There is a moment just before sunset in Arches National Park where the rock stops looking like stone and starts looking like glowing embers. It’s a masterclass in lighting.

To maximize our time and avoid the usual parking scramble, we booked the Arches Sunset Tour with Moab Adventure Center. Best decision we could have made. While our guide handled the winding roads and shared the geology of the park, I was able to scout frames right from open air van.

We took short, manageable walks out to iconic spots like Balanced Rock and the Windows Section. As the sun hit that perfect angle, I put the eyes to work, capturing the incredible contrast between the fiery orange sandstone and the deep, cool shadows of the desert canyons.