Sedona, Arizona used to be one of my favorite places. But continued growth and development has changed the area...the way it feels and affects me. It's changed from being a quaint, little stop, known for its energy vortex...to a big tourist dive.

When I started going to Sedona, you could just park your car on the side of the road, hike into the red rocks or sit and commune with the hoards of other folks who came in just before sunset to bask in the awesome sunset and feel the vibrations from the vortex (the energy really pops at that time).

I confess...it's what has kept me returning here...many times with guest in tow. 

But no more.

Unless I have business in the area, I head to other places...like Monument Valley, Arches or the San Juan skyway.

Although I've mourned the change and loss of Sedona's essence, I yearn for it to go back to the way it was, even 10 years ago. Every time I've taken photos of Sedona, I was always disappointed once they were developed. A photo just couldn't capture the essense of the place, the magnitude.

Now the essense is gone.
At least, what I felt of it is.

The last time I was there, I dropped by for a conference and to make new friends. But I stayed about an hour or so away in Winslow, to 'chill' and check out a historical site. Then on to Payson to look for elk.

I was going back through some of my files and found a few of my photos of the area. So, without further adieu, photographs from my Sedona files.

What's this guy doing here???