles, using varied shutter speeds, adjusting the depth of field, following some new composition rules, and even sometimes experimenting by BREAKING those rules, or learning the proper exposure process, these were all part of the learning progression. It didn’t matter if individuals had 40 years of professional photography experience or still were in the infancy of their photography journey, they all took risks and experimented.

Taking these photographic chances can cause some anxiety and mistakes can be made, however, there was also a noticeable amount of growth in individuals’ photographic competence.  This attitude also carried over to the social aspect of the trip. Every guest took the time to get to know one another’s story. It is always a good sign when I am driving the van on a trip, and it is filled with bubbly chatter and laughter. It feels good! I am a staunch believer that the more one puts into an experience, the more one will get out of the experience. It takes some risks, for sure, but oh, the rewards!

Springtime in these parks can offer a wide variety of shooting conditions not found at any other time of the year. Wildflowers make a brief but brilliant appearance. Creeks and streams flow briskly from the runoff of snow in the mountains far above the canyons.  If one is lucky, waterfalls appear where one would never expect to see cascading water in the desert. Spring storms in the area move in and out quickly, bringing with them cotton candy-colored clouds and squalls of rain or snow with dramatic light and visual effects. A discernable light feast for any photographer and the perfect opportunity to experiment.

As a group, we were fortunate enough to experience many of these shooting situations, which furthered the exceptional time spent in these remarkable parks with an extraordinary collection of people.

Landscape photography can have a profound emotional impact on us by creating a strong connection between ourselves and nature. It allows us to appreciate the beauty around us while also providing an avenue for self-reflection and mindfulness. So next time you pick up your camera to capture a landscape shot, remember that it is not just about the final image but also about the emotional journey that comes along with it. It is for this reason, that I so enjoy sharing two of my biggest passions with guests on a BCJ adventure, and what I feel, separates the BCJ experience from just another photography trip.