By Ted Grussing
… is an amazing place and it really needs to be visited on the ground to appreciate the full beauty it presents … I have flown low over the falls many times when there has been substantial water flows, but missed the full effect with the beautiful sounds of the waterfall (actually a mud falls) and the feel of the winds and mist on your face … plus the adventure of standing near unprotected cliffs. Too, the geology is amazing; Grand Falls was created when a lava flow from Miriam Crater about 8 miles to the SW flowed into the Little Colorado River channel and forced the river to re-route around the basaltic lava flow … it eroded the softer rock and created the falls. The vertical drop is 185 feet which is higher than Niagara Falls at 167 feet. The Little Colorado River drains the White Mountains and is one of few northerly flowing rivers and as it goes through the painted desert it picks up a lot of dirt and it looks like it.
On the right hand portion of the photo you can see the basaltic lava flow and on the left the Kaibab Limestone formation. Thanks to a good friend who invited me to accompany him on the trip yesterday … we shot for a while before sunset, during and after sunset … beautiful skies and it was simply awesome! I even used a tripod and was able to figure out how to make it work :+) On the far cliff on the left, there is a person looking down into the gorge and on the right a shelter and more people looking down into the gorge. Highly recommend a trip out there and you can learn more about it and how to get there at:
Had a beautiful early evening flight on Friday and again this evening, capturing late day light on the rocks .. cut some beautiful stones and hung out with One as she hunted. She likes to bring her live catches into the house and I couldn’t get a lizard away from her as she ducked under my bed … she finally emerged licking her chops and an inspection confirmed that the lizard emerged with her, but in her. Oh well!
Expect some smoke on Wednesday as the USFS is doing a training prescribed burn of about three acres near Red Rock State Park. Approximately 100 people will be involved in the training … think it is grasslands so it shouldn’t be too bad. The good news is that important training will be taking place increasing the skill of those whom we rely on to keep us safe.
Down to shoot Lake Pleasant wildflowers in the morning, a trip over to Scottsdale to see a friend and dinner at Famous Wok in Anthem Outlets on the way home. Fun day and hope yours is too. Keep breathing, share some smiles with those you meet and greet and seek beauty … you always find what you are looking for … mostly :+)
Cheers
Ted
A bird flies through the sky, and I fly with it. I am each pearl of moisture sparkling in the sun.
I lie lazy on the clouds. And I acknowledge my kinship with each winged thing.
I see all as one, and nothing repels me, as this new day climbs noiselessly out of the valley of the night.
Peace lies over the world and over the world of my soul.
— Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
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