It has been my privilege to stand on a number of occasions on the Canyon Junction Bridge just upstream from the confluence of North Fork of the Virgin River and Pine Creek in Zion National Park in the very late afternoon looking downstream as the golden light illuminates the west face of that most recognizable feature of the park known as The Watchman.

And although the sun is an element of the composition on a relatively small number of days, its reflected late-light on The Watchman is as quintessential a Zion sunset as it gets for much of the year.

So it was that I found myself once again on the bridge last October 8 in the wake of one of the fiercest thunderstorms I have ever encountered in Southwestern Utah. The Virgin River beneath me was liquid sandstone as it roared its way to join the mighty Colorado in the commingled waters of Lake Mead, but the light on The Watchman was liquid gold.

A focal length of 45mm, about as normal as it gets, gave me the angle-of-view I wanted. An aperture of f/20 provided depth-of-field; and a shutter speed of 0.4 second at ISO 200 gave me a very medium exposure.

On March 25th, just under three weeks from today, I will begin the big adventure of my life, living in my Subaru Outback in a country-wide ramble of 2, maybe 3, years as I collect images and interviews for the book on Public Lands that compels me forward. It is my plan to create a YouTube channel and take you all with me; but Image for the Asking will cease, after a wonderful run of more than 13 years, on March 19th. I hope Everyone will join me as I wander; your love of our Common Wealth is a big part of the reason I do what I do.

Walk in Beauty,

Don