Of all the photographic wonders I encountered during my Canyonlands journey, nothing surpasses the experience of wandering through the narrow, winding slot canyons outside Page, AZ.

Imagine stepping out of the desert heat through a dimly-lit slit in a canyon’s face, and arriving at an entirely different world. Here, the air is cooler, moister. Sounds are strangely distorted, with some being muffled while others echo.

But the light is the unequivocal star of the show. It pours over the sandstone, flows down the walls, painting the layers of rock in an incredible spectrum of yellow, ochre, orange, cinnamon, and purple. At the right angle, the light also accentuates the parallel lines that water, wind, and sand have etched, adding even more textures than what the layered sandstone would display on its own.

Slot canyons are one of the few places where I can state with confidence that there are simply too many photographic gems to capture. Literally everywhere you turn—every new bend you walk around—presents a host of unique compositions.

I’m already planning a return visit. In the meantime, enjoy the current set I offer here.