Swoop

Swoop, Navajo Canyon – Steve Rutherford Landscape Photography Art Gallery

Swoop, Navajo Canyon – Steve Rutherford Landscape Photography Art Gallery

This is an unframed, limited edition collection landscape photography print of only 25 units. It is printed on Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl papers, structured to refract the highest values in colour and detail. It’s high-quality ink absorbing layer enables exceptional image quality with enormously detailed sharpness, and a very broad colour range, providing archival permanency of your artwork for over 100 years.

On tripod, Canon 5DMk2, 50mm, F11, 4 seconds, ISO 100, no filter, torch to identify, processed in Lightroom.

I was given the opportunity to meet with a Navajo and discuss their cultural presence and history in Arizona, when offered the chance to visit this private canyon. Some 20 miles of 4wd driving cross a Navajo reservation, and then a 30 minute hike down hill into a gorge, this canyon is only about 40 metres long, but significant in it’s features. Closed tightly at both ends, the internal twisting walls of the canyon present near no light, unless visiting at midday with a full sun. I had to use a torch to find features such as this incredibly beautiful heart shaped formation in the walls. If this was all I had been shown I still would have been happy, but I was guided to find patterns carved by the mighty Colorado River across 100’s of years.

Swoop, Navajo Canyon – Steve Rutherford Landscape Photography Art Gallery

If you head into canyons such as these, take a torch of some kind. Even though the midday sun will stream down through various openings and light the canyon walls, a torch will help you focus easily. Use your torch to pinpoint where you want your focus and help the camera to do so. Some cameras will find this easier than others. The torch will also give you the chance to paint light into areas that may appear as too dark and create odd shadows. Avoid flash altogether, they create shadows you just don’t need.