Pathfinder and Riparian's brief return to Monument Valley

pathfinder

I was invited by Aaron Nelson to spend a night in Monument Valley with Mylo James up on Hunt's Mesa. This involved about a 2 hour ride in the sand dunes up to the mesa top in a Jeep. Great fun, and quite exhilarating. We shot sunset and sunrise and then came back down to the valley floor.

Here is sunset



Just prior to sunrise -



And finally, sunrise!





Later that afternoon we dropped by the visitor center, for the typical tourist shots of the Mittens and Merrick Butte

First in IR with my 40D



And then in color


I am gradually working up the images from that weekend, and storing them here - http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/Travel/Monument-Vallley-in-May-2010/12104314_fV2ax#860217878_NHLkX

Great trip Aaron and Mylo. Thanks for inviting me, guys!

I am eager to hear suggestions and criticisms about these images if my readers are so inclined:thumb

Andy

WTG you got there also when there were clouds, niiiiiiiiice

pathfinder

Thanks, Andy!

The following day there was 5 inches of heavy, wet snow in Monument Valley and you could not see the buttes AT ALL. I have picture from that day, but they have not been worked up yet for posting.

dlplumer

That first one is absolutely delicious

hawkeye978

Beautiful set. I particularly like #2. Is that HDR? There is some great details coming out in the rocks because of the light. Some selective curve changes may bring those out even more, or just muck it up completely

pathfinder

Thanks, Tom I favor #2 also.

Yes, it was shot as a 3 frame exposure hdr-like image, via Photomatix to HDR, and then Photoshop for final image processing. It seems a close match to what I could see in the pre dawn light with my naked eye at the time.

It is cool and grey, but so was the landscape at that moment.

It was only a few moments later that it looked like the next image labeled 'sunrise'.

I did some special processing for the foreground rocks, but I always over do things, so I dialed it back just a bit, but it is still warmer than the mid ground thats for sure. I doubt more would be better, but I could be wrong too.

Tango

Excellent Jim! It's so thrilling to think about how amazing and surprizing that sunset was!.... I had a great time and as usual learned a ton from Pathfinder.

clap


btw everyone... sunrise from Hunts Mesa is magical.......sleeping on Hunts Mesa is not:D

CWSkopec

Excellent images, Pathfinder! (as usual!)
That first one is just amazing, are those low hanging clouds/fog on the right picking up the sunset light?

AaronNelson wrote: »

sleeping on Hunts Mesa is not:D

What happened, Aaron? Someone wake you up after their tent broke?!

pathfinder

I think that is sand blowing in the air on the right, Chris. The wind was quite active that day.

Tango

Jim, it looked like a squall of rain to me, eitherway it has wonderful colors.

Chris, thankful nobody awoke me with tent failure....(glad you have a new one btw:D) also, it was extremely cold and windy.... I didnt feel as if I got any sleep but the next morning it was pointed out to me that my snoring told otherwise....:D

Joashots

:wow Beautiful images, the light, the clouds esp. - stunning

pathfinder

AaronNelson wrote: »

Jim, it looked like a squall of rain to me, eitherway it has wonderful colors.

You're probably right, Aaron - the sand was worse the day before I think.

Tango

pathfinder wrote: »

You're probably right, Aaron - the sand was worse the day before I think.

I'm sure your road warrior BMW will back you on that statement about the day before!!
btw, how much sand came out of that airfilter?

schmoo

So glad that you're still up and at 'em, Jim! Seriously, there was snow (snoi!) the next day?

JordanRHughes

Those are simply magnificent and mesmerizing. thanks for the share.

pathfinder

schmoo wrote: »

So glad that you're still up and at 'em, Jim! Seriously, there was snow (snoi!) the next day?

Yup! Two days later. Monday May 3rd.

Over 5 inches of wet heavy slush in the parking lot at the visitors center at Monument Valley!

Here is a view of HW 160 between Page Az and Kayenta



And here is the Ansel Adams view from the visitors center in Monument Valley



It usually is seen like this

Awais Yaqub

wow, brilliant work. One of the best photos of this place i have seen !

zoomer

Very cool stuff.
What an amazing place.
Even on my crappy dark work monitor these shots look good.
Nice job.

Tango

pathfinder wrote: »

You're probably right, Aaron - the sand was worse the day before I think.

now that I'm home looking at the single files I think your right about it being dust, however like I said...eitherway, wonderful colors:D and such a great catch!!!!

coscorrosa

The first, third, and last our my favorites, you two had some amazing light!

Sexy6Chick

STUNNING, absolutely stunning!

pathfinder

AaronNelson wrote: »

I'm sure your road warrior BMW will back you on that statement about the day before!!
btw, how much sand came out of that airfilter?

A lot less than I expected Aaron, maybe two tablespoons full. It is rubber gasketed tightly so I am sure none got past the air filter, but I was nervous for a while.

Where are your images from the weekend?

From Lower Antelope

ImageX Photography

Amazing work!

Marc Muench

You guys were fortunate to make it up there and even more fortunate to get some special light Its good to see you working the files Jim, keep up the good work

Did you see anyone else?

pathfinder

Aaron and I met Mylo and two other Navaho guides, and then went to another hotel to pick up three other fellows - so all told there were 8 of us with gear in two Jeeps. We were fully loaded. By the time the tent was up and supper over up on the Mesa, two guides and the three other fellows had decided to go back down the mesa, leaving Mylo, Aaron and I to spend the night in the tent in the mid 30's. I slept nice and warm, but Aaron not so much. I had great time! The guides returned in the morning with the second Jeep and we went back down the Mesa to the valley via a steep sand dune roller coaster ride.

We saw no one else up there

Marc Muench

Thanks Jim, that sounds just like it should be! Going down that big dune is quite the ride

This is what I remember

Jane B.

pathfinder wrote: »

I was invited by Aaron Nelson to spend a night in Monument Valley with Mylo James up on Hunt's Mesa. This involved about a 2 hour ride in the sand dunes up to the mesa top in a Jeep. Great fun, and quite exhilarating. We shot sunset and sunrise and then came back down to the valley floor.

Here is sunset



Just prior to sunrise -



And finally, sunrise!

When I started viewing this thread I was expecting to see sunset and sunrise taken from the same vantage point. These look like they are shoot looking in a completely different direction.

I really enjoy what I have seen of this area but not having been there can't offer an opinion on how close to reality I think any shots are.

Keep up the good work
Jane B.

pathfinder

Thanks Jane.

All three shots were taken within a couple hundred yards of each other or less.

Different focal lengths of course, the first shot was a telephoto, the second two wide angle.