Monument Valley, Az
John Wayne and John Ford has made this area famous. John Wayne is the cowboy actor and John Ford the director. John Ford did most of his western movie using the Monument Valley as the background. From 160 you turn north on 163, which take you to Monument Valley. These pics was taken with the Mamiya 645 AFD with the P45 digital back, most all of the pics are taken in June of 2006, starting 1:00 pm on. Also, these pictures was taken on the public dirt road. If you do take a Indian guide tour, you will be able to go into the restricted area, that only the Indian guides have permission to go to.
This picture was a panoramic with 5 images using the Mamiya 645 AFD, P45 digital back and with the 55 mm lenses. What you see is the dirt road that loop you around the valley area, I did wait until most of the car is not on the dirt road, I do shoot from left to right, this is my second set, when I start shooting my second set, that Indian was not there, not until I was taken my last images of the set, is when I notice him there, he help make the picture. From left to right, Sentinel Mesa, Big Indian, West Mitten Butte, East Mitten Butte and Merrick Butte. The dirt road is bad but if you have to, you can use your car to go threw the dirt loop, but a 4 wheel drive would be the best.
The left pics is left of West Mitten Butte and the right is of right of West Mitten Butte.
View of West Mitten Butte and the butte and mesa behind it.
Left is the Merrick Butte and corner of Thunderbird Mesa on the right.
View back toward the Merrick Butte and East Butte.
Both images was shoot with the Canon 1Ds MkII with the 24 mm to 70 mm zoom lenses.
Formation outside of Monument Valley and the road view on US163 from Utah going to Monument Valley.
Monument Valley is a very large area, there are some great looking formations outside of Monument Valley and can be seen on the road. I will be going back to Monument Valley and photograph some of the others part of that great valley. As said before, if you get a Indian guide, you will be able to go into the restricted area of Monument Valley, that only could be enter with a Indian guide or tour.
