Mitten’s Shadow ~ Monument Valley, Arizona
Canon 5D, 24-70mm f/2.8L, Singh-Ray 2-stop ND Grad
Twice a year the West Mitten’s shadow is cast onto the East Mitten at sunset in Monument Valley. I was lucky enough to witness it many years ago before I got into photography and I’ve always wanted to get back.
Last week I headed out across the desert to Monument Valley again in the hopes of experiencing and photographing this event. As I drove west from Taos I began to get a little nervous due to heavy cloud build-ups on the horizon. This was the one time I’ve actually hoped for ’severe-clear’ (i.e. no clouds). The clouds came and went, but in the end they broke on the horizon long enough for the sun to shine directly on the buttes providing a classic red rock glow and even adding some great texture to the sky above. I’d like to thank Mother Nature for her cooperation in my photography endeavors!
Adam Schallau is a photographer whose work explores a variety of topics that
include the landscape, culture and people of the American Southwest and Rocky
Mountains. It is with a profound respect for the land, its people and their
history that Adam sets out to recapture the spirit of a place to tell a story
through his photography.
Adam is a recipient of the Luminous Landscape Endowment Award and was an Artist-in-Residence
at Grand Canyon National Park.
Adam–I wish I knew you were coming this way. I had a rather boring weekend and would gladly have driving over to MV to meet you. Oh well, I’m sure out paths will cross eventually.
Hi Tony,
Sorry about that, buddy. I wasn’t sure if I was going to have the time off to get out there and everything fell together at the last minute. I wish you could have been there. Adam Kavalunas and Laurent Baig were also there.
Maybe we could meet at Bisti sometime?
Fabulous image! I can see just enough detail in the foreground on this monitor that the dark transition line does not distract me, like it did on your laptop.
Brian, thanks for taking a look and for your comment.