the Spiral Jetty

I have been trying to find an afternoon to drive up to my favorite place -- the Spiral Jetty -- and this Saturday worked out perfectly. I made the 2 1/2 hour journey with my friends April, Steve and Katie, none had ever been there before.

While driving there, I always get anxious and excited. Anxious because I always worry I'm cutting it too close and won't make it in time to enjoy the sunset. And excited because during the last hour of driving, the scenery gets better and better, leading up to the spectacular views at the Great Salt Lake. I seriously turn into a crazy nut, running around trying to capture different things, hurrying as fast as I can before the sun goes down. I feel like a child at Christmastime!

I love it there because every time is a new experience: water levels are constantly changing, there's always a new sunset to behold, and the colors in the sky and earth always take my breath away. Plus, it feels like you're walking on an icy lake, but without freezing temperatures....and it feels like you could be on another planet...

This year was awesome because I was able to take long exposure with my digital camera for the first time! The first two images are of my friend April walking around -- I love the motion in them. And, the last image was a 10 minute long exposure. It definitely doesn't hold up nearly as beautifully as film, but it's amazing to see what our eyes can't see once it is dark.

P.S. Thanks to Steve for letting me borrow his fish eye lens! I need to get me one of those...