Grand Canyon | My Everyday Photos

Tag Archives: Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon Sunset

SW Trip part 8

Sunset can be that glorious time between night and day when the light changes in the blink of an eye.

For instance, if you blinked, you missed this moment.

We stayed at the park til sunset both days and drove back to our camp site in the dark. It was well worth the effort. Easy for me to say since I wasn’t driving! These images are all from the second day of our visit.

With a background as spectacular as the Grand Canyon, the setting sun constantly changes the colors of the rocks creating a kaleidoscope effect of horizontal layers. Initially the colors are subtle with little contrast. As the sun tips below the horizon, the rocks seem to be illuminated from within and when the sun was below the horizon and the sky lit up as if on fire, the light reflected onto the rock walls was magnificent.

A Few Grand Canyon Birds

February 28, 2016 – 2:30 pm
Posted in SW trip
Tagged birds, Grand Canyon, raven, western bluebird
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SW Trip part 7

I had hopes of seeing California Condors at the Grand Canyon but it turns out that they stay down in the canyon til the weather is consistently warm. It’s a good thing I saw one last year at Big Sur.

The most common bird we saw was Common Raven. Lots of them. They begged in the parking lots. They were somewhat menacing. I wonder if they ever scare small children.

Western Scrub Jay

Juniper Titmouse

Common Raven

Raven soaring over the canyon

Common Raven looking threatening

Western Bluebird – such a beautiful little bird

Engaged at the Grand Canyon

February 28, 2016 – 2:22 pm
Posted in SW trip
Tagged Grand Canyon, overlook, proposal, sunset
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SW Trip part 6

As I was enjoying sunset on our first evening at the Grand Canyon I noticed a couple walking to the overlook dressed much differently from the rest of the tourists. They were wearing nice clothes – he was in a suit and tie and she was wearing a dress and heels with a nice coat. It was chilly for bare legs. They held hands as he led her through the crowd of folks with cameras and cell phones in hand to capture the evening’s sunset. When they got out to the wall he announced for all to hear that he was going to propose to her right there and he handed his cell phone to a complete stranger and asked her to take pictures. Of course, many, many people were taking pictures and it was quite the scene! The woman looked astonished and happy as he knelt in front of her and carefully unwrapped a scarf from around a ring box and opened it and then asked her to marry him! She wasted no time accepting his proposal and he slipped the ring on her finger! It will be a Grand day for them to remember.

The Grand Canyon

February 28, 2016 – 2:09 pm
Posted in SW trip
Tagged Bright Angel Trail, Desert Watchtower, Grand Canyon, Kolb Studio
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SW Trip part five

This was my first opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon. We spent two full days on the south rim and as you might imagine, I had way too many chances to make photos. It was hard to know when to stop. Consequently, I have more photos from the Grand Canyon than the rest of the trip combined, I think. Well, close to it.

So this first part is just some highlights or first impressions for me. Of the visitors’ centers my favorite was the Kolb Studio. Two brothers started it in the early 1900’s. Their bread and butter photo was of tourists riding the mules down the Bright Angel Trail. They built their studio on the rim of the canyon so they could point a camera out the window as the riders paused at the first switchback on the descent. And then they worked to get the film developed and prints made to sell when the visitors returned. This sounds like a business model that has repeated itself over the years. We enjoyed a ranger tour of the Kolb Studio.