Zion National Park, Utah, 2020

During the height of the pandemic, I decided to sell my house and move west to pursue my photography career. One of my stops along the way was to live in a little mountain community called Duck Creek Village, located halfway between Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon. Most mornings, I would get up well before sunrise to experience a different part of the parks in the area. On this particular morning, I headed out to the Canyon Overlook trail to practice a new technique during the blue hour of the sunrise. I placed a neutral density filter over the lens and left the shutter open longer than usual. The effect was vibrant canyon walls with a glowing purple sky. Zion is one of the more impressive landscapes in the United States national park system. I aimed to show one of its most popular and magnificent canyons in all its glory. Limited edition print of 50. Photo © copyright Derek Nielsen Photography.