Guadalupita Mesa, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico
From our camp at Bandelier National Monument we explored other areas nearby. One of them was Jemez National Recreation Area in the Jemez Mountains with its valleys and canyons. As we drove back from Gilman Tunnels through the box canyon and along the Guadalupe River, the canyon suddenly widened and we had a grandios view at Guadalupita Mesa. I saw the swirling cloud above the mesa and knew immediately that this would work for a black and white photo. Sure, the colors in my RAW file are brilliant too, but the deep shadows and bright vertical rock bands made for a nice contrasting image.