Blue Mesa

I begin my search early one day in July, when the season of thunderstorms can be expected to fill the sky with billowing clouds. The area encompassed by Petrified Forest National Park is large and rugged, but after a day of exploring I settle on Blue Mesa, midway between the park's north and south entrances. Here the intricate eroded sculptures, the graven sandstone, and the colorful agatized wood promise much to the photographer. As I return to my vehicle from the Text continued from page 18 first morning of shooting, a park ranger greets me. Realizing he is on the lookout for poachers, I invite him to inspect my camera bag. A glance at my equipment satisfies his curiosity. He wishes me luck in my endeavor and lets me pass. Federal law prohibits removing the colorful petrified wood strewn around the park. Souvenir hunters can buy pieces at nearby concessioners' shops.

BLUE MESA

For the rest of my stay, I practice my craft in the cool shadows of early morning and in the stinging sand driven across the exotic terrain by an afternoon storm.

At last I have captured all I need. The park and the shifting weather have brought me more than I could have wished. I leave tired and sore, but satisfied.