My wife and I had been touring the beautiful parks of the Colorado Plateau in southern Utah for a week when we pulled into Dead Horse State Park on the eve of a several-day stay in Moab. This park is known for its expansive view of Canyonlands National Park and the Colorado River, which winds its way through the layers of sandstone 2,000 feet below.

This location was definitely on my "bucket list" for this trip, and although I had not previously visited Dead Horse, I had in mind the kind of photograph I was hoping to create.

As is so often the case in southern Utah and Arizona, the cliff edge a few feet from my position had no railing or other impediment to stepping off into a half-mile free fall. Fortunately, the wind was fairly calm, and I felt secure setting my tripod in a spot that allowed an unobstructed view without taking an unwise level of risk.

The air was clear, with just a small amount of suspended haze in the far distance, cloaking the La Sal mountain range in soft golden hour pastels. The scattered clouds promised interesting sky color as the sun made its way below the horizon—a promise fulfilled just as the buttes in the scene began to glow softly in reflected light.

To my delight, a single Utah Juniper tree clinging to the cliff's edge provided a nice "anchor" for the shot, capturing the eye's interest as it transits from the cliff wall in the foreground to the deep expanse of the canyons to the cliffs, buttes and mountains in the distance. This was one of several wonderful images I was able to capture that special evening. I look forward to someday returning for more.