A grand view

Just a few miles from Arches National Park is a spectacular vista of the Colorado River -- Deadhorse Point. My group and I arrived before sunrise so we could find a good vantage when the sun first started lighting up the incredible colors and shapes of the canyon below. I usually look for an interesting foreground to give the picture depth, texture, and interest, and that's why I included the rocks in the immediate foreground. Note how they are disproportionately large compared to the background. This technique is a powerful visual tool, and the formula is to use a wide angle lens, a small aperture for complete depth of field, and the camera has to be placed very close to the foreground -- like 3 to 5 feet. I shot this with a 24mm focal length.