Grand Canyon Sunrise and Sunset

The Grand Canyon is very difficult to capture in a photograph because of its sheer expanse and the overwhelming feeling of insignificance one feels while standing on the rim. All I could hope for was to try and capture the amazing colors which are most evident at sunrise or sunset. When we first arrived at the canyon in mid-April, it was completely engulfed in clouds and fog. There were only brief moments when we could see that there was something down below.

The next morning we got up at 5am to drive into the park and walked out to Mather Point. The clouds were now up above the canyon, but they were very thick and extended to the horizon so I feared that the sunrise would not be visible. Finally we could see some hints of light and then the sun exploded through a hole in the clouds which I was able to capture in the image below with my 16-35mm lens. I wanted to include as much of the canyon as I could so this was shot at 16mm and I also wanted a starburst effect for the sun so I set the lens at ƒ/16. Using ISO100 I needed a 1.3 second exposure.

Sunrise over the Grand Canyon from Mather Point.

That evening, after exploring all of the western lookout points using the amazing shuttle bus system, we drove back to Yavapai Point where the geology museum is located. It became quite evident that the sunset was going to be a disappointment since there were only a few thin clouds in the sky. So, I turned 180 degrees and looked to the east to see the canyon’s many formations lit by the setting sun which cast wonderful shadows. I also noticed that the full moon was rising above the canyon, but with the sun still above the horizon, it was washed out by the sky.

The sun setting with the full moon rising at Yavapai Point. (ƒ/11 1/160 22mm ISO800)

So, I waited until the sun had set and turned my attention to the moon, framing the shot and setting up my tripod. The glow from the setting sun cast beautiful tones over the canyon and the sky darkened so that the moon shone brightly with lots of contrast. The photograph below was shot at ƒ/16 to get as much detail as I could with a 15 second exposure to ensure capturing the subtle colors that were being highlighted by the reflected light. (19mm ISO100)

The moon rising over the Grand Canyon at Yavapai Point.