This is the cover of the book for the Griffin Museum exhibition titled "Vantage Point: The View From Here." The client wanted an image that would illustrate this theme and "create a point of contact to the land."

The photo captures the swirling motion of a group of vultures circling on thermals coming up from a canyon in the Moab desert, as seen from a fixed point on the ground over several minutes. The birds are in contact with the land via the warm updrafts that carry them, generated by the warm stone below. It's not a long exposure, but a composite photograph combining almost 500 separate images made from the same vantage point.

The client felt it was a great expression of the theme of the exhibition, and told me they're very happy with how many copies of the book they've sold. The museum also used the image to promote the exhibition, and it was very well received.