The Wild West - Monument Valley

 

The Wild West – Monument Valley

We happily got to spend a full day in the Monument Valley and took full advantage of it!  Here are some of the views of the wonderful landscape!

Morning at Monument Valley

It was early morning.  The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon.  I stepped outside of our RV and this was how the morning greeted me.  Vibrant colors, incredible landscape formations, and perfect natural framing all came together in this image.

Movie View

John Ford is a famous director of many westerns in the 1940s starring John Wayne.  Apparently, this was one of his favorite viewpoints to set the scene, so to speak.  The lighting on this day was a perfect blend of bright and soft, and truly complimented the landscape.

Shadows

The formations when I stood in this position, reminded me of shadows.  The formations aren’t identical, although you cannot see that from this vantage point.  The starkness of the landscape seemed to call for the image to be processed in black and white.

Garden Green

There isn’t much that’s green in Monument Valley, but this tree was one of the view things that were a rather dusty green.  Just as the rocks are in various formations, so, too, is the tree, with its twisty turning trunk.

Sepia Tree

This tree has a perfectly formed trunk, with several large branches filling out to create a wonderful form of the tree.  As is the case with much of what’s found in Monument Valley, this tree seems to have the primary color of sepia.

Enjoy!

Note:  These images are available in a variety of formats and finishes via my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Riverside Walk

 

Riverside Walk

There is another side to Zion National Park, one that is only accessible via a shuttle and that requires just a bit of walking.  The walk, Riverside Walk, takes you to an area that seems far too lush to be in a high desert environment.

Lush Canyon

Riverside Walk in Zion National Park meanders alongside the Virgin River, deep in the heart of Zion.  The farther you walk, the further into the canyon you go, and the canyon becomes narrower, allowing for the intimate feel of this scene.

Reflection in Nature

The waters of the Virgin River in Zion National Park run cool and clear.  In the little pond created by the small waterfall, you can see the colors of the trees and rocky banks reflected in the water.  These colors are best when created by nature.

River Rocks

I am continually fascinated by the gentle power of nature, which are evident in river rocks.  At one time, these rocks had sharp, perhaps jagged edges.  But season after season of the river waters rushing over them, have gentle worn down those edges to be smooth and rounded.  Never underestimate the power of nature.

Sunlight in the Canyon

This view may be one of the iconic views within Zion National Park.  It is along the Riverside Walk, approaching the area known as The Narrows, where the canyon walls are only about 20 feet apart.  The walls are further apart than that in this image, and they are wide enough apart to allow the early morning light into the canyon to show off the lush interior.

Enjoy!

These images are available in a variety of formats and finishes via my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Zion's Treasures

 

Zion’s Treasures

There are two distinct areas that make up Zion National Park.  These images are from the area more easily accessible and reflect its natural beauty.

Natural Steps

The rock formations in a part of Zion National Park create very interesting textures, many of which look like steps.  Trees are common among these formations, seemingly growing out of the rock itself.

Small Canyon in Zion

There are many canyons in Zion National Park.  Some can be quite large, and others, like the one in this image, are much smaller.  The natural path into the canyon also serves as the path the snow melt follows in the early spring.

Bison Grazing

The drive into Zion National Park takes one past a field where you can see bison grazing from time to time.  This bison grazing near an old, broken windmill, speaks to an earlier time.  The vintage tone of the image compliments this feeling.

Enjoy!

These images are available in a variety of formats and finishes via my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Special Monument Views

 

Special Monument Views

As we traveled through Colorado National Monument, we had some special views we’ll always remember.

Dead Tree Portrait

As we slowly walked around a viewpoint at Colorado National Monument, I noticed this view, which wasn’t the one highlighted at the viewpoint.  The twisted trunk of the tree against the stacked rocks and clear blue sky makes for an excellent nature portrait.

Grand Old Tree

As we stood at Grand Viewpoint at Colorado National Monument, my husband and I were struck by the grand old tree still standing proudly at the point.  There are significant rock formations behind the tree, and a fabulous view, but for now, the tree is the star!

Desert Bighorn Sheep

As my husband and I were driving the scenic road at Colorado National Monument, we rounded a bend in the road, and came to a stop due to a small herd of desert bighorn sheep.  A male sheep with magnificent, rounded horns came very close to our open Jeep window, and I was lucky enough to capture his portrait.  I think I got his best side!

Enjoy!

These images are available in a variety of formats and finishes via my online gallery at https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.  

Colorado Back Road

 

Colorado Back Road

Another day in the area around Rocky Mountain National Park, we took a drive on a Colorado back road.  There were a couple of scenes of autumn that stood out to me….

Tree Line

You’ve heard of a tree line, I’m sure.  It’s when the trees stop growing at a certain elevation.  This is another type of tree line, where the trunks of taller trees serve as a backdrop for others that are beginning to put on the autumn color show.

Whisper

The color of these leaves are brilliant with autumn color.  The hint of a breeze creates a somewhat abstract feel to this close up image of these leaves.  The sound of the breeze was soft enough to remind me of a whisper.

Enjoy!

These images are available in a variety of formats and finishes in my online gallery. https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg.

Treats from Rocky Mountain National Park

 

Treats from Rocky Mountain National Park

Although there were many wonderful sights to see at Rocky Mountain  National Park, these stand out as a couple of the best!

Horseshoe Falls

This scene was created by Mother Nature, a few decades ago.  The Horseshoe Falls was created when the Lawn Lake Dam burst back in 1982.  Many millions of gallons of water crashed through this area, and this peaceful waterfall is what remains of that destruction.

Landscape Moose

This peaceful scene is made complete by the addition of a moose, who calmly grazed and drank the water of the small lake it stood next to.  The colors of fall serve to accent the majesty of his stance.  Nature at its best.

Enjoy!

These images can be found in my online gallery, available in a variety of formats and finishes. https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/nadine-berg