The  Horseshoe

On the Colorado River near Page Arizona lies Horseshoe Bend. A natural meander in the Colorado River located about 5 miles downstream from Lake Powell, it is accessible by way of a 3/4 mile trip by foot from the parking lot just off U.S. Highway 89 south of Page. This spot is one of the most popular photographic destinations in Arizona.

The time of year was late fall, the river level lower than normal, exposing more shoreline than normal. We arrived late in the day as the sun was about to set. Camera gear and tripod in hand, and at a gallop, this photographer ran from the parking lot to a spot at cliff's edge, some 300 meters or roughly 1000 feet above the Colorado River in order to shoot the final light of the day. There were no railings and very few warning signs to speak of. It amazed both my wife and I how seemingly casual parents were about their kids playing along the cliff edge. Kids appeared unconcerned about the steep drop to the river below. One false step would have been tragic, but sure-footedness simply meant more fun and frolic in toying with danger. There is literally a mile or so of cliff edge circling the horseshoe shape available for sightseers and photographers, so no one is struggling for viewing space. I chose a straight-on view aligned with the plateau across on the west side of the river. If you look very closely at the center of the river bed below, you can see campers with their pontoon boat anchored and tents pitched on the shoreline.

With my tripod setup just inches from the edge and shooting into the setting sun, shot after shot revealed the need for multiple exposures to ensure proper lighting of the River, river bed, surrounding cliffs as well as the sky. The colors were rich, temperatures mild and the view absolutely outstanding. This was shot with a Nikon D800, using a 16mm lens in order to capture the entire panorama, composite of multiple exposures at f/18 from 6 seconds to 1/8 second, ISO 100 and matrix metering. We returned again the following morning to shoot more images but the photos at dusk are my favorite.