Monument Valley Tribal Park

                                        Tear-drop Arch

                             Monument Valley is located on the border between Arizona and Utah.  It belongs to the Navajo Nation, but visitors are able to drive through the park on a specific road.  To visit other sections of the park, it is necessary to hire a local guide, which are easy to find at the visitor's center.  Tear-drop arch is one of the sites that requires a Navajo guide to visit.  It is best lit in the late afternoon.


Tech details:  Nikon F3, 24-55 mm Nikkor zoom, Fujichrome Velvia, film scan.

                   Sandstone monoliths


Tech Info:  Mamiya 645, 45mm lens, Polarizer, Fujichrome Velvia, film scan.

                                         Mittens- Sunset

     The mittens are probably the most well-known monoliths in Monument Valley, having been photographed in several western movies as well as television commercials.  Favorite times of the day to photograph these buttes are sunrise and sunset, especially if there are picturesque clouds present to catch the warm light.  On this evening, we had spent a long day out photographing, and were getting hungry.  On the way back to our room, we stopped at a small restaurant outside of the park and had a Navajo Beef platter.  It was one of the most delicious foods that I've ever had, but on my next visit to the area, I found that the restaurant had closed.  I hope that some day, I can find another restaurant in the area that serves a dish as good as that one!     


   If any of my Facebook friends have a chance to visit this area, I would highly recommend it as one of the most photogenic and enjoyable areas in the Southwest.                        

White Sands National Monument

Afternoon in the sun, on the dunes of White Sands


   After my younger daughter Christine's High School graduation (well over a decade ago), she requested that I take her on a photo trip to the southwest.  She wanted to go to New Mexico, I think partly because some of her friends had told her how cool Taos was.  We decided to see White Sands on the way, and here are a few shots that we took there.  The dunes of White Sands are made of gypsum, a mineral that is entirely different from the silica sands that one usually finds at beaches or other areas of the Southwest.  To me, White Sands has a sort of stark beauty that is different from other deserts.  For the photographers out there, when photographing white sand or snow, it is usually advisable to add at least a stop of extra exposure above what a light meter calls for, since the meter is calibrated to provide only 18% reflectance, or neutral gray. 

Christine photographing at White Sands


   We spent an enjoyable afternoon photographing in the dunes, and then as nightfall approached, I captured the image below as the moon rose in the East.  Notice that Christine takes instruction well- she's using a tripod, just like Dad told her!


Tech info (All images):  Nikon F3, 70-300mm Nikkor zoom, Fujichrome Velvia, film scan.

Moonrise- White Sands National Monument