2008, Last Half Events

Grand Canyon and Lake Powell so dominate my photographic life that it sometimes seems that this year's blog is merely a copy of last year's blog. But there were some late 2008 events worth noting:

 

The summer evolved a little differently when I became a Diamond River Adventures trail guide helping people make their way down the Bright Angel Trail to join a Diamond river trip and "exchanging" those people for others who had just stepped off an upper half river trip, accompanying them up to the rim. It was plenty hot in June, July and August on four of these trips, but it was fun and I met many great people. No photography, however--that will have to wait until next year's "exchange" hikes for Diamond.

 

We had a fantastic fall on Lake Powell and in the Marble Canyon area with Grand Circle Field School and the Friends of Arizona Highways. The weather was so extraordinary on the final GCFS / Elderhostel Lake Powell trip that those of us who have been frequent visitors to the lake were still shocked by the fresh photographic opportunities given us. (We had with us on this trip one participant that has gone on over 25 Lake Powell Elderhostel programs, and another who has gone on about 10. These people, like myself, cannot understand how only one Lake Powell experience is sufficient for most visitors, not when there's so many side canyons to visit, not when the lake keeps jumping up or down in elevation, and not when the vagaries of the weather cast every butte and bay in a different light with almost every passing day. What sane person would settle for a single visit to Grand Canyon? It's the same for Lake Powell.)

 

Okay, here's the REALLY NEW news, two items:

 

In late July Grand Canyon Association released my new book Grand Canyon, Views Beyond the Beauty. It's a visual guide to "what's in the canyon" as seen from the canyon's major viewpoints. There's very little running text, just paragraph-length topic presentations and a few short essays on the canyon's geology, photographing the canyon, the inner canyon environment and the history of the South Rim's development. It's only $14.95, paperback, widely available. I'm pleased to say that the book has been so popular that it's already gone into a second printing, quite an agreeable outcome after investing several years of work in the book's creation.

 

Also (some of you may want to make sure you are sitting down for this) I just bought my first digital camera, a Nikon D700. This was accomplished only after several years of difficult therapy. It's likely that more will be required. My question is, now what do I do? (One thing I will NOT do is give up the 4x5.)

 

Have a great holiday season and a wonderful 2009.