Utah's Breathtaking Blue Hills and Painterly Desert

Paris-born Emmanuel Coupe has received numerous awards for his breathtaking landscape photography. In 2009, he was named Landscape Photographer of the Year for a spectacular shot of a sunrise over Scotland's most famous rocky hill, Old Man of Storr. The photo beat out thousands of others because it beautifully showcased the rich and diverse landscape of the UK.

Though you can find an endless amount of inspiration on Coupe's website, there's one particular folder that holds a treasure trove of gorgeous photos. Under Utah, you'll find unreal shots of the western state's beautiful blue hills and painterly desert. When asked how much post processing work was done to Coupe's photo above, which he titled "Desert Blues," his answer surprised us. "There was very little post processing done, the colors were there in the hills and in the autumn plants. It only required small corrections as opposed to enhancements."

The unbelievable photo was shot in November, during sunrise, just outside of Capitol Reef National Park. The yellow cottonwood leaves provided a stunning contrast to the light blue mountains.

When asked what he enjoys the most about taking landscape photos, Coupe answered, "Quite simply, it combines being close to nature and, even more importantly, doing so in a creative mindset."