Arch RockComposed of monzo granite

This is Arch Rock in Joshua Tree National Park. I visited this park earlier this year and planned to photograph this arch at sunrise and again at night to get star trails. The night that I was able to get these shots, clouds started coming in and I initially thought it wasn't going to be worth attempting any shots. Although I didn't get star trails, I was pretty happy with the cloud effects. 

Arch Rock

This is also Arch Rock located at Pfeifer Beach in Big Sur. The road to get here is brutal and often gets washed out during winter storms. From December through early January each year, the sun rays shine through the arch, making for dramatic images. The evening I was there, clouds had moved in pretty aggressively and the sunset was obscured, but I still got some decent color. The purple in the sand is from manganese garnet in the rocks. 

Window Arch Composed of sandstone

This is Window Arch in Arches National Park, which contains the highest density of natural arches in the world. I visited several years ago and desperately need to get back there. 

Delicate ArchComposed of sandstone

This is Delicate Arch, also in Arches National Park, and probably the most well known arch in the park. The hike to this arch is crawling with people. I opted to take a photo from a different viewpoint but I still had to Photoshop a few tourists out of the photo. 

Mobius ArchComposed of biotite monzogranite 

This is Mobius Arch in Alabama Hills, just off Highway 395 in Lone Pine, California. There is a short hiking trail to this arch, which also takes you past Lathe Arch. I have camped here several times. In December of 2017, I camped here with a plan to shoot the arch at night but the wind had other plans. It was so windy, it shook my camper most of the night. At about 1:00 am, I was woken by a group of people who apparently planned to do the same thing. I could see that hey were barely able to stand up in the wind and I said, "I'll photograph it another time." and tried to go back to sleep!

Bisti ArchComposed of sandstone, mudstone, shale

This is Bisti Arch in the Bisti Badlands of New Mexico. I absolutely loved this place. This arch is actually small. If I had stood next to it, the top of the arch is about waist high. 

Indian ArchComposed of granite This is Granite Arch in Yosemite National Park. It is the only arch in Yosemite and the only Granite Arch in the Sierras. The hike to this arch is mostly delightful but does get incredibly steep once you reach the turnoff to the arch. When I reached the arch, I was the only one there, which was good because the area I squeezed myself into to take the pictures was small an a bit precarious. I couldn't get the entire arch in one shot except for when I used my fisheye lens. This is 5 photos stitched together in Photoshop. 

Lathe ArchComposed of biotite monzogranite 

This is Lathe Arch, which is along the trail to Mobius Arch in Alabama Hills. The best time for shooting is at night or early morning. This also required multiple shots stitched together to capture the entire length of the arch. 

Rainbow BridgeComposed of sandstone

This is Rainbow Bridge in Rainbow Bridge National Monument. I was lucky enough to get to see this while on a photo houseboat trip in Lake Powell. The water level at that time was quite low but I believe you can actually boat up to this site when the lake levels are within normal range. 

Natural Bridge

This is Natural Bridge in Death Valley National Park. The hike to the arch is less than a mile, slightly uphill. I decided to shoot it at night during my spring trip this year. When I hiked in earlier in the day to scout it, there must have been 50+ people around. Quite a difference at night!

Natural Bridge

Last but not least is another natural Bridge in Natural Bridges State Park in Santa Cruz. The chilly November morning I was there, a guy showed up with a model who was posing in a bikini in the surf. I was bundled up in multi layers of fleece and was still a little cold. Brave girl!!!