It is no secret that I love Zion and the huge stone canyons and sheer rock mountains that define that little patch of grandeur in southern Utah.

I also find Zion one of the most challenging subjects to shoot. I struggle with the massive scale of the rock, the topography simply doesn’t fit within the frame the way I want it to.

And, no, not really all that interested in super-wides – they actually diminish the scale of it while trying to fit it all in the confines of the capture.

But I do love turning the camera on the smaller vignettes that happen seemingly everywhere. Whether along the river in the main canyon or on the east side in the highlands (my favorite area) where the details of rock, trees, and sand give us a fantastic tapestry on which to find little moments of joy.

We were driving out of the canyon when I spotted this little brightly colored tree in the distance. It was very late in the Fall, and most of the trees were barren. BTW, Zion in winter is my favorite time. Fewer people, spectacular tree bones.

We stopped and I hiked over to see this procrastinating beauty holding on to its color for as long as it could. The amazing detail all around it accompanied by falling leaves from taller trees gave the scene a sort of texture.

I took three snaps. The vertical was ill-advised, and the other two seemed to capture it well.

This was my favorite.