Antelope Canyon is one of the most beautiful, but also most photographed, places in Arizona. As such, I sought to bring back a photo that did something different. Tons of photographs of Antelope Canyon convey one-of-a-kind uniqueness, but it's really only on the surface. For example, the "sand waterfalls" that fall down the walls. Those aren't natural, but rather the guide throwing sand onto a ledge. Or the beautiful sun rays piercing through the canyon. Those are natural, but only happen on certain hours of certain days of the year. On these days the canyon is a throng of tourists. That's not the vibe of the canyon I wanted to experience, or bring home with me. So as I wandered through the canyon, with photographs everywhere, composing every type of shot, I noticed that none of them were focusing on the walls themselves -- at least not up close and personal. These sandstone walls are incredibly beautiful, so I tried to create a photo where they play a starring role, conveying both the sense of ancient structure as well as constant erosion.

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The Kolufossar Waterfall and Kolugljúfur Canyon area is among the deadliest places in Iceland, and after visiting I understand why. The waterfall is very accessible, and in addition, the cliffs are very sheer. Many small ledges allow the visitors to get closer and closer, and it's hard to realize when you've gone too far. Furthermore, the intensely powerful waterfall generates a lot of mist, keeping the rocks perpetually moist and slippery. And of Iceland's many powerful waterfalls, to me this is the one where the power is most "in your face." At most of the other waterfalls, you're either viewing the falls from above or below. Here, you can get face-to-face with the rushing water, and it's truly mesmerizing. On this sunny day in late winter/early spring, you could feel the snow melting underfoot. All this snow melt supercharged Kolufossar, turning it into a hypnotizing display of power.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 6480x3790). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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This is Lower Oneonta Falls, an intimate waterfall in of Oneonta Gorge, in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. Oneonta Gorge seems like a landscape off another planet. It's a narrow gorge reminiscent of the slot canyons of the American Southwest, but with one huge difference. Instead of desert, it's in the middle of a lush temperate rain forest, with walls clad in moss and ferns. Instead of shedding dry eroding sand, the narrow walls are dripping with moisture. While hiking up the gorge, at first I was struck by the similarity to a slot canyon, but then I began to ponder the different ways they were created. The slot canyons of the Southwest form when rain water drains through existing sandstone channels, further carving them with every downpour. Oneonta Gorge, however, likely formed as the waterfalls eroded their own precipice, marching backwards in time. As I considered this, the trek upstream began to feel like a march forward in time, mimicking the path of the waterfall but at a much faster pace. It's a truly remarkable piece of wilderness, and well worth the tricky trek over logjams and slippery boulders.

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Glacier National Park, Montana, is one of my favorite places I've been. The sweeping vistas there are truly stunning, as everyone is well aware, but the intimate scenes are no less stunning. It seems like the majority of the streams have carved themselves intricate canyons that would qualify as national treasures in their own right, if they were anywhere less spectacular. St Mary Falls, pictured here, is one such example. The canyon walls and turquoise glacial waters are hard to beat for beauty. But what actually drew me into this scene were the plants that grew on the rocky banks. It is them - the sparse flowers and stunted evergreen trees - that made this place feel like an idyllic oasis to me.

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In this photograph, I attempted to capture the intense spirituality of Antelope Canyon. The native Navajo have considered this a location of utmost spiritual importance for generations, and it's easy to see why. In person, you cannot help but be struck by the immense power of nature. But conversely, just as striking are the minute intricate details which emerge from the power. And the fact that even though it is ancient, it has been constantly changing, and is still doing so visibly right before your very eyes, like an open book of the continuity of time. It represents the big and the small, the old and the new, the fast and the slow. To try to capture all of this in a photograph is a feeble endeavor, but nonetheless I do feel that this image conveys some of what makes Antelope Canyon so special.

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I could not help photographing Horseshoe Bend on my drive across the country. Even though I am typically drawn to lesser-known places, I've always wanted to photograph this one. It is quite simply one of the most awesome places on the continent. When I arrived, well before sunrise, my first goal was to acquaint myself with the landscape as quickly as possible, and discover which emotions I wanted to take away in my camera. Not surprisingly, the overwhelming sensation is one of vertigo. I spent considerable time looking for a composition which best suited this feeling (while not putting my life in danger - don't worry, mom). I found this surprisingly-seldom-photographed vantage from which it feels like you are about to fall right into the canyon. From there, all I had to do was wait. It seemed like the cloud cover would remain, and my one chance at sunrise here would to be a dud. But as the sun rose in the sky, it became just strong enough to pierce through the sandy clouds and cast an eerily even red glow over the entire canyon as well as the Colorado River itself. It was a truly inspiring sight.

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This is a scene in Johnston Canyon (Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada) in early morning. The trail through the canyon constantly flirts with the river, but there is typically a few rows of trees blocking the view. If you forget to occasionally trudge to the edge, you might miss some truly awesome scenes. This is one view that particularly struck me. It is reminiscent of the more-well-known Horseshoe Bend (in Arizona), except this one resides in the exact opposite environment. Unlike the deserts of Arizona, here the fresh morning air was replete with the scent of life in motion.

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