“Genesis 2” is the second of the images in the slot canyon series, and was taken in Waterholes Canyon near Page, Arizona. Waterholes Canyon is on The Navajo Nation land, and lies close to another famous slot canyon, Antelope Canyon. The size, depth, and contour of each canyon is unique and this canyon has an especially feminine and sensual feel to it. As the afternoon sunlight falls from the sky through this cleft in the earth, it breaks into many little mirrors, reflecting beauty everywhere. The poet Peter Crane has written a special text for this image. What is this fluid brilliance that tumbles down into the cleft of shadows that once held me fast? In the gathering embrace of its power, I ascend to the source. Emerging into the light, discovery is sweet. The power is my power; the beauty all mine. The native peoples of this area believed these canyons to be sacred, and it is easy to see why. Like in a sanctuary, it feels appropriate to speak in whispers and leave no trace of your presence behind. It is always difficult to capture on film the emotions and sensations that live within these canyon walls, but I feel that the images and text for this series help share with you some of the awe I felt while filming there. During the next series of pictures, I will review more camera and lighting tips that will help you capture your own special places to share. If you have not yet experienced the special beauty of the Southwest USA, I hope these images will change your mind. Many of these places are not easy to find without help, so source books are helpful–and there are several I will list later. I will also share how I came to see the human figure as an essential part of my exploration of the world with a camera. All pictures tell a story, and as a physician, my story includes the human body inserted into beautiful spaces. Since I see the body itself as beautiful, that beauty deserves to be seen and embraced. These images are part of that quest. ——in all of us there are beautiful colors, waiting to be discovered. Meter Elkin P. Miller Visit www.humanlandscapes.com to see and purchase my art book, “Humanlandscapes-Interpreting the Human Form.”
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