Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch in Arches National Park, in Utah, is one of the most photographed locations in the park. I was on a workshop with Alain and Natalie Briot in May 2010. We had to get up at about 5:30, and drive for about 30 minutes to get to the trail leading to the arch. When we arrived, we were a bit surprised to see about 25 photographers already set up, waiting for the sun to rise. The goal was to photograph the sun as it appeared through the arch. The area in from of the arch spans not more than 25 or 30 feet, so it was very crowded and difficult to set up. However, everyone was very polite, and all of us were able to get a decent shot, as the sun appeared through the arch. The bright red under the arch is very real. The sun casts a beautiful glow under the arch, and it lasted for several minutes. The shot was over when the sun was no longer visible under the arch, and the red glow disappeared. The shoot lasted for about an hour, so there was plenty of time to get a few good shots.

Behind the arch is a shear cliff, dropping hundreds of feet. Bikers like to ride their mountain bikes over the arch, but that sport is not for me. I wonder how many have gone over the edge.