Pictures from my visits in North America

 Here are some pictures from the places that I got to visit during my stay in North America.

#grandcanyon #AntelopeCanyon #GrandCanyonNationalPark #arizonalife #arizonaphotographer #usa #nature #naturephotography #naturalwonders #coloradoriver #unitedstatesofamerica

A view of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A view of downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Natural textures.. The upper Antelope Canyon, Arizona. The canyon walls are made of Navajo Sandstone, which originated as vast desert sand dunes around 190 million years ago during the Jurassic period. These dunes were eventually compressed and cemented into rock. 

The "Heart of Antelope Canyon" refers to its sacred, womb-like inner passages, a slot canyon carved by flash floods from soft Navajo sandstone, known for its stunning light beams and flowing shapes, considered a spiritual place by the Navajo Nation symbolizing rebirth, where water and wind are the Earth's breath, and access is restricted to guided Navajo tours for preservation and cultural respect.

The uplift of the Colorado Plateau, which began millions of years ago, created fractures and fissures in the hard sandstone bedrock.

Water Erosion: The uplift also increased the gradient of streams and rivers, accelerating erosion. During monsoon seasons, rainwater collected in the basin above the canyon would rush through these cracks as turbulent flash floods, carving and deepening the narrow channels over time.

Wind Abrasion: During long dry periods, wind carrying sand particles further buffed and smoothed the canyon walls, contributing to their unique, polished finish.

Color Chemistry: The striking red, orange, and pink hues in the canyon walls are caused by the oxidation of iron-bearing minerals within the sandstone. The combination of minerals and the angle of the sun's rays creates the vibrant, shifting spectrum of colors.

"Singing" Canyon: When wind flows through the narrow, twisting passages of the canyon, it creates a distinct, almost musical humming or whistling sound that resonates through the rock formations.

A Living, Changing Landscape: The canyon is still actively being shaped. Every heavy rainfall or flash flood event subtly changes the passageways, ensuring that the canyon is a dynamic and evolving masterpiece of nature.

Elevation and Height: Upper Antelope Canyon sits at approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) elevation, and its walls rise about 120 feet (37 meters) above the streambed.

While I was photographing the beautiful canyon.
 Amazing place to visit.

Antelope Canyon from the outside

Horseshoe Bend is a spectacular horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located in Arizona, near the town of Page. It's a major tourist destination known for its breathtaking panoramic views and geological significance. It is an "incised meander" or "entrenched meander," where the Colorado River, trapped in its winding path, cut deeply and rapidly through the uplifting Colorado Plateau over millions of years. The overlook is approximately 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the river. The bend itself is a dramatic 270-degree curve in the river's course.

The cliffs of Horseshoe Bend are predominantly made of Navajo Sandstone, a formation composed of ancient, petrified sand dunes from a vast desert environment that existed around 200 million years ago. The vibrant red, orange, and even purple hues in the sandstone come from iron oxide, more commonly known as rust, in the rock. While the process took millions of years overall, the rapid, downward carving of the canyon occurred mostly within the last 5 to 6 million years, a relatively recent event in geological time.

The Grand Canyon, located entirely within Arizona, is one of the most famous natural wonders of the world, renowned for its immense scale and the spectacular geological history revealed in its layered rock formations.

The canyon is approximately 277 river miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide, and over 1 mile (6,000 feet or 1,800 meters) deep. The exposed rock layers in the canyon walls represent nearly 2 billion years of Earth's history, offering an unparalleled cross-section of the planet's crust.

The canyon was primarily carved by the power of the Colorado River, a process that accelerated significantly within the last 5 to 6 million years as the Colorado Plateau uplifted.

The Desert View Watchtower is a 70-foot-tall stone structure located on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, known for its unique architecture inspired by ancient Native American designs and the panoramic views it offers of the canyon. 

San Francisco, California

The Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic, 1.7-mile-long suspension bridge that crosses the Golden Gate Strait, the entrance between the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Recognized as one of the Wonders of the Modern World, it is known for its distinctive "International Orange" color and Art Deco design.

San Francisco's Twin Peaks are iconic, pine-covered hills offering spectacular panoramic views of the entire Bay Area, famous for their hiking trails, resident wildlife, and the looming Sutro Tower, serving as both a natural landmark and a popular tourist spot for breathtaking city vistas, even above the fog.

The SkyStar Wheel is a 150-foot-tall traveling observation wheel currently located in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco.

Sea lions are social, playful, and intelligent marine mammals known for their loud barks, visible ear flaps, and ability to "walk" on their strong front flippers when on land. They are found in most oceans, except the North Atlantic, and are protected under acts like the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Captured at La Jolla, San Diego, California.

Sea Lions on a cloudy day at La Jolla, San Diego, California.

Sea Lions on a cloudy day at La Jolla, San Diego, California.

Sea Lions on a cloudy day at La Jolla, San Diego, California.

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California

The yellow, red, and purple colors of fall foliage are caused by different natural pigments that become visible when the dominant green chlorophyll breaks down due to shorter days and cooler temperatures. 

Yellow and Orange: These hues come from carotenoid pigments (specifically carotene and xanthophyll), which are present in the leaves all year long but are masked by the abundant green chlorophyll during the growing season. As autumn approaches, chlorophyll production stops and the pigment degrades, allowing the stable yellow and orange pigments to show through. 

Fall in Virginia

Swallow Falls State Park is a public recreation area in Garrett County, Maryland, renowned for its scenic beauty, including Maryland's highest free-falling waterfall, the 53-foot Muddy Creek Falls.

Fall colors are the result of chemical processes triggered by shorter days and cooler temperatures in autumn. Trees stop producing the green pigment chlorophyll, revealing or producing other, hidden pigments that create yellow, orange, red, and brown hues before the leaves fall off to conserve energy for the winter.

Leaves contain several types of pigments, but most of the year the abundant green chlorophyll masks the others. As the tree prepares for dormancy in the fall, the chlorophyll breaks down and its nutrients are reabsorbed, allowing other colors to emerge.

Yellow and Orange: These colors come from carotenoids and xanthophylls, pigments that are always present in the leaf but are only unmasked when chlorophyll fades. These are the same pigments found in carrots and corn.

Red and Purple: These vibrant hues are caused by anthocyanins, which are not present during the growing season but are actively produced in the fall when sugars get trapped in the leaves by a special cell layer forming at the leaf base.

Brown: Tannins, another type of compound left behind after other pigments break down, produce the subtle brown colors often seen in oak leaves.

Slow shutter effect

Deep Creek Lake, located in the mountains of Western Maryland, is the state's largest freshwater lake and a popular four-season destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Tall trees in Maryland

Scenic

Beautiful rainbow at Niagara falls Toronto, Canada

Optimal Viewing Location: The most comprehensive and head-on views of all three waterfalls—Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls—are generally observed from the Canadian side across the Niagara River.

From the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, you can get a panoramic view of all three falls and, from observation towers, views that extend all the way to the Toronto skyline. The Canadian side is widely regarded as offering a superior vantage point for the waterfalls themselves. 

Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Falls), Location: Straddles the border, mostly in Ontario, Canada. Characteristics: Largest of the three, famous for its powerful, curved, horseshoe shape. Flow: Receives about 90% of the Niagara River's flow. 

Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Falls), Location: Straddles the border, mostly in Ontario, Canada. Characteristics: Largest of the three, famous for its powerful, curved, horseshoe shape. Flow: Receives about 90% of the Niagara River's flow. 

Horseshoe Falls (Canadian Falls), Location: Straddles the border, mostly in Ontario, Canada. Characteristics: Largest of the three, famous for its powerful, curved, horseshoe shape. Flow: Receives about 90% of the Niagara River's flow.