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The Watchman; Zion National Park, Utah, US. “Utah’s dark skies are a mecca for astrophotographers from around the world. Zion national park is one of the premier locations and, for as long as I can remember, nightscapes from this park have captured my imagination. When I finally travelled to Zion, I knew I wanted to capture something unique, something different from the traditional shot, but one that still featured the iconic and austere “Watchman”. I had seen some photos from a closer angle and after some exploring, I came across this twisted skeleton of an old juniper framing the Watchman. As a photographer, I am always looking for interesting foreground subjects. Foregrounds that have features that can in some way recapitulate or accentuate the background are rare but always the most compelling. When I noticed how the angles of the tree matched the peak near perfectly, I knew I had found something special. This composition is a blue-hour blend with the sky taken at night and the foreground taken before the sun came above the horizon”. (Photo by Brandt Ryder/Milky Way Photographer of the Year)
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