Christine Irsik Photography

Christine Irsik Photography Real light, real places, real experiences — captured as they unfold in front of my lens.

An Outdoor photographer capturing artful journeys through untamed landscapes &quiet wildlife encounters; Staying true to my brand means staying true to the moment.

Looking Glass Rock, UtahMy hubby and I just returned from two days exploring the Moab area, and yesterday's sunrise dest...
08/28/2026

Looking Glass Rock, Utah

My hubby and I just returned from two days exploring the Moab area, and yesterday's sunrise destinations was Looking Glass Rock, located about 23 miles south of Moab on BLM land.

This massive sandstone formation is impressive from a distance, but standing beneath it gives you an entirely different appreciation for its scale. The large opening cuts completely through the rock, creating a natural window across the surrounding desert landscape.

Looking Glass Rock also has a connection to the history of this area. Its prominent shape made it an important navigational landmark along the Old Spanish National Historic Trail, which passed through this part of southeastern Utah.

We arrived for sunrise, and watching the first light begin to illuminate the sandstone was beautiful. Then the sun reached the opening—and for a brief moment, everything lined up. Catching that sunburst through Looking Glass Rock was exactly the kind of moment I hope for when heading out before daylight.

We spent some time photographing the formation from several perspectives, including from inside the opening and from the air. Adding ourselves to the frames really shows just how enormous this formation is.

Just now diving into the moments we captured more to come soon.

I think it’s time I gave Joe a little photography spotlight of his own.While we were exploring an off-road area a few da...
08/19/2026

I think it’s time I gave Joe a little photography spotlight of his own.

While we were exploring an off-road area a few days back just outside the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park, we were each doing our own thing. I was out on the rocks flying my drone just above and behind me ensuring not to fly forward into the park, while Joe was behind the camera capturing the landscape from his perspective.

I love the way he used the enormous landscape around us, and in several of these, included me in the frame to give a sense of just how massive this country really is. His panoramas especially show just how expansive this area is.

It’s been fun watching Joe get more involved with photography and begin developing his own eye and style. We may be standing in the same place, but we don’t necessarily see it the same way—and I think that’s one of the best parts of sharing photography together.

These are all Joe’s photographs, and I think he did a pretty darn good job.

Photography by Joe Miller

And finally… one last amazing stop from our Hanksville adventure.Before heading home, Joe and I spent some time explorin...
08/18/2026

And finally… one last amazing stop from our Hanksville adventure.

Before heading home, Joe and I spent some time exploring the Bentonite Hills behind the Mars Desert Research Station, and what a way to wrap up our trip.

From the ground, the colors and layers are fascinating—but getting the drone above them revealed something completely different. Swirls of orange, rust, cream, gray, blue and green seemed to flow across the desert like an enormous painting. Some of my favorite images from the entire trip came from simply looking straight down at this incredible landscape.

We also visited the Hanksville-Burpee Dinosaur Quarry, where dinosaur fossils have been discovered and excavated. Standing in an area where paleontologists have uncovered remains from millions of years ago was a pretty incredible way to add one more chapter to our Hanksville experience.

Looking back, we packed a lot into just a few days—off-road trails, wild horses, the Dirty Devil River, the Henry Mountains, canyon country, dinosaur history and finally these beautiful Bentonite Hills. What an adventure this turned out to be.

Until next time, Hanksville. I have a feeling we’ll be back soon!

I’m finally wrapping up going through all my photos from our Hanksville adventure a few weeks back, and I still have a f...
08/18/2026

I’m finally wrapping up going through all my photos from our Hanksville adventure a few weeks back, and I still have a few more places I haven’t shared yet!

One of those was our day exploring Poison Springs Canyon OHV. Joe and I headed down the off-road trail through some absolutely incredible canyon country, surrounded by layer after layer of colorful rock formations and some pretty spectacular scenery.

As we made our way farther in, the landscape eventually opened up to views of the Dirty Devil River winding through the canyon below. Getting the drone up gave us an entirely different perspective—you really don’t appreciate the scale of this country until you see those huge canyon walls and the river twisting through them from above.

Of course, the Bison was right at home out there, and we made plenty of stops along the way for photos and just to take everything in.

Looking back through these photos has reminded me just how much we packed into those few days around Hanksville. Poison Springs was definitely one of the highlights.

Last Saturday, while in the Hanksville area, Joe and I spent the morning making our way up and around the Henry Mountain...
08/13/2026

Last Saturday, while in the Hanksville area, Joe and I spent the morning making our way up and around the Henry Mountains. If you have a capable off-road vehicle and enjoy getting away from the main roads, this is an area I would definitely recommend exploring. The views and changing landscape along the way were incredible.

Unfortunately, wildfire smoke was still hanging over the area, so we didn’t have the clear skies or distant views we would have normally had, but there was still plenty to appreciate. After defending back down out of the mountains, we made our way to Angel Point Overlook, and this was an entirely different landscape.

From the overlook, you can see the Dirty Devil River winding through the canyon far below, surrounded by an incredible maze of colorful badlands, mesas and deeply eroded formations. One of the things I found most interesting was the variety of colors and layers exposed throughout the landscape.

Those layers tell a story millions of years in the making. Sandstone, siltstone, mudstone and shale were deposited over long periods of time, and differences in minerals within those layers help create the reds, oranges, creams, grays and greenish tones we see today. Water, wind and erosion have slowly carved through them, creating the ridges, cliffs and unusual formations that make this area so fascinating to photograph.

Even with the smoky skies, looking out across a landscape like this gives you an incredible sense of just how vast and rugged this part of Utah really is.

08/11/2026

About a week ago, before Joe and I headed to Hanksville, we spent the day exploring the backcountry outside Green River along the Eva Conover OHV route.

I put together a video from our drive, mixing in some of the photographs I captured throughout the day. From the I-70 bridges outside Green River to the wide-open views around Wikieup and the winding river below, it was one of those days when there seemed to be something worth photographing around every turn.

And apparently, while I was busy doing my thing, Joe was doing his — capturing me behind the scenes. I thought his photo was the perfect way to end the video.

A little bit of the drive, a little bit of the scenery, and a look at what goes into bringing home the photographs from these adventures.

Behind the Reef & Wild Horse Canyon | Hanksville, UtahThere is certainly no shortage of places to explore around Hanksvi...
08/10/2026

Behind the Reef & Wild Horse Canyon | Hanksville, Utah

There is certainly no shortage of places to explore around Hanksville, Utah. On July 31st, Joe and I headed out to explore Behind the Reef OHV and Wild Horse Canyon OHV—and the day ended up giving us a little bit of everything.

The scenery was incredible, with towering rock formations, layers of red and gold, and views stretching for miles across this rugged part of Utah along with some fun ghostly views of Factory Butte due to all the smoke.

While driving down Wild Horse Canyon, we were lucky enough to come across wild horses. We spent some time watching and photographing them, including these two putting on quite the show as they reared up at one another and kicked up the dust. Definitely one of the highlights of the day.

Eventually it was time to start finding our way out and head back toward Hanksville, but the adventure had one final surprise for us. While trying to find our way out, we stumbled across these pictographs tucked into the rocks. We certainly hadn’t expected to find them, which made the discovery even more memorable.

Wild horses, incredible desert scenery, miles of off-road exploring, and an unexpected piece of history along the way. Just another reminder of how much there is to discover around Hanksville.

The Bottleneck is one of the many incredible landmarks found within Utah’s San Rafael Swell, and over the course of two ...
08/04/2026

The Bottleneck is one of the many incredible landmarks found within Utah’s San Rafael Swell, and over the course of two separate trips through the area, Joe and I had the opportunity to photograph it from several different perspectives.

Rising above a landscape of colorful bentonite hills, towering cliffs, and broad desert valleys, this remarkable formation is a testament to millions of years of erosion. The layers of red sandstone and pale shale create striking patterns that seem to change with every shift in light.

Both visits took us past The Bottleneck, giving me the opportunity to capture it from the drone under different conditions. Seeing it from above really highlights its dramatic shape and the incredible landscape that surrounds it. Every pass revealed something different, from the intricate textures of the bentonite hills to the towering sandstone formations that dominate the horizon.

The San Rafael Swell continues to surprise us. No matter how many times we return, we always discover something new that reminds us why this corner of the Colorado Plateau has become one of our favorite places to explore.

During our recent trip, Joe and I made our way to The Wedge Overlook, often called Utah’s “Little Grand Canyon.” Standin...
08/04/2026

During our recent trip, Joe and I made our way to The Wedge Overlook, often called Utah’s “Little Grand Canyon.” Standing more than 1,000 feet above the San Rafael River, we watched the river wind its way through layers upon layers of ancient sandstone carved over millions of years. It’s one of those places where you can spend hours simply taking in the view, and every direction reveals something new.

The smoke in the air softened the distant cliffs that morning, but it also added an incredible sense of depth to the landscape. Sometimes the conditions aren’t what you hope for, yet they create a mood all their own.

As always, Joe had his camera in hand too. It’s been fun watching him discover photography from behind his own viewfinder, and I have to admit, I don’t mind when he turns the camera around and catches me enjoying places like this.

The San Rafael Swell continues to be one of our favorite places to explore. Its vast canyons, winding river, and endless layers of rock are a reminder of just how wild and beautiful this corner of the Colorado Plateau really is.

A few days ago, Joe and I decided to head to the Green River Utah area for a two-night adventure. With no real agenda o...
08/03/2026

A few days ago, Joe and I decided to head to the Green River Utah area for a two-night adventure. With no real agenda other than exploring, we spent our days wandering the backroads and discovering places we’d never visited before.

One of those stops was the incredible Buckhorn Draw Pictograph Panel in Utah’s San Rafael Swell.

Stretching across an enormous sandstone cliff, the panel features some of the finest examples of Barrier Canyon Style rock art, created thousands of years ago by the region’s early inhabitants. Standing beneath these towering figures really puts their size into perspective. The detail, scale, and mystery of the artwork make it easy to imagine the generations of people who have stood in this same spot over the centuries.

I’ve included a wide image of the entire panel so you can appreciate its incredible scale, followed by a few close-up photographs that highlight some of the remarkable details.

It was an unexpected stop on an already memorable trip—and one I’m really glad we made.

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