Sedona With Snow

We watched the weather for weeks hoping to get the 'perfect' day to drive north and get some winter snow photography.  I love the red rocks of Sedona covered with snow so that location was my first choice.  Finally, it seemed like that perfect day had arrived.  Six photographers, pretty nice weather and lots of shared company make a very nice photo adventure.  Kati was in Sedona the day before we drove up and has graciously contributed her photos showing the storm clouds building up and then snow falling.  Enjoy.

When we drive to Sedona we usually stop first at the Forest Service Information Center.  Not only is the view pretty darn good, but it gives us an opportunity to check out road conditions with the staff and makes sure all our favorite sites are open.

Finally, we decided it was time to drive into Sedona.  Of course, we had to stop along the way or take photographs from a moving car.  To me this looks like another praying monk.

Taken the day before our trip.

We wanted to photograph the valley from the the nice overlook across from the airport parking lot.  But, they now charge $3 just to park!!  We decided to head a bit down the mountain and take our photographs from the trail head of a path that goes to the top of the hill.

I think Karen hiked to the top but I decided against what looked like a slippery slope.  We can only have one person at a time in a sling in our household!

OK, time to get back on the road and head to Red Rock Crossing.

With one very interesting stop along the way.  I think this is before the Crossing, but am not sure.

We get excited by puddles!

Rick has a new filter and filter holder (Lee, I believe) and I asked him to share how he had stacked them for some of the photographs he took.  This image was captured with both a circular polarizing filter and a 2 stop ND graduated filter.

On this image Rick used a circular polarizer and a 3 stop ND filter.

Rick used a circular polarizer and a 1 stop graduated ND filter.

After lunch Rick and Barbara made a side visit to photograph the Chapel on the Hill.  Most of the snow had already melted in Sedona by the time we left.

An Afternoon Trip

Ninety minutes of shooting time, thirty miles of photography in five locations with shots selected and edited in under sixty minutes when Tom got home!  He left Phoenix late, arriving at the Gold Mine in Jerome at 3:30.  The whole place was already in shadows, except for a few areas.  He shot in those areas quickly before moving on to Sedona, stopping several places along the way.  Hoping to catch a bit more sunlight before it set, he drove away from the mountains and headed east.  Near Sedona, he turned right onto Red Rock Loop Road, past the turnoff to Red Rock Crossing, coming back out on 89A at the school.  He shot on two locations along the road before finding a nice overlook for Cathedral Rock.

This trip reminded me of the pace we set in Ireland.  Daragh called it guerrilla photography.  It is a challenge, made more so in this case by facing the limited time of sunlight that was left.

Sedona

Tom spent a couple of days roaming around Sedona, looking for great locations and memorable shots.  I missed going with him so cannot offer much dialogue to go with these photos.  Yet, I feel like I was walking along, knowing him well enough to feel a part of his trip.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

Some of these images have quite a different perspective to them.  Tom said he did quite a bit of hiking.  Nothing like going up as you work your composition!!!  Thanks Tom.