June 1994. It was before everyone has a web site. To find information about Utah for our family trip there, I had written to the state’s Commerce Dept. for travel guide. The materials came in time. I was stunned by the color and magnificence of the landscape.

My decision to use high speed infrared films for the trip turned out to be wise. Traveling with a six year old in the middle of the desert with over 100°C of temperature allowed very limited stops despite a spectacular view. The wide speed range of infrared films really paid off. I could even shoot from inside the car during the two days’ trip from one national park to another.

In January 1995, I headed west again, this time to settle down in Salt Lake City. Southern Utah is now within my easy reach, but nothing has been like my very first reaction to the canyons the year before: raw, fresh, and spontaneous.