Mono Lake
It's always a challenge getting up at dawn, and as I'd not been to Mono Lake before, I didn't know really what to expect. It was mid-October, and it was chilly... about freezing if memory serves.

But what a treat. As the sun rose, I realized that I was among some very whacked geology. Tufa formations (in this South Tufa Area) rose several feet above my head. Interesting composition could be made almost anywhere. One or two other photographers were there that weekday morning, and I later learned that earlier in the year the South Tufa area is often so crowded with photographers that it's difficult to get a shot. Yes, it's extremely popular, but that's because it's so much fun to shoot.

One photographer was using an infrared filter on his digital SLR. After shooting 15 seconds at f/4 and focusing at about 4', you got a classic infrared shot. The catch is that you can't see what your shooting: You can't see through the filter!

Death Valley
The Sand Dunes just outside Stovepipe Wells are one of the more photographically interesting sites in the National Park - especially considering that Artist's Drive, Zabriskie Point, and Dante's View were all closed during our visit due to the flood of August 15th.

Bryce Canyon
Finally I get a chance to decend off the rim overlooks at Bryce.  I walked the 5⁺ miles of Fairyland Trail, which seems made for photographers. It's pretty amazing, even if you're not on mescaline.

Unfortunately, it was nearly full-sun when we visited. A cloudy day, or otherwise interesting weather could be an invaluable improvement to one's pictures here.