The Grand Canyon is a must-see wonder of nature, there’s no doubt. The problem as a photographer when visiting and shooting there, though, is one of familiarity: As of 2012, the National Park Service estimates that 184,675,000 people have been to the park since 1919. For most of those years, everyone had a camera, and everyone has taken their own “trophy” photographs while there. How can you make a unique image from a place that everyone has seen depicted in photographs hundreds of times?
I think that it’s an example of one of the supreme challenges of photography: Making the best of the situation and scene in front of you, at that moment in time, all while trying to imbue your own artistic imprint.
I don’t know if I’ll ever learn to master that challenge, but it’s fun trying.
Shawn, your work is so much more esoteric than anything I can do, but I totally agree with the love of trying. I truly love photography, almost more than music these days, plus getting out into nature.
Yes – sometimes I think that the connection with the natural world is the most important part of photography outdoors… And the creative expression part is just a bonus!