The late - May afternoon hike to the double - arch alcove, in the Kolob Canyon section of Zion National Park, was the only time that humidity and bugs made hiking in Utah less than fun. Perhaps it was the contrast with the morning’s activities, when we had been standing in snow at Cedar Breaks National Monument, at ten thousand feet! In any event, the round trip of more than five miles emptied most of our water bottles.

A very wide - angle lens is necessary for photography here. A 24mm lens still did not allow the entire double arch to be recorded. The other photographer, located in the bottom right intersection of thirds, provides a scale reference to the size of the arches.    

Where are we? A group of weary hikers enjoy the shade at Scout’s Lookout, a major stopping point one thousand feet above the valley of the Virgin river, on the Angel’s Landing Trail in Zion National Park.  Only twenty feet away, an unfenced drop-off provides a good view down to the main road and the passing shuttles, all looking very tiny from this height.

"Survivor"
 

It was not difficult to find patterns in the rocks, along the main road that  comes from the east into Zion National Park. The trick was to break the pattern, and the small green bush does that quite admirably.   Placing it at an intersection of thirds draws the eye to it, making one wonder how such a bush could possibly survive in such a hostile environment - hence, the title of the photograph.

No trip to Zion National Park is complete without a trip to the Park’s Visitor Centre. Here, you’ll find pictures, posters, and paintings of the Park, which can provide compositional motivation, as well as ideas on photo opportunities.

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