Our last sunrise shoot leads to an artistic encounter on Park Avenue

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On the drive to our last sunrise shoot for this photo workshop, everyone is talking about losing weight. The consensus - if you need to drop a few pounds, attend one of Jim’s photo workshops. Lots of walking, hiking and very little eating will melt the pounds away.

Although the clouds in the sky should mean a colorful sunrise for Arches National Park, the cover is too dense for anything dramatic. Once the sun is up, we leave the overlook and drive to the first parking area for Park Avenue, a series of large rock formations that resemble skyscrapers. As we finish our photo session, French tourists depart a tour bus for the walk down Park Avenue. The bus will meet them at the end.

Our group doesn’t have time to take the walk so we drive to the second Park Avenue parking lot. I wander towards the end of the Park Avenue trail where I discover two artists capturing the scene in oils. They are plein air artists (rather than a studio, nature is their workshop). I introduce myself and ask if I can take pictures of them painting. They agree and I am thrilled at the unexpected find. After photographing arches, canyons and high desert, it’s fun to be including people in the scene.

Before long, the French tourists amble down the walkway, ohh-la-laaing at the monumental scenery. But, the artists are oblivious. They are too busy painting their interpretation of Park Avenue.

Our last sunrise photo shoot has ended. The group agrees to meet for breakfast at Jailhouse Rock in Moab. The eggs benedict is as good as Jim promised it would be. After five straight days of eating at Denny’s, this is heaven.

To read more about our photo workshop experience with Jim Altengarten, vist "Take a photo workshop in nature's beauty" at My Itchy Travel Feet .

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