For a few minutes at sunrise the arch lights from below, and the sandstone turns the color of an ember against a deep blue sky. The First Aperture 3:2 looks through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, at a sunburst held at the center of the opening, the red-orange underside of the arch glowing above it and the canyon country spreading out below the sun.
The eye starts at the sunburst, where the arch pinches down to its narrowest point, then follows the rays out across the rock, up through the red underside and along the long horizontal span of the arch. Below the sun, the canyon steps back in layers, and in the notch just left of the sun the spires of Washer Woman and Monster Tower stand small in the haze, a second look for anyone who stays with the picture. Dark sandstone ledges fill the lower part of the frame and hold the weight, so the light above reads as the event.
This is color-driven Southwest landscape photography in the tradition of Ansel Adams' grand western views, with the color-as-light sensibility of Ernst Haas. It is presented here in the 3:2 frame, a taller composition than the panorama, with more rock and more sky around the arch.
Design & Styling
The red and the blue give the print real presence in hospitality interiors: hotel lobbies, restaurant and lounge walls, lodge entries and conference rooms where a strong focal point is wanted. In executive offices and residences it suits a wall above a fireplace, credenza or sofa, especially with warm neutrals, charcoal, leather or walnut around it, where the arch's red picks up the room's warm tones and the blue keeps it from overheating. It is a natural gift for anyone connected to Utah, the national parks or the Southwest.
Curated Pairings
For shared place: Pair with Beneath the Midnight Bow, the same arch under moonlight and stars, with a pool of water reflecting the moon where this one holds a rising sun.
For the wider view: Pair with The First Aperture (Panorama), the same sunrise in a panoramic crop that opens out the canyon country on either side.
For shared palette: Pair with Rising in Blue and Orange, where hot orange sandstone meets deep blue sky with nothing in between, the same two colors this arch builds on.
For shared formal treatment: Pair with Ember and Silence, which follows the curved underside of Double Arch and the line where warm sunlit stone meets cooler shade.
Fine Art Presentation
Available as a signed, numbered limited edition print (edition of 15) in Gallery Metal, ChromaLuxe® Metal (Gloss, Semi-Gloss or Matte), TruLife Acrylic, archival paper, canvas, and wood. ChromaLuxe® Metal is the strongest choice: the saturated red and blue and the fine rock detail around the sunburst hold their crispness and brightness there. Semi-Gloss keeps the large dark sandstone areas from mirroring the room, and TruLife (Low-Glare) Acrylic is the alternative where you want more depth in the sky and the glow.
Note: Custom and oversized photographic prints are available. Please contact the studio directly to discuss custom framing, matting, or specialized museum glass options.
For a few minutes at sunrise the arch lights from below, and the sandstone turns the color of an ember against a deep blue sky. The First Aperture 3:2 looks through Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, at a sunburst held at the center of the opening, the red-orange underside of the arch glowing above it and the canyon country spreading out below the sun.
The eye starts at the sunburst, where the arch pinches down to its narrowest point, then follows the rays out across the rock, up through the red underside and along the long horizontal span of the arch. Below the sun, the canyon steps back in layers, and in the notch just left of the sun the spires of Washer Woman and Monster Tower stand small in the haze, a second look for anyone who stays with the picture. Dark sandstone ledges fill the lower part of the frame and hold the weight, so the light above reads as the event.
This is color-driven Southwest landscape photography in the tradition of Ansel Adams' grand western views, with the color-as-light sensibility of Ernst Haas. It is presented here in the 3:2 frame, a taller composition than the panorama, with more rock and more sky around the arch.
Design & Styling
The red and the blue give the print real presence in hospitality interiors: hotel lobbies, restaurant and lounge walls, lodge entries and conference rooms where a strong focal point is wanted. In executive offices and residences it suits a wall above a fireplace, credenza or sofa, especially with warm neutrals, charcoal, leather or walnut around it, where the arch's red picks up the room's warm tones and the blue keeps it from overheating. It is a natural gift for anyone connected to Utah, the national parks or the Southwest.
Curated Pairings
For shared place: Pair with Beneath the Midnight Bow, the same arch under moonlight and stars, with a pool of water reflecting the moon where this one holds a rising sun.
For the wider view: Pair with The First Aperture (Panorama), the same sunrise in a panoramic crop that opens out the canyon country on either side.
For shared palette: Pair with Rising in Blue and Orange, where hot orange sandstone meets deep blue sky with nothing in between, the same two colors this arch builds on.
For shared formal treatment: Pair with Ember and Silence, which follows the curved underside of Double Arch and the line where warm sunlit stone meets cooler shade.
Fine Art Presentation
Available as a signed, numbered limited edition print (edition of 15) in Gallery Metal, ChromaLuxe® Metal (Gloss, Semi-Gloss or Matte), TruLife Acrylic, archival paper, canvas, and wood. ChromaLuxe® Metal is the strongest choice: the saturated red and blue and the fine rock detail around the sunburst hold their crispness and brightness there. Semi-Gloss keeps the large dark sandstone areas from mirroring the room, and TruLife (Low-Glare) Acrylic is the alternative where you want more depth in the sky and the glow.
Note: Custom and oversized photographic prints are available. Please contact the studio directly to discuss custom framing, matting, or specialized museum glass options.
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