Greetings from San Cristobal and beyond to Mounument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
This week I was digging in the archive, searching for stock images and a selection for a local photography exhibition. I got distracted and went down the rabbit hole. An image of the shadow event in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park last spring drew me deeper down the hole. Revisiting a photo, I tend to reminisce and then often edit it to represent more of what I felt than what I initially saw.
Click on an image to enlarge.
Shadow event last spring in Mounument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
Monument Valley and southeast Utah are one of my all-time favorite areas. I’ve been there many, many times since my first trip in 1985. It did me a world of good to revisit there, although virtually this week.
Secondly, a picture of Taos Mountain from a few years ago, bathed in the last light before the sun set. I wanted to edit it again, bringing out the details in the little creek in the foreground.
Pueblo Peak/Taos Mountain winter.
A few days ago, Pami and I made a short drive to a favorite spot in the San Luis Valley, you know which one. First, we enjoyed the scene of hay trucks hauling half-ton bales down the narrow roads to one of the many pole barns scattered throughout the valley. A lot of the fields, and some equipment, were put to bed for winter. The pivot irrigator languished on its side wheels up, either for repair or ready to be dismantled and stored. It reminded me of a turtle on its back with legs in the air.
Pivot irrigator, San Luis Valley, CO.
Roadside tree with hay bales, San Luis, Valley CO.
The tree above is home to nesting raptors. I’ve often photographed them in this tree in this area. Of course, no trip to the valley would be complete without a visit to the old homestead.
Greetings on a beautiful spring day in Monument Valley.
Last week I stated that I would post a few more images from the Monument Valley road trip with my friend David. I hope I don’t overdo it!
We went there for the “shadow event” as it is called. In last week’s photo, I told you that it had fizzled out at the prime moment, even so, the light on the landscape was magnificent. In the first two images below you can see that we were not disappointed with the second evening’s opportunity.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park shadow event.
Monument Valley, the “Mittens shadow event” at the prime moment.
Dedicating a longer length of time to one place, allowed us to explore the area more extensively. Keeping an eye on the weather (one can see the changes coming far off) we were able to make a judgment call and go to where we thought the results would pay off for a photograph.
This lineman in the next photo has the best view of any job I know of. If I were him, I wouldn’t get any work done. I’d be constantly looking around at the view, and possibly electricute myself in the process. That is why I do what I do and he does what he does.
A county lineman with the best view!
The lineman’s view, notwithstanding, check out his (were he to glance over) and our view in the other direction, over my shoulder. The vista point was a short walk from a turnout on Highway 163. We passed through a stretch gate, up and over a slight rise for a view of one of my most favorite places on the planet. Over the years, I’ve made many camping trips to Valley of the Gods. My preferred campsite is way in the back of this image, where the rain is falling. There are canyons to hike that seem to go on for almost an eternity. It’s a very special place. Can you imagine the night sky from in there with no light polution?
Valley of the Gods, Utah.
Valley of the Gods, a close-up of a fast-moving rainstorm.
From Valley of the Gods, we drove up the Moki Dugway. If you have a phobia of heights and sheer drops better give it a miss. From the top, we went west on a well-traveled dirt road to the edge of those mesas on the left in the photograph below. The view from the edge was quite amazing. In the second photo, I’m looking down to the San Juan River as it meanders through the goosenecks of the canyon and beyond to Navajo Mountain.
Muley Point with clouds from below.
San Juan River Goosenecks looking to the west and Navajo Mountain.
Back to Monument Valley, the point of the whole trip.
Tree and a view in Monument Valley.
Spectacular view in Monument Valley, sans the tree.
Just because it was there, I had fun lining up this shot of the Mittens with a random chair…
West and East Mittens are framed by a vendor’s tent structure.
…and this one!
West Mitten is framed by a vendor’s tent structure.
One last look at the Monument Valley scenic drive from the iconic pair of rocks at the valley vista.
“The Mittens”, Monument Valley, scenic drive.
Then it was on to Shiprock, known to the Navajo as Tsé Bitʼaʼí – Rock with Wings, and the road home.
Shiprock, Tsé Bitʼaʼí (Rock with Wings), New Mexico.
Shiprock, New Mexico.
Incidentally, this is how our trip began in the early hours of Tuesday Morning on Highway 64 west of Taos, New Mexico.
Driving in snow and ice on Highway 64, New Mexico
I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you get a chance to head out there, I highly recommend it. If you need a tour guide let me know. Prints are available of all these images. Send me and email if you are interested.
I’m on the road for a few days to photograph the “shadow event” at Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park with my good friend R. David Marks. The shadow event occurs twice a year in March and in September. If the event happens tomorrow, weather permitting, I’ll post the final image next week along with more images from our road trip. In the meantime, here’s a teaser image from yesterday evening waiting for the shadow of the “west mitten” to pass over the “east mitten”. The clouds ultimately won out.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
As always, thank you for looking and for all your wonderful comments and compliments. Have a great week. G
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Arizona. Sunset from my room in “The View” Hotel. I didn’t make it here this year for the obvious reasons. This was last Spring. I’m looking forward to another photography trip there soon. Interesting that the hotel is built on the former campground where I’d camped many times prior. I often had this view all to myself years ago. Here’s another view from “The View”. Thanks for looking. G
