I was in Phoenix for business and I decided to add on three days to explore Sedona for the first time. What makes Sedona a great town to visit gave me challenges for photography.  The town, full of shops, art galleries and restaurants, is nestled right among the red rock cliff walls.  It was challenging to find views and make images that did not include buildings. But once I figured out the orientation of the town and the surrounding red rock canyons, I spent my time deep in the canyons where a sense of wilderness could find me. I was treated to an incredible sunrise and an equally beautiful sunset on Doe Mountain. I delighted in an overcast afternoon along Oak Creek Canyon walking among the chaos of a thick grove of leafless sycamore trees. And I spent a long day wandering up and over a high mesa top surrounded by even taller canyons. By the time the trip was nearing its end I realized I had just scratched the surface of Sedona and will need to visit again (and again) to truly capture its beauty.

I enjoyed Sedona so much the first time, that I went back a second time only eight months later. This time my wife Marilyn and our friends Bob and Karen went along with us. We spent a week enjoying the red rock country. And while it wasn’t a dedicated photo trip, I managed to add two new images to the gallery.

A Sedona Sunrise

Sedona Gallery

Oak Creek Canyon

Everyone talks about Sedona as being Red Rock Country… and deservedly so. But there is a small part of Sedona that is different from everything else… Oak Creek Canyon. It is home to a year-round water source and an incredible abundance of trees - including my favorite winter tree, the Sycamore! I was in Sedona when the sycamores had lost their leaves and the patterns they created against the red rock background was a sight to behold.