I'm pretty fond of the Snowflake Temple. I grew up in Snowflake and used to hike, explore, and hunt rabbits where the Temple is now located. It was a ways out of town and we could've never imagined a Temple would be built on the hill, let alone the surrounding golf course and big homes. It was amazing to see the top of the hill removed and the construction take place. I have several images of the construction process that I'll have scanned so I can post later.
     After the Temple was built I knew I had to photograph it with the waterfall in front. That's easier said than done because the waterfall is much lower than the Temple and several yards west of the entrance. When you stand close to the waterfall the rock wall and fence obscure most of the lower portion of the Temple.
     Once again, the key to my composition was the big tripod. Fully extended, it let me get high enough to see both the waterfall and most of the lower part of the Temple. I had to shoot from across the driveway in front of the falls, backing my ladder as far as possible into a tree.
     For those familiar with Snowflake, the wind blows - a lot. Wind is the enemy of large format photographers. Big cameras, tall tripods, long exposures, and photographers sitting on ladders are all affected by wind. I was blessed that the breeze died down and the high, thin clouds to the west reflected the setting sun, creating a soft, warm light source in the sky. The artificial lights at the Temple had just come on and mixed with the natural light to help the Temple glow against a darkening eastern sky. If you look closely, you can see the pyramid-shaped shadow they create on the front of the Temple just above the entrance.
     I returned to the Temple at sunset for the next few days and never had the calm conditions and great light I enjoyed that first evening.