This early photograph of the Grand Canyon shows Muench’s mastery of contrast before he began primarily working in color. For a man obsessed with light, it is surprising that he only worked in black-and-white during the first few years of his career. David Muench has consistently spoken about how Arizona is both inspiring and challenging for him because of its unique light and landscape. To Muench, a huge part of the appeal of early morning light was the variety of colors and tones he could pull from in his images.
Grand Canyon Labyrinth shows Muench’s eye for composition: the river leading behind the rocks, the intersecting ‘V’ between the two sides of the canyon, and the lightness of the canyon walls in the far background. The diagonal lines create a dynamic movement echoed by the layering of the canyon walls, pulling the eye through the image and up toward the sky.
This image was displayed at Keystone Gallery in Santa Barbara, California (1981).
Taken at Mile 155 on the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona.