'Favorite' Grand Canyon Pic (and why)
Apr 10, 2020 09:13:26 #
Below is my 'favorite' image from my most recent trip to the Grand Canyon. The ISO / camera mean the overall detail and sharpness is nowhere near as good others I took that day, but this one marks a big moment in the day....
I was the coordinator of a 7 day, six night tour with about 40 students from my school and roughly 10 adults. Since we live in Texas, only 2 nights were in the park, and only one full day to explore and hike. I took a smaller group of 24 kids on the Bright Angel Trail, planning to go roughly 6 miles down the trail to an spot that is a nice river overlook, and then back up the 6 miles. This group included an 8th grade girl who I / we could not convince to skip the hike. She was a lovely kid, but physically suspect, so I crossed my fingers and let her come along (as no teacher is going to tell a 14 year old girl 'you are too out of shape').
Sure enough, she began having lower back spasms about 30 seconds before we stopped at the overlook. The spasms, fatigue, and failing optimism meant that she and I (the group left us FAR behind) took an additional SEVEN hours to hike the six miles back out. The following photo was shot about 10 minutes from the rim and it will forever be a reminder of a very overweight teen who learned what it means to 'just keep going' and who learned that she was far stronger, emotionally, than she had thought.
A long day and long shadows.....
I was the coordinator of a 7 day, six night tour with about 40 students from my school and roughly 10 adults. Since we live in Texas, only 2 nights were in the park, and only one full day to explore and hike. I took a smaller group of 24 kids on the Bright Angel Trail, planning to go roughly 6 miles down the trail to an spot that is a nice river overlook, and then back up the 6 miles. This group included an 8th grade girl who I / we could not convince to skip the hike. She was a lovely kid, but physically suspect, so I crossed my fingers and let her come along (as no teacher is going to tell a 14 year old girl 'you are too out of shape').
Sure enough, she began having lower back spasms about 30 seconds before we stopped at the overlook. The spasms, fatigue, and failing optimism meant that she and I (the group left us FAR behind) took an additional SEVEN hours to hike the six miles back out. The following photo was shot about 10 minutes from the rim and it will forever be a reminder of a very overweight teen who learned what it means to 'just keep going' and who learned that she was far stronger, emotionally, than she had thought.
A long day and long shadows.....
Apr 10, 2020 09:19:05 #
Color and lighting are incredible. You framed it nicely.
That would look stunning on a large glass or metal print with lighting.
That would look stunning on a large glass or metal print with lighting.
Apr 10, 2020 09:30:23 #
Extremely nice image, especially in download. Thanks for sharing.
Apr 10, 2020 09:34:50 #
Apr 10, 2020 09:39:16 #
Apr 10, 2020 09:42:00 #
A very nice photo accompanied by an interesting story is always the best combination.
My own favorite photo of the Grand Canyon was shot with an iPhone from 35,000 feet. It's not my best photo of the canyon but I do have a good story to accompany it.
My own favorite photo of the Grand Canyon was shot with an iPhone from 35,000 feet. It's not my best photo of the canyon but I do have a good story to accompany it.
Apr 10, 2020 09:46:04 #
Tex-s wrote:
Below is my 'favorite' image from my most recent t... (show quote)
I made a very similar image on my trip there, but I have one gripe with yours. In my image the sky was boring. Same lighting on the land, just a boring sky. I would advocate that, any time you have a "Painter's Sky" over your landscape, make good use of it and don't try to hide it in foliage. Skies like that are a blessing and should be treasured, IMHO.
Apr 10, 2020 09:55:29 #
Beautiful image and a great story. A learning experience, on many levels, for the both of you.
Apr 10, 2020 10:01:51 #
Apr 10, 2020 10:33:26 #
Apr 10, 2020 10:49:27 #
Apr 11, 2020 05:36:18 #
Apr 11, 2020 07:58:07 #
Apr 11, 2020 08:09:24 #
Tex-s wrote:
Below is my 'favorite' image from my most recent t... (show quote)
You would have been better off, hiking out and bringing a mule back to get her. But, thanks for your dedication to your students. Maybe next time you would give students a physical test for qualification to make the hike. It really is dangerous to try something physical and fail in the Canyon. One of the reasons I did not do any hiking when I went out west as I turned 70. Too great a risk to get in over my head!
Apr 11, 2020 08:36:05 #
SonyBug wrote:
You would have been better off, hiking out and bringing a mule back to get her. But, thanks for your dedication to your students. Maybe next time you would give students a physical test for qualification to make the hike. It really is dangerous to try something physical and fail in the Canyon. One of the reasons I did not do any hiking when I went out west as I turned 70. Too great a risk to get in over my head!
Yeah, my first thought was: "hike 6 miles in and out with a group of kids"-----are you nuts???? ha ha
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