Grand Canyon, Mathers Point, #1

Even before sunrise, I could tell the night sky was full of dark storm clouds. This was my last morning in the canyon and I knew daybreak would bring promise or disappointment. The stage was set. The storm had dropped three inches of new snow on the canyon rim the evening before and now all I could do was get in position and wait for something to happen.

As the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, it’s light flickered in and out of the clouds, but then almost on cue it broke through with giant channels of light and exploded onto the distant canyon walls. Like a spotlight at the theater, the light swept across the canyon highlighting the stony actors that seem to rise-up to greet their audience. I worked fast but deliberately, changing focal lengths, searching for the perfect composition. The contrast photographers often work to overcome was now the power I sought to capture with my lens. It was red, then yellow, then magenta and then it was gone...

The curtain of clouds closed as quickly as they parted and the magnificent light was gone. Five days and 1600 mile of travel and it came down to a just a few minutes of light, but to me, it was near perfection.
Canon 5D, 24X105 L