My name is Marty Hulsebos and I've been a passionate landscape photographer since the late 1980's.
Here is the story of this image.
A Shot Worth the Journey
I had always dreamed of photographing Zion National Park in peak autumn color, showcasing its beauty in a way no one had before. But this trip wasn’t supposed to be about Zion. My brother and I had set our sights on Antelope Canyon, ready to capture its swirling sandstone magic. Yet, when we arrived, a sign on the entrance announced it was closed for the week. My heart sank.
“This can’t be it,” I muttered. Arizona visits were a once-a-year luxury, and this trip was as much about bonding with my brother as it was about capturing nature’s grandeur. That’s when the idea hit me—Zion. It was a gamble. I didn’t know if the cottonwoods would be in their golden glory or if the timing was right, but with our camping gear ready and nothing to lose, we decided to go for it.
The moment we arrived in Zion, my doubts vanished. Gold. The cottonwoods were ablaze, their leaves shimmering like coins in the crisp autumn air. The Virgin River’s gentle burble harmonized with the whisper of the leaves in the cool breeze. The scent of damp earth mixed with the sweet aroma of decaying foliage, and I could feel the promise of something extraordinary.
My target was The Watchman, Zion’s iconic sentinel. I scouted a spot, ensuring the autumn foliage framed the majestic peak. The daylight hours passed in a blur as I refined my composition, my boots crunching on pebbles and fallen leaves. The sky shifted to soft pastels as the sun dipped lower. Then it happened—the moment I had envisioned.
The Watchman glowed, bathed in warm, golden light. The ridges behind it softened into delicate silhouettes, and the cottonwoods in the foreground ignited in radiant yellows. The air seemed to pause. My shutter clicked repeatedly, capturing what my heart already knew: this was the shot I’d been chasing for years.
As the last light faded and the chill of night crept in, I packed up with a sense of elation. What had begun as a disappointment became a dream fulfilled. The gamble to chase Zion had paid off, delivering a photograph that captured the essence of autumn and Zion’s soul.
Sometimes, life’s detours lead us exactly where we’re meant to go.
