Friday, March 11, 2016

Cholla in Snow Canyon, Utah


Cholla Basking in Sunlight
Snow Canyon

Varieties of the cholla cactus are common in the southern Utah desert. While I don't usually consider them spectacular subjects for photography, there is one condition where they shine and take over the spotlight. And that is in late afternoon when the plant is backlit by the sun and highlights the needles or spines. As a bonus, positioning my camera in just the right place will create some beautiful bokeh and sunflare, highlighting the cactus even more. I use these techniques with many varieties of cactus to help turn what would otherwise be a drab and ordinary scene into something more interesting.