Announcing: “Bryce Canyon” Book Release! || First post in the series about my journeys to Bryce Canyon National Park from 2021 to 2023
Book Release Announcement!!
“Bryce Canyon: A Centennial of Hoodoo Heaven” is published and available via Blurb!!!
“Bryce Canyon: A Centennial of Hoodoo Heaven” is a travel photography book that provides historical and geological information on Bryce Canyon National Park, as a backdrop to set the stage for the book’s images that depict the park’s treasures and offers travel tips and picture taking insights for a journey through this hoodoo heaven!
In this Book
This book spans six separate journeys from April 2021 and most of 2023 during each of the seasons and under varying weather conditions. Geoff’s first journey to Bryce Canyon began in mid-April 2021, with an additional series of 5 trips that began in February 2023 and ended in October 2023. On these six journeys, Geoff took approximately 14,000 photos covering 5 months of a calendar year. In this book, you will see hundreds of images, from my journeys throughout Bryce Canyon, depicting the park’s treasure including a wide variety of geological formations such as hoodoos, balanced rocks, fins, goblins, potholes, spires and towers as well as other amazing features of the park and even some animals. Here are a few examples of what you will see:
Introduction
I first learned about Bryce Canyon National Park through my interest in Geology during college. My fascination with the park grew later in parallel with my pursuit of landscape photography. I did not plan a visit to Bryce until the Spring of 2021. On April 15, 2021, I made the 8.5 hour journey to Bryce Canyon National Park, with a brief stop over in Hanksville, UT to see Factory Butte along the way. Upon arrival at the park, I checked in at the entrance gate and immediately made my way to Sunset Point in search of Thor’s Hammer.
I parked at Sunset Point, made the short walk to the overlook and could not believe my eyes at the incredible view that unfolded before me: a vibrant, colorful, magical display of a seemingly infinite span of heavenly hoodoos including Thor’s Hammer glowing in late afternoon sunlight. What a truly remarkable first experience. At that moment, I decided I must publish a book about this park and learn more about its deep geological history.
I captured thousands of images during my first trip in 2021 which served mainly as a scouting mission to prepare for the many more trips to come needed to cover the park. I waited 2 years to complete this book though because 2023 represents the centennial celebration of Bryce Canyon National Park.
Once in a Lifetime Experiences
During my time in Bryce, I took approximately 14,000 photos, across 6 total trips (1 in 2021 and 5 in 2023) which covered all 4 seasons but in only 5 different months of the calendar. While the photos that appear in this book were taken in both 2021 and 2023, the majority were taken during 2023 in honor of Bryce Canyon National Park’s centennial celebration. During my time in Bryce, I had many once in a lifetime experiences such as:
- I photographed my first annular solar eclipse October 14, 2023 along Navajo Loop Trail near Thor’s Hammer while spending the entire morning with new photography friends, teaching interested visitors about night sky and eclipse photography, sharing stories and enjoying this incredible experience.
- My first dedicated photography Winter season trip for one of my books took place here in February 2023, including first night sky Winter snow scene images. This trip ended a bit abruptly due to a massive snowfall that occurred in Bryce burying it in many feet of snow, even resulting in serious damage to Navajo Loop Trail (closing it for several subsequent months) right above Thor’s Hammer. Thankfully, the park restored the trail quickly reopening in time for my subsequent trips!
- I witnessed and photographed (see page 113) my first significant, both the largest and fastest, Near Earth Object (NEO), and seen only because it was illuminated by moonlight, while shooting night sky images at Thor’s Hammer June 22, 2023. I still await NASA’s response as to which NEO this might be that I photographed.
- The closest lightning strike to me in my life occurred August 15, 2023 at Rainbow Point not more than 50 to 100 feet away! Wisely, I was safely in my car waiting out the storm.
- I saw and photographed my first ever western tanager hunting insects at the Black Birch Canyon overlook (see page 233).
Make the Journey & Help Conserve the Park!
As always, creating this book, and reliving the experiences through my notes and photographs, gave me almost as much joy as the journey itself. I enjoyed researching and writing about all of the places I visited during my trip.
Hopefully this blog post and book will inspire you to make the journey to Bryce Canyon, as much as Bryce inspired me while there! I hope you will join me to do your part to help protect our planet’s environment which will also help preserve this incredible park and its inhabitants.
Special Thanks
A very special thanks to Peter Densmore (Public Information Officer of the National Park Service, Utah), the Bryce Canyon National Park Rangers, the Utah Geological Survey (UGS), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Best Western Plus Ruby’s Inn, Ruby’s Inn RV Park and Campground, Bryce Canyon Coffee Company (and Casia Lee) in Tropic, UT, Tom and Cindy Robinson for a wonderful evening of story sharing and night sky photography at Natural Bridge, Jacob Bateh and Brendan MaGee for an incredible time for the October 14 annular eclipse near Thor’s Hammer, Officer Kevin Hart of the US Forest Service for his invaluable information and insights into the park and area, The Photographer’s Ephemeris, Star Walk, PeakVisor, PhotoPills and PictureThis.
