Sedona Magic
Sedona MAGIC
Sedona, AZ
Image by Mark Brodkin @ www.markbrodkin.com
With its vibrant red rocks, excellent hiking opportunities and scenic rock formations, Sedona is one of the most beautiful and popular location for landscape photographers in the American Southwest.
And in Sedona , the most iconic location found in this beautiful area has to be Cathedral Rock. There are many places to photograph the Cathedral Rocks, but this classic location captures the essence of this wonderful vista.
Images and location summary by Mark Brodkin
Trail Difficulty - EASY
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). This shot was taken from a hill - a short walk from a pullout overlooking the Sedona Valley.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
4,353 Ft. Elevation
Photography Tips
In the summer, the sun will set directly behind you, allowing direct illumination of the Cathedral Rock formation. In the last 30-45 minutes before sunset, the foreground and valley fall into shadow and spotlights the formation. This is when you need to be in position to capture the late afternoon glow on the vibrant red rocks.
Choose your composition and wait for the best light. You may need to composite the red rocks and the sky as the dynamic range may be greater than the capability of your camera.
And if you are lucky and receive some intermittent lighting, you might capture the sun peaking through spotlighting the center spier.
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to Lover's Knoll along Upper Red Rock Loop Rd.
From Sedona - head south on N State Rte 89A toward Forest Rd. (You will go through a couple of circles). Continue on 89A until you get to Upper Red Rock Loop Rd. Take a left and continue for about 1.2 miles; you will see a dirt pull-off on your left. Park and walk up the hill to find your composition.
Google Earth
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 144 mm
Exposure – 125 sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 400
Date – Aug 14th
Time – 7:23 pm
Best Time of Day to Shoot
This location is best in the late afternoon toward sunset.
The shot above was taken at 7:23 pm on a day when the stated sunset was 7:41 pm.
Best Time of Year
You can shoot this spectacular location any time of year. In the summer, the sun will set from behind, and you have a better chance of monsoonal clouds. In the spring and fall, the sun will provide a sidelight, and in the winter months, the sun sets at an angle.
The shot above was taken on Aug 14th.
Lens(es) Needed
From the location of the pullout where this shot was taken, Cathedral Rocks are 2 miles away. I recommend a 70-200 lens.
The shot above was taken at 143mm.
Birds-Eye View From Google Earth Pro
Permits
There are no permits required.
Direction of the Shot
The direction of the shot is southeast, around 125°.
Equipment Needed
All you need here is a little luck - for some great light and clouds. If you shoot around sunset or dusk, you would benefit from a sturdy tripod.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
The little pullout (called Lover's Knoll) along Upper Red Rock Loop Rd is a great place to view Cathedral Rocks at sunset and can get pretty crowded on a beautiful evening.
Weather
High desert climate at about 4,600 ft. elevation. The temperatures can vary up to 30° - 40° a day. Spring and fall are nice, but summer can get well over the 100's.
Cell Service
Cell service is good at this location.
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
None