Navajo Tribal Park Tse-Bii-Ndzisgaii (The Valley Within the Rock) The land of Monument Valley has been considered sacred by the Navajo people, also known as Dine´ for nearly 600 years. An icon of the American Southwest, Monument Valley is a destination sought after by many photographers. Vibrant landscape images of the valley and its monuments are abundant. When Karen suggested that we celebrate my birthday by making a trip to the area, and having never been there before, I was quite excited by the idea. Leading up to our trip, I did a fair amount of research in hope that early planning would allow me to come away with a few good images. I studied the major monuments and formations, how they catch light and cast shadows and the best times to photograph. Then, to ensure we could gain access to snap the perfect image, we booked a Navajo guide service, Philips Photography Tours. I have deep admiration for many of the stunning images that can be found of the valley and formations, but my hope was that I could come away with something new and different. Nature provided this opportunity by giving us heavily overcast skies and rain. Considering that Monument Valley typically receives just over 7 inches of rain per year, to visit in these conditions is a rarity. Much of the valley was obscured in dense, low clouds with an occasional break to let shafts of light shine through. Rather than the vast landscape photographs that are so common, many of my images show the monuments partially hidden, wrapped or veiled in clouds along with some interesting plays of light. I hope you enjoy.
Monument Valley
