Antelope Canyon, Page, Arizona – United States

If you’re someone who loves nature and appreciates nothing more than a flawless vista, no visit to the American Southwest can possibly be considered complete without a trip to Arizona’s incredible Antelope Canyon. The Navajo call the canyon by another name that best translates to “the place where water runs through rocks” and what a fitting name it is. We have the magic of time and erosion to thank for the uniquely breathtaking beauty of the grooved, swirling canyon. Antelope Canyon continues to evolve and change under the continuing influence of abundant rainwater that rushes through the narrow passageways from time to time, particularly during monsoon season.

‘Waves of Amber’ was captured during a quiet winter’s afternoon visit to the canyon’s most picturesque nooks and crannies. The bright sunlight flowed like honey into the narrow slot where I was standing, illuminating each and every groove and curve of the rock surface around me. The sculpted rocks looked so exactly like painstakingly crafted waves there in that moment – graceful, elegant, and curiously frozen. It was almost as if some heavenly painter had descended from the clouds expressly to bring the canyon to life long ago, one flawless brushstroke at a time.

The dry, dusty air in my lungs smelled of ancient earth gently warmed by the touch of a mercurial winter sun. I took a deep breath as I admired the multitude of colors represented here in the quiet canyon as well. Rich, autumnal oranges and reds reminiscent of the fur of foxes. Buttery, honey-like yellows, golds, and oranges interwoven with streaks of earthy russet and delicate swaths of timeless sandalwood. The canyon was narrow, but the magnitude of the beauty around me made me feel very small indeed, standing there surrounded by something so perfectly crafted – a stony masterpiece skillfully created by Mother Nature herself.