Spanning Time & Space - Mesa Arch (larger view available)

I liked this composition of the iconic Mesa Arch in that it had some elements that my other shots didn't have. I returned to the arch nearly 2 hrs before sunrise on my 2nd visit to make sure that I could position myself in the center of the arch, apparently a coveted position. Earlier in the week, I was the 4th photographer there and all 3 other photographers were jammed together in the center. I found a great position at the right of the arch, which I still prefer overall. Prior to sunrise, I took 4 vertical images which included some brief cloud color above the arch. I also like the way the rock below the arch mirrored the space above the arch-a collection of arches. I exposed for the highlights and the orange/red glow that begins before dawn, and adjusted the shadows a bit post processing to better reflect what I saw.