Horseshoe Astro

One of the truly iconic and defining scenes of the southwest, Horseshoe Bend is singular in its majesty. Situated in a relatively dark part of Arizona, it offers excellent night sky photography, while the canyon itself is extremely dark and a challenge to photograph. This amazing perspective requires a tripod to be positioned in the darkest of nights, on the uneven rock surface at the very edge of a 1,000 ft. drop to the river below. One wrong step and I would have about 1,000 feet to think about it. The image is the result of numerous trips over maybe three years to get the ideal frame under clear skies, only attainable for a few days in late August when the Milky Way is positioned just right. It is certainly one of the most contemplative and ethereal of environments to experience, sitting alone in complete silence at the edge of such absolute magnificence, with only the illumination of the endless firmament overhead. I felt inexpressibly small and insignificant, yet simultaneously – known of the heavens.