Four days, four locations, endless memories. My friend and fellow photographer, Hannah Maisel, had a wedding to shoot in Phoenix, AZ. We had been talking about taking a trip to AZ for a while now, and it looked like our opportunity was finally here. In four days, we managed to cram in so many breathtaking sights. 

Our first stop along the way: Joshua Tree National Forest. Our "pitstop" turned into a six hour long photo session, including a stint of me hanging out of the back of a moving van, dodging cacti, and silhouette shots in the moonlight. We didn't actually make it to Phoenix until 2 a.m. 

After Hannah's wedding, we loaded up the car and set off for Sedona. Again, we arrived after dark. This time, however, we had to set up a campsite with little to no light. Somehow, we managed to get our tent up, and I started our campfire. 

Waking up to the sounds of nature, and towering Arizonian red rock mountains surrounding us, was well worth the hassle of setting up camp. Given the chance, I'd want to go back and camp there longer. We didn't have much time to explore. 

We continued our journey along the twisting mountain roads to Page, AZ. With about an hour to spare, we showered and primped as fast as we could, content on capturing the perfect sunset pictures atop Horseshoe Bend. Despite the hundred-or-so other tourists that flanked it's ledges, I was stopped in my tracks by the awe-inspiring views before me. The plunging valley was streaked in orange hues, joined at the bottom by what looked like shimmering streamers of silver and blue. The sun was sneaking it's way behind the canyon, we broke from our trance, and tried desperately to capture any bit of beauty we could. 

After a Texas style BBQ, and being invited up on stage as guest tambourine dancers, we called it a night. It had been such an eventful day, and we had our longest trek ahead of us, still. 

Antelope canyon did not disappoint. Its walls carved by winds and flood waters, were cool and smooth to the touch. They reminded me of random, three dimensional brush strokes. Bleeding ruby red and magenta in one room, ablaze with the most amazing yellow and orange hues in the next.

Our next and final stop was the Grand Canyon. "Grand" barely begins to describe it. Its depths and ridges, shadows and bends were other simply other-worldly. All of it really, landscape so unlike anything we have in California. Barren, but beautiful.