Weddings, Wilderness, and Wachy Ideas - A Unique Experience In The Wave Of Coyote Buttes

After 7 trips into the Wave of Coyote Buttes North, I can now officially say "I've seen it all".  I think I'm done here for a long while...not because of what I saw this past weekend, but I think I've just gotten tired of the place to some degree. Over the years of repeated visits, the "Wave" has become for me the least interesting part of this area to me now, as there are so many other cool features to find when exploring this large area.  Last February when I was here last, I literally walked through the Wave, spending less than 5 minutes getting the same old, tired, and usual shots (not even bothering with tripod) with lighting and conditions I had already experienced multiple times already, and then I never came back for the rest of the day; although I was out there for nearly 12 hours working other things nearby.

It was about the same story with this trip that I just returned from this past weekend, except I didn't go to the Wave first like usual, and instead hiked into and area known as the bone yard for early light, and worked whole other areas again, with NO intention on even visiting the Wave.  However, on a mid-day whim while lighting sucked hard and boredom set in, I tried but couldn't sleep well, so I hiked over to see what kind of circus I would see today, and Voila!

Most of us just stood there above the Wave, watching a wedding photographer direct her Bride and Groom into various poses and shots, while a 4th person used a light reflector on them. All 20 people with permits (the maximum number per day allowed into the areas to help preserve a peaceful wilderness experience) were now in the same place.  Most of us just stood there above the Wave, watching a wedding photographer direct her Bride and Groom into various poses and shots, while a 4th person used a light reflector on them.  Meanwhile, hogging the area around the corner, another group of Europeans were hanging out and making love to themselves with their selfie-sticks, over and over again.  

At first I was not amused, as myself and 7 others watched the scene being owned for quite awhile At first I was not amused, as myself and 7 others watched the scene being owned for quite awhile by both the wedding party, and also the group of selfie-pros.  It is not that I wanted to shoot anything in this harsh light, so it was not bugging me.  The assistant eventually came up to me, easily perceiving I knew this terrain well, and inquired on other good places in the vicinity to shoot the couple against, but the photographer seemed bugged by him doing so.  I gave him little information, and especially did not tell him where i planned to be shooting for the rest of the afternoon... I was still feeling a bit bothered by the whole thing. Before long, but after they had shot this backlit scene with reflector on their fronts, I had fully interjected myself But then after a several more minutes I decided in my usual fashion, when people stay in the scenes too long, to make the best of it.  Before long, but after they had shot this backlit scene with reflector on their fronts, I had fully interjected myself and started showing them other good scenes with good lighting at the moment that they did not know about… partially to get them out of the middle of the Wave so others could enjoy, but also because I might as well get some truly new and unique shots while I’m here.

I had fully interjected myself and started showing them other good scenes with good lighting at the moment that they did not know about… partially to get them out of the middle of the Wave so others could enjoy, but also because I might as well get some truly new and unique shots while I’m here. I mused to myself how the photographer struggled to say “thank you” (no photog likes having another around getting in the way of a formal shoot), but when I showed her an example shot of what I was talking about and said that it was this moment or never, she dropped everything and moved the shoot. The Bride and Groom were more than thankful, and after I left the scene they later sought me out for my business card, to see what I shot of them; So who knows what will come of that. however on most occasions, these kinds of chance contacts, and making the best of things, have resulted in good money later.

Later on the assistant came back to me again during a break to talk about photography, which is when I started telling him about another shot we could do, with a unique forced perspective.  I told him about this one spot in the Wave where a force perspective shot with an optical illusion can be attained under the right lighting conditions.  Before you knew it, I had talked myself into doing the shot and was scaling the heights above to get in the correct position with a 200mm lens.  If the lighting was correct, meaning overcast with no harsh shadows, we would end up with something like this example shot, from a previous trip with my friend Judy Graham who played the model.  Unfortunately this lighting today was horrid for that shot, and her dress did not help, so the illusion was not attained, but fun was still had by all.

I told him about this one spot in the Wave where a force perspective shot with an optical illusion can be attained under the right lighting conditions. Before you knew it, I had talked myself into doing the shot and was scaling the heights above to get in the correct position with a 200mm lens. If the lighting was correct, meaning overcast with no harsh shadows, we would end up with something like this example shot, from a previous trip with my friend Judy Graham who played the model.

Unfortunately this lighting today was horrid for that shot, and her dress did not help, so the illusion was not attained, but fun was still had by all.

In the end, everyone was respectful and shared the spaces as best they could, so no foul.  And the wedding couple were from NYC and won their slots through the online lottery process.  When they amazingly won, they booked an entire tour of Northern AZ and Southern UT around it, and brought their photographer friend and the groom’s cousin to be an assistant.  The previous day they had their wedding shots taken at Horseshoe Bend.  Today was the Wave.  The next day, Angel’s Landing in Zion.  With hiking boots and formal wear, these folks were actually pretty cute and I admired what they were up to. A short break for the Bride to get her own photos while she is here.

NOW ANNOUNCING!!!  Wave Wedding Photography & Wilderness Adventures - By John Morey Photography.

I always joked that if I wanted to make money at photography, I’d be a wedding photographer or something like that.  There is no money in going out chasing over-shot landscape scenes and trying to sell them later, but there is lots of money around weddings, which I can't stand the thought of doing, so what if I “marry” the two things???  So I’m launching the latest arm of my business, Wave Wedding Photography & Wilderness Adventures.  Cake and bouquet-toss not included. NOW ANNOUNCING!!! Wave Wedding Photography & Wilderness Adventures - By John Morey Photography.
 

<Before you all get silly and report me to BLM, Skippy, Jack, and the rest, this last part is a belated April Fool’s joke! Ha!>

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed.

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