{"id":2615,"date":"2015-09-09T20:53:01","date_gmt":"2015-09-09T11:53:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2015-09-09\/2615"},"modified":"2015-09-09T20:53:01","modified_gmt":"2015-09-09T11:53:01","slug":"visiting-horseshoe-bend-in-arizona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2015-09-09\/2615","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Horseshoe Bend in Arizona"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDizzying<\/span>\nmy knees feel weak just looking at it\nHorseshoe Bend, Page Arizona\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

It's been half a year since our vacation brought us to Horseshoe\nBend<\/a> in Page Arizona, so I guess<\/span> it's time to finally post some\npictures.<\/p>\n\n

Just like the stunning\nAntelope Canyon<\/a> that we visited earlier in the day, from afar the place\nlooks like nothing special...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 150mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPath From the Parking Lot<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Being a desert, there's sand (very fine powdery sand) everywhere. A path through<\/span> it leads from the parking lot\nup a long<\/span> rise. Here's a photo<\/span> from about halfway up, looking back:<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Back at the Parking Lot<\/span>\na dusty splotch of asphalt in the middle of nothing\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 200mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nUp Into the Unknown<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

When you crest the hill, you see pretty much what you saw everywhere else, except for the addition\nof a big<\/span> hole:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFirst Glimpse<\/span>\nfor scale, note the dozens of people in the foreground\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

What's notably lacking are the normal trappings of a tourist<\/span>\nattraction... other than a sign<\/span> at the parking lot warning of the trek\n(slippery sand, lack of water, lack of shade), a well<\/span>-worn path to follow,\nand a small<\/span> gazebo at the high point of the trek to offer the elderly a\nplace<\/span> to rest, there's nothing manmade. No railings, no refreshment stands,\nno incessant signs warning of danger and admonishing “<\/span>don't do this”<\/span> and\ndisclaiming “<\/span>no responsibility for that”<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n

It was wonderful.<\/p>\n\n

The path seemed to be little more than a rough<\/span> suggestion, so rather than follow it with\nthe crowds of people, I made my<\/span> own path toward the left edge of the hole.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 200mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThey're Following the Path<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 125mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nInteresting Rocks Everywhere<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

As I approached The Big Hole, the lack of signage was eerie. Nothing\nwarning me to stay away from the edge, nothing warning me that there\nwas<\/i> an edge. It was 100<\/span>% natural like it probably was 10,000 years\nago.<\/p>\n\n

Luckily I still knew how to wield some personal responsibility, and I\ndid<\/span> not die. Here's the first picture I took<\/span> when I got<\/span> there:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 140 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBig Hole is Too Big<\/span>\nfor my 24mm lens\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

It's a stunning view, and it's very far down. If you fell<\/span>, screaming the\nwhole way, those left above would no longer be able to hear you by the time\nyou hit bottom. (This may or may not be comforting to know.)<\/p>\n\n

The dark corners in the picture are from the polarizer filter, or more\nspecifically, from the XUME magnetic filter holder I'm using. I like to<\/span> be\nable to take the filter off easily, so I often<\/span> use magnetic holders, but it\nmakes the filter stick out and cause vignetting that's most noticeable when\nshooting at smaller apertures like above.<\/p>\n\n

I often crop out the dark corners, but I leave<\/span> them there this time to show what I did<\/span> with the photo. I made a<\/span> sort-of-haphazard sweeping motion and shot a bunch<\/span> more pictures, and gave them to Lightroom's\n“<\/span>Photo Merge”<\/span> and, and without further input from me it did a pretty<\/span> good job slapping them all together:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPanorama Made From<\/span>\n10 poorly-planned shots\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I shouldn't really say “<\/span>poorly planned”<\/span> because that implies that there\nwas any planning at all. If I'd given it any thought, I would<\/span> have\nincreased the coverage a lot.<\/span> As it is<\/span>, I left lots<\/span> of blank areas, which\nmakes a reasonable<\/span> crop difficult. I did<\/span> a<\/i> crop, and touched up one\nseam I noticed<\/span> in the sky, and here we are:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nWas Worth a Try<\/span><\/span>\nbut next time I'll just bring a wide<\/span>-angle lens\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

One could see boats moving on the river...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 200mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Anthony eventually came over to join me, at which point the lack of\nrailings suddenly became much more important, and I was<\/span> wishing I'd left\nhim duct-taped to the camper. Nothing gets a parent's<\/span> complete and\nundivided attention like danger to their child. But it's dangerous only if you're\nstupid or foolish, so I just<\/span> made sure we were both amply cautious.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThat's Close Enough<\/span>\nI'm slightly uneasy even looking at it in the photo\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThinking Big<\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a>  ·  2880×<\/span>1800<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The way he's lying down in the photo above does not trigger my\ntwisted-gut feeling, probably because it doesn't bother me to do it myself. But sitting<\/span> or standing close gives me the willies.<\/p>\n\n

In this next shot, he's not really very close, though I suppose<\/span> it looks it.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Eventually I started to make my way to where people were...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f\/2.8 @ 135mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 1250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLike Ants<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Continued here...<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It's been half a year since our vacation brought us to Horseshoe Bend in Page Arizona, so I guess it's time to finally post some pictures.<\/p>

Just like the stunning Antelope Canyon that we visited earlier in the day, from afar the place looks like nothing special...<\/p>

Being a desert, there's sand (very fine powdery sand) everywhere. A path through it leads from the parking lot up a long rise. Here's a photo from about halfway up, looking back:<\/p>

When you crest the hill, you see pretty much what you saw everywhere else, except for the addition of a big [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1,6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2615"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2615\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2615"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2615"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2615"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}