Share this photo on Twitter Share this photo on Facebook

SandDune Arch

Posted by
john4jack (Corvallis, Oregon, United States) on 29 January 2009 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.

Shot early in the morning before sunrise.


The same stream of life that runs through my veins
Night and day runs through the world
And dances in rhythmic measure
It is the same life that shoots in joy
Through the dusts of the earth into numberless blades of grass
And brakes into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers
It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean cradle
Of birth and death
In ebb and in flow
I feel my limbs are made glorious
By the touch of this world of life
And my pride is from the life throb of ages
Dancing... in my blood...this moment.
Namaste'

-- Rabindranath Tagore

NIKON D80 1/125 second F/4.2 ISO 200 43 mm (35mm equiv.)

bluechameleon from Vancouver, Canada

Oh!! This is gorgeous! I see two dinosaurs going head to head here. I see a visit on the planet Mars, and I something from ancient Egyptian times. Time traveling, right here on your blog...I love this!

29 Jan 2009 5:21am

@bluechameleon: Thank you, Sharon. My wife and I were there about an hour before sunrise. We would describe the experience as quite spiritual.

Toni from Eastern Washington, United States

I see polar bears. Red polar bears. Another really cool shot of what looks to be an amazin place, Jack.

29 Jan 2009 5:40am

@Toni: Arches NP is one of my favorite places on the planet, Toni. I always feel like I am on holy ground (and, of course, I am).

Jen from United States

This is a beautiful shot! You were smart going first thing in the morning. Any later and the arch would be swarmed with people, and your beautiful sand would not be so pretty any more! It's a popular arch since it's so accessible! Anyway, you captured it beautifully, and the early morning light is perfect.

29 Jan 2009 5:44am

@Jen: You're right, Jen. This was taken in 2007. We were back with our kids and granddaughter last March and it was a zoo. However, for Fiona, it was one magnificent sand box. (Generally when I go to Arches, I prefer to photograph from about an hour before sunrise until an hour after sunrise. Then I skip the rest of the day. I don't even go for sunset; too many people. There are other places in the area where you can get some excellent photographs during the rest of the day.)

Linerberry from Sumner, Christchurch, New Zealand

The imagination runs wild with this image!!! Superb! So much detail to see and absorb. Wonderful:-)

29 Jan 2009 6:11am

@Linerberry: Thank you.

jamesy from christchurch, New Zealand

this is fabulous. the colours are amazing

29 Jan 2009 6:17am

@jamesy: Thank you, Jamesy. I much prefer the tonalities before the sun comes out.

Jean-François from LES ISSAMBRES, France

a dream .......

29 Jan 2009 6:22am

Marie LC from Voiron, France

Merveilleux !

29 Jan 2009 6:50am

Lydie et Roland from BESANCON, France

Oh we could call that "the fiss of the rocks".... Really nice !

29 Jan 2009 7:00am

EYES WIDE SHUT from United Kingdom

Absolutely wonderful, Jack. The colour is amazing and yes, I see those dinosaurs that Sharon mentions. First class

29 Jan 2009 7:01am

Suzanne from Huntington Bch, California, United States

Like a Rorschach test...one can see so many things in this image.

29 Jan 2009 7:02am

BoB from Milano, Italy

this must be an outstanding place. great colours.

29 Jan 2009 8:36am

Ninni from Belo Horizonte, Brazil

For me it is red polar bears too...A wonderful photo! What a place you have visited!

29 Jan 2009 9:40am

k@ from France

Just like Nini, I can see two fabulous bears here - and all that red, that's just Wow !

29 Jan 2009 9:47am

zOOm from Paris, France

What a gorgeous place and rocks... these colors are simply beautiful... a natural temple... must be so impressive to be surrounded by these old rocks polished by years and weather.

29 Jan 2009 10:19am

@zOOm: "a natural temple," Florence, is exactly right. That is why it is best to be there early in the morning when one can be in a state of solitude and humility; yes, even a state of reverence.

Alivia from Saint-Etienne, France

ochres, reds and rock. All shades of the palette of warm colors, color temperature very high. The image draws us the ark of happiness. This is John? Looks like the kiss of two giant stone... is very beautiful.

29 Jan 2009 10:44am

Veronelle from Lens, France

Beautifull orange, "very nice site on the planet !"

29 Jan 2009 11:22am

Francesc B. from région parisienne, France

Impressive rocks... for me, looks like a big polar bear, on the left... gorgeous colours and different textures.

29 Jan 2009 11:23am

Ajay from Pune, India

What an amazing place and what an amazing poem from the Nobel prize winner.

29 Jan 2009 11:25am

mo.langel from Courtelary, Switzerland

Jack, c'est un magnifique décor, les couleurs ocres sont sublimes! J'aimerais bien être là!!! :O)

29 Jan 2009 11:57am

Barbara from Florida, United States

Outstanding place, magnificent capture. The color is remarkable.

29 Jan 2009 1:19pm

Sof from Neuchâtel, Switzerland

Magnifique.... tu nous fais voyager.....avec de telles photos

29 Jan 2009 1:30pm

@Sof: Sof - certainly it is through photographs that I am able to visit such beautiful places as Switzerland.

Kyle from Manhattan KS, United States

Nice tones and shadows. I assume this is in AZ?

29 Jan 2009 1:44pm

@Kyle: No, Kyle, it actually is in Southern Utah (just a few miles from AZ).

Yvonne S. from Tilburg, Netherlands

Wow! I like this one, the colors are beautiful!!

29 Jan 2009 1:45pm

Betsy Barron from Chester Springs, PA, United States

truly mythical - I feel like I'm there in the warmth! Congrats on the AM3 spotlight page, to boot!

29 Jan 2009 1:51pm

dogilicious from Millerstown, PA, United States

Very cool. Love the soft feel of the rocks and the singular coloration. Well done.

29 Jan 2009 2:07pm

StarCosmosBleu from Bedford.Qc, Canada

Beautifully captured..love those stones tones and shape...very lovely...great light

29 Jan 2009 2:19pm

Yellowbear from Droitwich, United Kingdom

The colour is amazing and the rocks look like fantastic creatures.

29 Jan 2009 2:31pm

Diane Schuller from Hythe, Canada

beautiful. This also looks so much like Bryce Canyon. What lovely colours and textures. Lovely capture

29 Jan 2009 3:09pm

Cricket from Huntsville, United States

Wonderful picture. My imagination got away with me on this one. At first glance I see to animals rubbing their nose against one another with a third animal standing alongside the right.

The tone and lighting is perfect.

29 Jan 2009 3:33pm

@Cricket: Tammy, I'm really glad I posted this one. A number of people have seen animals (especially polar bears) touching noses. I never noticed it before, but now I can't miss it.

Steve Rice from Olympia, United States

Love that beautiful red rock. A fabulous capture.

29 Jan 2009 3:51pm

philzoc from Le Havre, France

Beautiful ! It's great !

29 Jan 2009 4:28pm

alex centrella from California, United States

wow, amazing shot !

29 Jan 2009 4:56pm

JJ from Jersey City, United States

Such a wonderful capture, our minds are free to run wild with what we see in the shot, gorgeous colors seems a great time of day to get there

29 Jan 2009 5:59pm

Llorenç from Salt, Spain

Excellent photograph

29 Jan 2009 6:15pm

Pradeep from Chennai, India

Impressive shot, the rocks actually look like a couple of bears or turtles (hey its my imagination and its running free) nuzzling each other :)

29 Jan 2009 6:16pm

Laurie from New Jersey, United States

It is so amazing. The color is incredible.

29 Jan 2009 6:54pm

Marcah from United States

beautiful. The shadows lend to the depth of the image.

29 Jan 2009 7:06pm

Evi from Athens, Greece

Beautiful salmon and brown tones, great scape!

29 Jan 2009 7:10pm

Mary from PA, United States

Such stunning color...just beautiful.....I too see the dinosaurs since I read the other posts ha ha ...Thanks for sharing!!

29 Jan 2009 8:31pm

Rosso from Luserna s.Giovanni (To), Italy

Beautiful shot and an exceptional color photos fabulous!

29 Jan 2009 10:24pm

@Rosso: Grazie

Olivier Jules from Lanciano, Italy

beautiful capture

29 Jan 2009 10:44pm

Craig from Vacaville, California, United States

Absolutely beautiful!

29 Jan 2009 10:50pm

Charles from New York, United States

Beautiful shot. Love the tones.

29 Jan 2009 10:56pm

Emilio Garcia from Pleasanton, United States

The warmth of the colors is felt deeply in this gorgeous photograph. I see a mother bear kissing one of her cubs while another cub watches. Isn't it incredible how the same image evokes so many different responses? Absolutely gorgeous.

29 Jan 2009 11:22pm

@Emilio Garcia: So far, the bears are winning out over the dinosaurs!!

alireza from tehran, Iran

thats great/ amazing color/ tanx for share it

29 Jan 2009 11:48pm

DarkElf from Perth, Australia

fantastic light and composition! the warm colours have come through very well and every texture and detail are crisp and clear!

29 Jan 2009 11:49pm

Barry from Kingwood, United States

B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! I love canyons.

30 Jan 2009 12:33am

Sandrine from Cincinnati, United States

Beautiful place and shot! Perfect!

30 Jan 2009 2:59am

NarB from Bruxelles, Belgium

Marvellous orange tones. I like!

30 Jan 2009 6:23pm

Polydactyle from Montreal, Canada

Wonderful soft compo and colors. Great!

30 Jan 2009 10:30pm

star_cosmos_bleu/marcel lemieux from Canada

Wonderful nature rock formation...nicely captured...beautiful tones...

1 Feb 2009 10:28am

shallowregret from Kongsberg, Norway

a classic well executed

1 Feb 2009 9:47pm

akarui from Kagoshima, Japan

I like also very much the next picture of that serie (30/1) but this one is the one that I prefer. Wonderful composition and tones.

2 Feb 2009 12:36am

baobab from Cambridge, United States

wonderful rose-gold tones... and I like bluechameleon's vision of dinosaurs.

5 Feb 2009 5:16pm