Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA.

Sometimes it takes tremendous effort to see beauty.

Antelope Canyon is a slot canyon in the American Southwest. It is one of those remarkable places that takes your breath away. It is also a nightmare to photograph. It is usually quite dark, and it is difficult to spot a meaningful composition.

However, when you visit the canyon at the right time of day, light starts beaming into it from different angles. This can totally make or ruin your shot. Identifying the best time of day to photograph, depends on the time of year, and the exact spot you are trying to photograph. If you want to “photograph-with-a-plan”, in Antelope Canyon it requires precise research and planning.

“Hidden Heart” is one of those difficult shots to capture. When looking upwards, gaping in between the canyon walls, all kind of shapes can be seen, by playing with light and shadows. Most are meaningless and simply boring. However, “Hidden Heart” is just a beauty.

I had setup my camera’s tripod on the canyon’s floor. And after an intense session of trail-and-error, I managed to see this heart-shaped form through the canyon walls. Absolutely beautiful. Mother Nature’s hidden sculpture. I snapped away, taking many shots at different exposures, as lighting conditions were extremely challenging. This photograph is not a blending of multiple exposures, but a true representation of Mother Nature’s work-of-art.