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.
The Slow Goodnight - Belt of Venus Sunset over Cape Final, Unkar Creek, and the Grand Canyon
Cape Royal Road, North Rim, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Belt of Venus at Sunset over Cape Final, the Sidewinder Pinyon Pine, Unkar Creek, Jupiter Temple, Venus Temple and Apollo Temple from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon
The soft magenta pastel colors of the Belt of Venus illuminate the skies above as alpenglow illuminates the Desert Facade on the East Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Sidewinder Pinyon Pine tree grows out of the cliff face along the North Rim looking out towards Cape Final as it glows in warm light. Jupiter Temple, Venus Temple and Apollo Temple rise up above Unkar Creek in the inner canyon, as its brown muddy water makes its way towards the Colorado River (out of frame).
The Sidewinder Pinyon Pine of the North Rim
Pinyon Pines are most commonly found at elevations between 4,500 and 7,500 feet, though on occasion they can grow as high as 9,500 feet. They are slow growing trees that can live over 500 years, with some reaching between 800-1000 years old. Most grow on the cliff tops and plateaus of the Grand Canyon, and they are frequently seen along the South Rim and North Rim in rocky areas with shallow soil. I found this Ancient Pinyon Pine on the North Rim at just under 8,000 feet, growing sideways out of the cliff face below the North Rim. Its base is on a narrow ledge no more than a few feet wide below the cliff face. At first, it grows upwards before the trunk bends sideways, growing downward at a sideways angle before the branches of its crown spread out upwards facing the sky.
It reminded me of the Sidewinder Rattlesnakes found in Death Valley, who move sideways along the sand instead of the normal movement of a snake. This Pinyon Pine tree grew in a similar manner, and its j-hook shape was reminiscent of the j-hook shaped tracks sidewinders leave as they move across the sand dunes in Death Valley. A tree this unique deserves its own name, and seeing as it has no official or colloquial name I've named it the Sidewinder Pinyon Pine.
The Journey to Find the Sidewinder Pinyon Pine: The North Rim and the Bob Ross Happy Little Accident
This tree is a ghost. I've seen only one photo of it before, in a hotel in Kanab. I couldn't even tell if it was a Pinyon Pine or a Utah Juniper in the photo, nor did it identify which. I decided I needed to find it, and set out after photographing dawn and sunrise the next day. I know the North Rim well, and had a few ideas where to start. After spending the entire day exploring, I found it that afternoon while exploring along the canyon rim where there was no trail at what I would later that night name Cape Royal Rd #3, since it was the third place I'd gone exploring that day.
The photo I saw didn't have any identifying features, so I couldn't pin it down to "south of Cape Final" or anything like that. So, I started exploring off trail off parts of the road with a shoulder wide enough for parking, so I could head to the rim and walk along it while keeping a GPS track to make sure I could find my way back. I found it at the 3rd spot when I decided sunset was an hour or so away and the view for my photo "Sun Slips Away" was epic. I decided to look around since the golden light hadn't hit quite yet, and start looking for it again tomorrow. I turned northward and saw it in the distance. So, I went north along the top of the rim, came up with some compositions and came back later that evening when the light I wanted hit.
I stayed at Cape Royal Rd #3 the whole time, and ended up giving free lessons to a nice gentleman from England who had seen my car parked and decided to hike out to see what was going on there. It's a good thing too. Before I was done with photos, he wanted to get a photo of Angels Window, so I sent him to a great spot to get a great view of it down the road from where he'd parked. Once I hiked back to my RAV4, I noticed my wife looked panicked. I'd accidentally left something on and drained the battery. The RAV4 wouldn't start, lights wouldn't even turn on, and it was early November, cold and getting dark.
I asked my wife and son "has anyone driven by yet?" She said no, and I quickly put down my camera bag and pulled out my Fenix PD35 flashlight. I saw a car round the corner, and I put the light on strobe to get the drivers attention. He stopped, and it was the gentleman I had given free lessons to! He was in a rental and didn't have jumper cables, and I had accidentally left mine and my jumper pack at home in Portland, Oregon. He drove us 300 miles round trip to get jumper cables, back to the North Rim and then give us a jump and follow us out. I tried to pay him as a thank you but he wouldn't accept money. He finally agreed to let me buy him half a tank of gas. The next day, I stopped into the SEMA Show in Las Vegas and bought a set of heavy duty jumper cables and a lithium-ion jumper pack with enough juice to start a big rig diesel. I've never again forgotten jumper cables and my jumper pack. Once, in a remote section of northern Arizona on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon was more than enough. Was it worth it all? Heck yes, the photos are amazing and the views on the North Rim are among the best in the park. Just make a list of everything you are taking before you leave, check it before leaving and don't forget your jumper cables after cleaning out your car, or you might have a view of the Sidewinder Pinyon Pine for longer than you intended.
What is the Belt of Venus?
The Belt of Venus (also known as the antitwilight arch) is the pink glow in the sky which occurs around sunrise and sunset. It radiates out in both directions from a spot opposite the sun at a spot called the antisolar point, and is caused by sunlight from below the horizon scattering and reflecting back in the atmosphere. The blue section below the Belt of Venus is the Earth's shadow from night creeping in (or fading away at sunrise). The Belt of Venus isn't flat. It actually curves downward with the Earth's curve from the antisolar point in both directions until it disappears below the horizon, making it visible on both sides of the antisolar point (sometimes upwards of 45 degrees in either direction until it disappears below the horizon).
Technical Specifications
- Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM
- Settings: 24mm | f/11 | 4.0 Seconds | 100 ISO
- Process: Single Exposure | Bespoke Multi-Layer Noise Management (Manual Masking to preserve fine detail and raw data integrity)
Note on Provenance
Captured using the single exposure workflow of the "Mead Method," developed over 15 years of fine art landscape experience. This image preserves a genuine, single moment in time executed entirely in the field without the use of composites, sky swaps, or generative AI. Just a single moment in time, preserved.
Photo © copyright by James Mead.
Chromaluxe® Metal Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
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• 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
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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.
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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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