Awe.

The feeling when I stand on the edge of these canyons is awe. Awe at the massiveness of the canyon. Awe of the sheer drop I see in front of me. Awe at the timelessness of the landscapes. Awe of the absolute beauty that this river has created while carving it's way through this dry landscape over millions of years.  

I present my first NFT collection of 2023. Each collection I will release during 2023 will explore an individual feeling that we feel when we are out in nature. In this collection we'll travel down the Colorado River from Utah through Arizona, to explore the awe-inspiring canyons it has etched through time.

According to the U.S. National Park Service, the Colorado River began eroding the plateau about 5 to 6 million years ago, forming many of today’s well-known features like the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and Cayonlands. In this collection, we'll explore each of these amazing landscapes.

Our journey begins at Dead Horse Point near Canyonlands National Park in Utah. From this view point, you can see the Colorado River as it bends through the Canyonlands of Utah. This overlook is at 2000 feet above the river. The first three photos in this collection were taken at Dead Horse Point. This includes Glow, Shine, and Contour.

The Colorado River shimmers with a red glow under a beautiful sunset sky as I stand in awe of this vast and beautiful landscape.  In this scene, the small juniper bonsai trees add an element of life against the otherwise barren landscape.  I wonder at the ability of these trees to thrive in this harsh environment.

The Colorado River bends beneath the shining sun at Deadhorse Point in Utah. In this scene, the small juniper bonsai trees add an element of life against the otherwise barren landscape. This landscape inspires awe and wonder at the ability of these trees to thrive in this harsh environment. Do you see the sun on the horizon? This is one of my signature "Sun Stars".

What could be more awe-inspiring than a rainbow in the desert over a perfect bend in the Colorado River? This morning, I was pretty sure there would be a good chance for a rainbow because of the approaching storm. But when it appeared, I felt that same awe and wonder at the beauty of our world.  

The next stop on our journey through the Colorado River Canyons is Horseshoe Bend. Horseshoe  Bend is just over the border from Utah in Arizona. At this point, the overlook towers 1000 feet over an almost perfectly horseshoe shaped bend in the Colorado River. The most stunning thing about this overlook is the sheer cliff directly in front of the overlook. I hope these photos give you the feeling of awe I feel when peering down on the bend in the river. 

The depth of the sheer drop is what always amazes me at Horseshoe Bend. In this photo, it's like the viewer is peering straight down into the canyon. How can nature frame this so perfectly with a horseshoe bend in the sky to echo the one in the river. 

There is not much comparable to watching a sunset at Horseshoe Bend where the sun sets directly in front of you and over this perfect bend in the Colorado River. The depth of this drop is unbelievable until you are there are see it for yourself.

Our journey continues southwest along the Colorado River to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. These photos from the North Rim were taken at Cape Royal. The North Rim is only open during summer and fall. It is the more "wild" and less crowded rim of the Grand Canyon. It's a great place to catch monsoon storms and summer sunsets. From Cape Royal, the two main visible rock features are Woton's Throne and Vishnu Temple.

When the sun sets into a gap in the clouds,  Woton's Throne lights up with some of the most intense golden light I have ever seen. Cape Royal on the Grand Canyon's North rim holds some of the most beautiful views of the canyon and is one of the best places to watch a sunset there.

Lightning strikes surround the rock formation Vishnu Temple in the Grand Canyon. Is there anything more awe-inspiring that lightning bolts? Taken from the North Rim at Cape Royal. There are more than 20 rock formations that are named after temples in the Grand Canyon. Vishnu Temple is just to the left of Woton's Throne when viewed from Cape Royal.

While waiting to photograph the Milky Way, under clear skies, these crepuscular rays appeared above Woton's throne. Such a pleasant surprise, these rays radiate out from the rock formation.   Cape Royal on the Grand Canyon's North rim holds some of the most beautiful views of the canyon and is one of the best places to watch the sunset at the Grand Canyon.

Our journey ends at Yavapai Point on the Grand Canyon's South Rim. The South Rim has a completely different feel than the north rim. From the viewpoints on the South Rim, the view of layers and layers of canyons seem never ending. From Yavapai point, the most visible rock formations are Isis Temple and Cedar Ridge. Since the South Rim is open in the winter, I love to photograph winter snow storms and rainbows here. 

Did you know that the Grand Canyon has more than 20 rock formations named as temples after gods and goddesses? When the sun lit up "Isis Temple" named after the Egyption goddess Isis, it was like the entire canyon exalted in her beauty.

Do you see how the rainbow stretches down into the canyon? Such a great fortune to capture a rainbow stretching from below to above at the Grand Canyon,  one of the most amazing canyons in the world. 

As the fog moves in and out of the Canyon, different features are hidden and exposed. Cedar Ridge is one of the most beautiful features of the Grand Canyon, so when it emerged out of the fog and the sun shined on the clouds, the moment of awe was impalpable.