Switching It Up A Little

 

All this Covid sameness seems to have me looking for something different.  Nothing radical; I have no intention of moving to Morocco or wearing nail polish (heaven forbid).  I’m not even saying that I’m in a rut, but I can see that rut from here, or at least its event horizon.

Marble Canyon sunrise

Last week we had a family trip to Marble Canyon.  I’ve missed the place and cooling temperatures have finally made the place habitable in the camper.  I’d been pouring over Google Earth and it was great to explore some new dirt roads.  One of those spots was especially photogenic, with a sculptural piece of old barbed wire fencing for foreground.

Mud Cracks along Buffalo Ranch Road

I also stumbled upon a delicious set of mud cracks dusted with lovely azure juniper berries.  Sometimes what’s new is just noticing the ordinary.

Cloud blur and moon, Aravaipa

Later last week, my husband and I backpacked in Aravaipa Canyon with our friend Jeff Maltzman (who happens to have photographed there quite a bit).  I do backpack occasionally.  Well, very occasionally, so I think this whole escapade qualified as novel. Aravaipa Creek is perennial and this alone is unusual in Arizona.  This place is incredibly lush (read: requires bushwhacking) and wet (wading). I did make some conventional landscape shots but had lots of fun with the fast-moving clouds over the moon and some dramatic light rendered in black & white.

Motion blur stand of aspens on a bright morning, Kaibab Forest

Even during last month’s fall color trip, awed by a spectacular stand of aspens, I took the conventional shots but also fiddled around with intentional camera movement and got some interesting results.

 

I’m just trying to stay out of that black hole.