People wonder if I made this image as I was flying over the canyon. I'll answer that in a moment. I often try to capture a feeling of vertigo in my images (this goes back to a childhood experience I had on a mountain in New York), and I usually do it by perching myself on the edge of a cliff (see Images #9261 and #9646). In this case, though, I was standing on a bridge. Fortunately, there was little traffic in this area, so, after a vehicle would pass, I waited for the vibrations to subside -- and a little more for good measure -- then released the shutter.

This brings up a question: If I'm trying to capture experiences in nature, should I stand on a man-made object while doing it? After all, this isn't exactly what you would call a wilderness experience. I'd say you could call it either way. No, when I'm on a bridge I don't feel the same sense of solitude and oneness with nature that I do, say, out on a trail. Yet, there are many occasions when I am in wild places and experience this sense of flying, but am unable to capture it on film, due to weather, lighting, or the fact that it is simply impossible to set up my camera where there is an unobstructed view of the subject. In the case of this image, I had that feeling, and it was an experience of nature, despite the minor distractions of man-made objects. Even though I may occasionally shoot from a bridge or a scenic overlook, my images are always true to my experiences.

Another point I'd like to make has to do with vibrations. When you're trying to capture extreme clarity in an image, vibration is a major concern. And it can occur at a level that is imperceptible to you at the time you release the shutter, although it becomes apparent in the resulting image. The bridge is one example, where the surface you're standing on is unstable. Another example -- and perhaps the most common -- is the vibration caused by wind or from touching the camera. It may take five or ten seconds for such vibration to stop completely. There are many tricks to minimizing or eliminating vibration, but remember that when sharpness is critical, any vibration will blur the edges and fine details. Always be conscious of potential vibration and take appropriate measures to eliminate it. Never underestimate how little vibration it takes to soften the edges of an otherwise perfectly sharp image.