Utah, what can I say? It's an amazing collection of geology, with sandstone shaped into: natural arches; weird alien shapes; towers, fins, mesas and buttes stretching off into a distance impossibly far away.

I had a ball with my camera here, as did just about everyone else I met: I chatted about gear and photography when I wasn't busy undertaking this same obsession.

So much to see, and the photos here are from (in no particular order):

Arches National Park - not the only place for these formations, but the famous ones are here, including Delicate Arch (used as the logo for the park). Had a hot day, with vivid blue skies here, but come sunset at Delicate Arch, the cloud came just above the horizon, and a wind whipped the sand about. So, most of use huddled in the shelter, and discussed photography, and the great sunset we weren't going to get. And then drifted off separately, depending on your place on the optimism-realism continuum (think I'm about in the centre).

Dead Horse Point State Park - I'd already had a good sunset here, so didn't mind not getting one in Arches. The view here is amazing, until, that is, you go to ...

Canyonlands National Park - Where you can stand at the end of the Island in the Sky District, looking out over the rest of the park, and trying to overcome this sense of insignificance and increasing vertigo. And remembering to take photos, of course!

Goblin Valley State Park - Bizarre sandstone shapes on a more 'human' scale of a few metres each. Walk amongst them and enjoy the sense of surrealness. Also used for filming part of the sci-fi spoof Galaxy Quest, and I can see why. The sky became white and featureless, adding to that other-worldly feeling, before turning stormy and lending things a really dramatic feel.

Monument Valley - Star of as many westerns as John 'Don't call me Marion' Wayne! Surrounded by sunny plains, the area had a thunderstorm sat right on top of it, which refused to shift the entire day. After dumping much of its rain on the area, I only managed to drive a small fraction of the circular trail there, owing to an arroyo becoming a fast-flowing river. Still, the few shots I did get were certainly lent a dramatic air by it all. Now I have an excuse to go back there sometime.