Hidden on the back of a mesa in Sedona, Arizona, the Devil’s Bridge is a stunning rock formation with a long line of people waiting to take a photo on it. There is a long way and a less long way to reach the Devil’s Bridge in the first place. Having a Jeep Renegade Trailhawk allowed us to take the less long way, as a mile of very, very rough road was bouncily traversed in the Jeep. After the still not insignificant hike to the back of the mesa, I think I noticed the long line of people before actually noticing the Devil’s Bridge itself! How does something like this naturally occur? It’s just another wonder of Nature. One cannot actually cross the bridge as it would take a hardly leap to get back to the side of the mesa, which I contemplated doing, but with much of it still snow and ice covered, that is something only possible in the summer. I did not wait in the line to stand on the bridge, but you can see Jessica in the top photo standing out on the Devil’s Bridge. As you can see, the red rock view’s from the bridge are not bad at all either!
Many times when I am out on a rural land photography shoot, it is just me and a cactus passing the time waiting for the sun to set for me to get my final shots. Such was the case on a recent shoot in remote northwest Rio Rancho, New Mexico where this cactus kept me company and allowed me to make this photo featuring a sky full of floofy clouds.
Sedona, Arizona is famous for its red rock mesas. I wanted to see one that could not easily be seen just by driving down a paved roadway. Such are the conditions that were the catalyst for seeking out Submarine Rock. Only serious off road vehicles can make it out to this mesa, or you could go on a long hike on foot to reach it as well. The trusty Jeep Renegade Trailhawk made it, and allowed me to fly my drone and take out my camera to share this video and these photos with you of this majestic and mysterious landscape in Sedona.
When I first arrived at the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, there was a bit of down time before I could actually go and see the canyon itself. Fortunately for me, a group of elk was foraging right across the street. This was my first time to photograph elk like this. It turns out these animals are real characters sticking out their tongues at me, laughing, and getting themselves covered in snow just to make a photo more interesting! Thank you Grand Canyon elk for being so photogenic and letting me get some great wildlife shots!
After 20 years I returned to the Grand Canyon to find quite a different landscape. In March 2000 there was only patchy snow/ice along the south rim, and as I hiked all the way down via the Kaibab Trail to the Colorado River, the temperature actually increased as I descended. Visiting now in December 2019, the winter season presented Grand Canyon views dominated by white. Snow blanketed all the trails, viewpoints, and even the walls of the canyon itself. In fact snow was all I could see at first because the entire canyon was filled with clouds, or mist, or cotton candy for all I could tell. Finally, after several hours the clouds lifted and the Grand Canyon in its winter colors were revealed!
Getting a new rural land real estate shoot in El Morro is extra special to me because it is one of my favorite places to visit in New Mexico. Once off of I-40, you seem to leave the modern world behind and escape to this hidden hamlet via Ice Caves Road. El Morro is home to the best bagel in New Mexico, in addition to a national monument. These views are from a 20-acre property that has no cell phone signal. I spent over 2.5 hours off the grid and it was fantastic.
This was my second time seeing a tarantula in New Mexico, and my third time overall seeing one in the wild (the first was in Malaysian Borneo). In the same area where I photographed this mule deer, the day started with a big spider encounter. I know I was certainly surprised to learn that there are tarantulas in New Mexico, and I was reminded of this meeting this fellow in a remote area of Ramah some 11 miles down dirt road. Have you seen a tarantula in New Mexico or elsewhere in the wild?
