Thoughtful photographers often will take a step back and study a scene before they bring their eye behind the camera. That is what Ken Rockwell, who authors a lively and controversial website on photography ( http://www.kenrockwell.com ), seems to be doing here. I found him staring across a misty valley outside Moab, his hands clasped behind his back – very much embodying one of my favorite quotes from his website. Writing about composition in July, 2008, Rockwell said “I do my most careful work by looking away from the image and composing out of the corner of my eye. By using my peripheral vision, I can concentrate on the fundamental and critical basics without being distracted by details.” I composed this image around the fence that separates Rockwell from his subject matter. The wire strands that run diagonally through the image, broken only by a post, tripod, and camera, reminded me of bars of music. The conductor is about to bring it to life here.