Michael Bartikyan //Photography

Professional Photography & Printing

Sep 20

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Mono Lake

Mono Lake is located in Mono County, California. It is famous for it’s bizarre rock formations on a shallow water and on the shores that are called tufa. Tufa towers have grown underwater over hundreds of thousands of years and are a result of various chemical reactions. The reason why we can see them now is because the lake level have dropped unveiling this uniquely shaped rock towers. It was not an easy job to find the exact place of tufa formations because there are various locations where you can see them. I arrived to Mono Lake Tufa Reserve just before sunset but strangely it was not the place that I was looking for. Nevertheless I walked along the shore to find the taller towers but useless, I was at wrong place. I didn’t wanted to waste the light so I made several shots from that spot and they turned to be not really bad. I decided to stay there overnight and find the right place to shoot at sunrise. The place that I was looking for was in few kilometres away, so I drove there at 5am. I was surprised when I saw a crowd of people there with […]

Sep 19

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Yellowstone – Wildlife

Yellowstone spans a vast territory of almost 9000 square kilometers and 140 miles of roads in 2 loops. And it’s more likely to see wildlife early in the morning or late evening when the weather is cool. Still while you are driving from one point to another there is a chance to see some animals. Bison is probably the most populated species in Yellowstone, you can see them on the roads near Lamar Valley, and my first encounter with bison was near Old Faithful geyser. In the beginning they were just hanging out in the fields not far away from the geyser , but few hours later two male bison have started a show that none expected. Obviously it’s their mating season so they’ve been showing off in front of the female by chasing each other and fighting. Those massive beasts were growling and butting each other, they ran all the way till the parking lot with plenty of people out there and all I could see was a pile of dust. I rushed to them to get some shots from closer distance when they started charging back. One male just blasted back towards me and I managed to get […]

Sep 18

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Yellowstone – Nature

Yellowstone is the most distant spot of my trip and the most desired one. It’s considered to be the first national park in the world. The sheer size of it is a host of many geothermal features, lakes, forests, waterfalls and most importantly wildlife. One of the most famous features of Yellowstone is Old Faithful geyser, it erupts boiling water every 90 minutes and shoots up to 50 meters high. Many other smaller geysers and springs can be found in surroundings, they erupt randomly but for most of them there are estimations written on boards so you know when to expect next eruption. They look quite amazing but they stink very badly. This one with large deposits is called Castle Geyser. Partially because of volcanic lands and partially because of fire, vast majority of trees are dying in Yellowstone. Hot springs are the other part of Yellowstone that you can’t miss, coloration of those springs are a result of bacteria. The biggest and the mot beautiful spring in Yellowstone is Grand Prismatic Spring. It has vivid colors ranging from green to red , and the center of the spring is blue because of purity of the water and high depth. […]

Sep 17

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Grand Teton

I left the canyon states of Arizona and Utah and headed to Wyoming where I am going to visit Grant Teton and the key of my whole journey – Yellowstone. Those parks are radically different to the ones I visited previously. Here you are among forests, lakes and rivers and most importantly wildlife. I was really hoping to make sots of bears and other beasts and I don’t know if I was really lucky or this is common thing but after 15minutes of being in Grand Teton I saw a moose right from my left window, so I parked the car rapidly and ran back to have a look and to make some photos. He was just there standing in a small pond in bushes and drinking water. I moved a bit further and there was another one just few meters away I didn’t wanted to disturb the animal with shutter noise so I went back to my car and there were some other people coming to see the muse and they told me heyy have you seen the bear ? I said , what bear !? there is just a moose !? No no, was the answer , there […]

Sep 14

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Arches National Park

I’ve seen a lot of great sites in America and every time I was astonished by diversity of them and there was always something more brilliant than previous ones. But Arches National Park is just mind blowing !!! This is something really different, than Grand Canyon or Antelope, there are about 2000 stone arches in the park, and of course the diamond of the arches called The Delicate Arch. But let’s start with the monuments located at the beginning of the trail, first one is an enormously tall sandstone tower called The Organ. While you stand near this “made in nature” skyscraper you feel so much small… I lost the count of my wows in this park, as each and every monument is unique by it’s shape or kind or position ! I mean look at this Balanced Rock ! Incredible ! And this is called The Garden of Eden Cove of Caves North and South Windows Double Arch And finally the most famous arch of all The Delicate Arch. To get to this arch you need to hike more than 2km over steep rocks and hills, but it’s totally worth it , it’s so beautiful ! The best time […]

Sep 13

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Monument Valley

Arizona and Utah share this valley of greatness and beauty, the Navajo Nation Reservation. Here, massive red-rock mesas and buttes rise dramatically from the surrounding desert. Each formation has its own unique shape and name, and together they create the iconic landscape that you’ve likely seen on countless movie posters and in films. But it’s not just the rocks that make this place so spectacular — the road weaving through the valley adds to the magic. Many people mistake it for Route 66, but it’s actually Route 163. Even if you haven’t been here, I’m sure you’ve seen it in at least one classic American movie, with the endless desert stretching out to meet the towering buttes in the distance. One of the movies is Forest Gump and the spot on the first photo is the exact place where Forest Gump has ended his cross country run. I have reached Monument Valley visitor center just before sunset, there is parking space an from the left side of it there is nice view of 3 monuments. here were plenty of people with tripods and massive cameras set up, all capturing the iconic view. Suddenly, someone from the back shouted, “Hey, […]

Sep 12

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Antelope Canyon

After visiting Zion National Park, my next destination was Antelope Canyon. One of the great things about trips like this is that plans can sometimes change on the fly, and you have to improvise — and this trip was no exception. On my way to Page, I saw a sign for Coral Pink Sand Dunes and thought it would be a perfect sunrise shooting location. I turned off my route and headed toward the campground, but all my plans were washed away by heavy rain. The next morning, when I woke up at 7 a.m., the campground was a mud pit. There was nothing to do but drive straight to Antelope Canyon. The rain continued, and I began to accept the possibility that the canyon might be closed — and I was right when I reached the Lower Antelope Canyon. To enter, you need a guide. When I arrived, I saw two guys sitting in an old muscle car. My first thought was that they were visitors, and I felt a small relief that the canyon was open. Unfortunately, they were local guides — and they told me it was closed for the day due to rain. I could try again […]

Sep 11

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Zion National Park – Utah

One of the most challenging spots of my journey so far was Zion National Park. This place offers a wide variety of activities, but it’s especially popular with hikers and photographers. Honestly, I’m not much of a hiker, but this experience was absolutely worth it! One of the park’s premier hikes is called The Narrows — and the name says it all. As you walk through the canyon, the walls gradually close in, sometimes narrowing to just about three meters. On top of that, the river runs along your path, making the hike even more challenging. Normally, you need special water shoes or boots, but I didn’t have them, so I went ahead in my regular shoes. The rocks are incredibly slippery, and this is where a walking stick becomes essential. Fortunately, there are plenty of sticks provided along the trail — you simply pick one up and leave it for others when you’re done. The hike took me about five hours round-trip, reaching the junction where the canyon is at its narrowest and then returning. By the end, I was completely soaked, but it was an unforgettable experience. I loved every minute of it — and the photos I […]

Sep 10

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The Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon had long been at the top of my must-visit list, and my expectations were sky-high. I arrived around 5 p.m., just as the sun was beginning to set, spreading a warm, golden light across the vast canyon. I rushed forward, desperate to see it for the first time — and the view took my breath away. I froze for a moment, camera in hand, completely stunned by the sheer beauty unfolding before me. The colors, the shadows, the immense scale — it was mesmerizing. Slowly, I began taking shots, trying to capture even a fraction of the grandeur. And this was the first image I managed to capture — a memory I’ll carry forever. There are numerous viewpoints along the Grand Canyon, each with its own name. The one I started shooting from was Mather Point. After spending some time there, I wandered over to a few other viewpoints, but darkness fell quickly. I packed up my gear and headed back to rest for the night. Here are some of the photos I managed to capture before dusk — each one a glimpse of the canyon’s breathtaking beauty in the fading light. At sunset. I decided to stay […]

Sep 09

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Hoover Dam

Today’s trip was aimed at Hoover Dam, about 25 miles southeast of Las Vegas. The temperature here? One word: scorching. The heat was so intense that dehydration felt immediate — you could feel it with every exhale, your skin prickling under the blazing sun. And then there it was: Hoover Dam, a massive structure straddling the border between Nevada and Arizona, holding back the mighty Colorado River. Standing at the edge, the scale of the dam is almost unreal — a wall of concrete stretching across the canyon, with the turquoise river far below, shimmering in the relentless sunlight. The wind blowing off the canyon offered little relief, but it made the scene even more dramatic, reminding me why this engineering marvel has captivated visitors for decades. From now on I’ll be leaving the hottest states and heading to Grand Canyon !