Sunday, April 4, 2010

Bad weather -- good day at Grand Canyon


The best days to visit the Grand Canyon are when the weather is really bad. This may seem counter-intuitive but when the sky is clear and the sun is shining, the Canyon looks sort-of like a painted backdrop, that is very flat. Even in the early morning and late evening, as the sun is going down, if the sky is clear the light is not nearly so photogenic. If you look at a lot of pictures of the Canyon, you will immediately see what I mean. Snow, lightning, thunderstorms, all help make dramatic pictures.

The picture above was taken during a snow storm in the morning. If you are looking into the Canyon from the South Rim, it is easy to tell if the picture was taken in the morning or afternoon by which of the canyon walls are illuminated. In the background of the picture above, you can see the sun highlight on the North Rim. Given the time of year, early spring, the sun is from the East.

If you look at old copies of Arizona Highways, you will see that practically every picture featured, especially those of the Grand Canyon, have a dramatic sky when it is part of the picture. Arizona Highways considers weather to be a "huge bonus" to picture taking.

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