This museum grade fine art photograph is available in a fine art limited edition of 200, signed and numbered with a signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance.
Moonrise of the Gods - Fiery Full Moonrise over Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple, Grand Canyon, AZ
Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Fiery Full Moonrise over Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple from Mather Point at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon
The full moon rises between Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple in the Grand Canyon, glowing a vibrant mix of yellow and orange. The rising moon lights the night sky around it a brilliant fiery orange as the temples and formations of the inner canyon darken in the shadows.
Moonrise from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon: The Pivot and the Reward
Sometimes the best laid plans go awry. I had planned to get here with plenty of time for sunset, followed by the full moonrise. I left Las Vegas early in the morning after leaving Death Valley the night before. I was gone before 8am, with more than enough time to arrive. I figured if I left early enough I'd get there by 12:30 or 1, eat, relax, explore and set up. But, in the back of my mind I worried. At this point, I'd been to the Grand Canyon enough to know it's my Unicorn: it's the one place no matter how many times you go, something always goes wrong.
This morning was going oddly smooth. Las Vegas? No traffic. Route down to Kingman? Gorgeous! As I got ready to leave Kingman after getting some food, I briefly thought about taking the Route 66 scenic route around. But then I came to my senses. Nope, I-40 was the quickest route. Quick and fast, get there with time to spare! So, onto Interstate-40 I went. Heading east down I-40 to Williams, Arizona was smooth. Then after 10 or 15 minutes I hit a backup. No big deal, these things happen. Except, this backup ended up lasting 80 miles, and it’s one of the reasons I now take the road less traveled: Route 66 up past Peach Springs, through Seligman to Ash Fork now. As morning passed to afternoon, I worried I was going to miss everything. No sunset, no moonrise. As I got close to Williams in the late afternoon, I saw the cause: a jackknifed Semi-Truck on a curve. To this day, I don't know why it took so long to clear and I suppose it doesn't really matter. By the time I hit Williams, Arizona and Arizona State Route 64 (SR 64), I knew I'd miss sunset.
I've long said there is always beauty in nature; you just have to find it. It was time to pivot and find the new reward. The Grand Canyon had long been a place that often forces me to pivot, so I just took it in stride. The canyon clearly had other plans for me. Time to figure out what they were! So I spent the next 60 miles calculating angles and figuring out times in my head as I drove down the highway. I settled on Mather Point, as the moonrise would still be between Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple and I knew I'd have a chance at Nautical Sunset.
As soon as I parked my car, I grabbed my camera bag and tripod and sprinted to Mather Point. It was close and the angles would work. The golden light of Nautical Sunset was still on the horizon, and the moon hadn't risen yet. I might have hit an 80 mile backup on the freeway, but there was still the magical light of nautical twilight left in the canyon. Time seemed to slow down, like an athlete or driver in the zone. I opened my camera bag, set up my tripod, framed up the camera and took Zoroaster's Transition. I knew the moon would be rising within 15 minutes, so after getting my nautical twilight photos I quickly swapped lenses from my EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM to my EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and turned around. The sky was turning a brilliant shade of fiery orange, as I immediately knew this one was going to be special. I framed the image around Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple, and shortly after the moon began to rise, mixed with a wonderful mix of yellow and orange colors. Against the orange sky, it was like a scene straight out of wonderland. I calculated the base exposure and moon exposure, and then waited a moment until the moon got between Wotans Throne and Vishnu Temple. As soon as it got where I wanted, I hit the shutter release cable.
I stayed long after the moon rose, looking out at the canyon under moonlight. It might have taken me 8 hours to go the 114 miles between Kingman and Williams, but I'd made it and as always, the Grand Canyon had something in store for me even when all my best laid plans went wrong. That's why I love this place: it makes you work for it, and when you do you’re often blessed with the most glorious of sights as your reward.
Technical Specifications
- Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- Settings (Moon): 200mm | f/2.8 | 1/60 Second | 100 ISO
- Settings (Base Exposure): 200mm | f/2.8 | 2.5 Seconds | 500 ISO
- Process: 2-Image Blend for Dynamic Range | Successive Back-to-Back Exposures Without Moving Tripod | Bespoke Multi-Layer Noise Management (Manual Masking to preserve shadow integrity and astronomical detail)
Note on Provenance
Captured using exposure workflow of the "Mead Method," developed over 15 years of fine art landscape experience. This image preserves a genuine, single moment in time. It is natural to the scene as it was taken. Exposures were taken back to back, one immediately after the other. As always, no generative AI is ever used in my work.
Photo © copyright by James Mead.
Chromaluxe® Metal Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
Vibrant. Modern. Impactful.
My Chromaluxe® Metal Fine Art Prints offer a sleek, modern presentation that’s both bold and beautiful. Using a high-heat dye sublimation process, each image is infused directly into a specially coated aluminum panel resulting in vibrant colors, ultra-sharp detail, and a striking glossy finish. The dye sublimation process infuses the image directly into the metal, creating a scratch resistant surface while helping provide permanent protection.
These prints feature:
• Vivid, color-rich surfaces ideal for modern spaces
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• Durable and lightweight aluminum construction
• Float mount backing for a frameless, floating display. Ready to hang out of the box
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
These metal prints are ideal for collectors seeking a contemporary look with museum-quality output. Resistant to scratch, moisture and UV fading, they work beautifully in both home and office settings.
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Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
Museum-Grade Brilliance. Gallery-Worthy Depth.
Bring home the brilliance of nature with the industry’s finest print medium. My Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints are crafted using a state-of-the-art process that infuses archival pigments into a transparency layer, backed by a clear acrylic backer and mounted under crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic. This creates a luminous, almost 3D effect. Colors appear to glow from within.
These gallery-grade prints feature:
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• 1/8" clear acrylic backer mounted using an archival adhesive layer
• 1.25” Roma wooden rear float mount frame inset 2” from the edge for a clean, frameless display that is ready to hang
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether you're designing a luxury interior or curating a personal gallery, these prints are built to impress and designed to last a lifetime.
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Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Museum-Quality Ready to Hang
Timeless elegance. Unrivaled depth. A true centerpiece.
My Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints represent the pinnacle of archival display. These statement pieces combine the award-winning brilliance of Lumachrome HD with the craftsmanship of custom Roma wood mouldings, transforming your chosen image into an heirloom-worthy work of art.
Each piece is handcrafted by master printmakers and framers in the USA using museum-grade materials. The print itself is infused with archival pigments into a transparency layer, mounted to an archival acrylic backer and face-mounted and sealed under a 1/8" layer of crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic: a premium optically-coated surface that eliminates reflections and enhances depth, vibrance, and clarity.
Surrounding this luminous presentation is your choice of genuine Roma Moulding, hand-built with a choice of 3.5" or 4" Italian made wooden Roma frame with a 3" black linen liner for a refined, framed, museum grade appearance. This adds approximately 13 to 14 inches to both the height and width of the final piece. This level of finish is rarely seen outside of luxury interiors and gallery exhibitions.
After placing your order, I’ll reach out personally to confirm your ideal frame and liner pairing from my curated Roma collection. If you’d prefer to finalize your framing choice in advance, feel free to reach out any time for a custom recommendation.
These museum grade works of art feature:
• Gallery-grade presentation with luminous depth and 3D effect
• TruLife® acrylic: anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and blocks 99% of UV
• Archival quality construction with pH-neutral adhesive and backer
• Available in your choice of 3.5" or 4" Roma wood mouldings with a black linen liner for a framed, museum-grade appearance
• Museum-grade 3" black linen liner for added depth and visual separation
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 4-5 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether displayed in a luxury residence, corporate lobby, or fine art collection, these framed prints command attention and offer a sense of permanence few art mediums can match.
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These are investment-grade art pieces designed to last generations. If you have any questions, need any mock-ups or if you need anything else before purchase, please reach out and I will be in contact shortly.