Zion Last Winter

Doug Morse

01 Dec 2025 — 2 min read

I’ve been revisiting photographs from earlier this year, taken as we drove through Zion. The trip wasn’t planned, we had been recalled home unexpectedly, but on the way, we paused briefly in Zion and Bryce. It was late winter, and we were fortunate to catch a light snowfall.

Recently I wrote about experimenting with DxO PhotoLab, and I used it to edit some of those images. The software brought out the drama in the scenes; we were left nearly speechless as we walked the valley. Low clouds and drifting fog deepened the atmosphere, while the contrast of warm sandstone and the cool whiteness of snow felt unreal. At times, shafts of light pierced the clouds, adding focus.

Most of these photographs were made with my Fuji GFX100s II and the GF 500mm f/5.6 lens. In Zion, most photographers opt for wide-angle lenses to capture the grandeur of the cliffs, but I’ve been experimenting with a long lens to isolate smaller landscapes within the larger whole. Seeing full-grown pines framed against immense rock faces conveys the scale of the place in a way that brings home a sense of the scale of the place.

I find this process deeply rewarding. It allows me to capture the mood of a location without standing in the same tripod holes as countless others. Many photographers chase familiar visual tropes and iconic locations, which can certainly sharpen one’s craft and provide a ready list of destinations. But I’m drawn to a different vision, one more personal, more intimate, and attuned to the way I see the world around me.

The last two photos were taken with a 70mm lens which is about 55mm equivalent on a 35mm full frame sensor.

The following are wider angle shots from the day.

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Editing Black and White with DxO Photolab