Bryce Canyon National Park | Northern California Landscape Photographer
As I set off on a road trip to Wyoming, a friend messaged me that there was smoke blowing into the Jackson area. I kept watch on the air quality and sadly, it wasn’t looking good. I decided that landscape photography and smoke don’t always play well together, so I changed course and headed for Bryce Canyon National Park; a park I had yet to visit. Keeping with my goal of visiting as many of the national parks as I can, this was a perfect pivot! I stopped overnight, and then in the morning headed south to Bryce Canyon NP.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Located in southern Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park stands as a testament to the remarkable forces of nature that have shaped its iconic landscape. Known for its spectacular hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock that seem to defy gravity - the park offers photographers a dreamlike setting filled with endless opportunities for capturing stunning images. There are so many photography possibilities at Bryce Canyon, along with the challenges of making order from chaos.
There are several iconic viewpoints, but my favorite area is Sunset Point. When I first arrived, I drove along the rim road, stopping at each of the viewpoints along the way just to get a feel for the park views. The weather was remarkably beautiful while I was there, but I took notice of the many warning signs throughout the park about lightening, sudden weather changes, and safety while in the park. The unpredictable, sudden storms are not to be ignored.
Photographer’s Dream
The following morning, I went to Sunset Point for sunrise. It was amazing yet challenging to photograph. As the sun rose in front of me, the hoodoos were backlit. But, the light reflected off the backs of the other hoodoos creating the most beautiful reflective light. I set up my tripod, found my first composition, and then noticed that my battery was about to die. I had not brought my camera bag to the rim so I had no spare batteries with me. Ugh! Rookie mistake! I took as many shots as I dared. Once the sun was up a bit higher, I raced to the car for a new battery. Despite this poor planning on my part, I came away with some beautiful photographs. It was fun working with such an unusual lighting situation, too.
This might be my favorite frame with the backlight illuminating the tops of the hoodoos and the reflective light illuminating the front.
Reflected light on the hoodoo called Thor's Hammer.
You can see some of the hiking trails among the hoodoos in this image.
This looks like a city of hoodoos to me.
Close-up views.
To see more of my National Park visits, click on the links below.
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As a published, featured northern California fine art photographer living in the greater Sacramento area, I specialize in fine art landscape, nature, and still life photography. My style is authentic, fresh and personality-driven. I offer several educational opportunities including workshops and photography mentoring. You can learn about them by going to SERVICES and WORKSHOPS. While currently living in rural northern California with my husband and a couple thousand walnut trees, I post regularly to Instagram.
Please CONTACT ME with any questions or to schedule your learning session.
Serving Yuba City/Marysville, East Nicolaus, Wheatland, Lincoln, Woodland, Davis, Roseville, Rocklin, and the greater Sacramento area.
(530) 633-7575
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The roads and trails close during the winter in Mount Lassen Volcanic National Park. But, if you'd like to snowshoe, cross-country ski, or walk the trails, you are welcome to do so.