Early Morning Shooting In Monument Valley’s Backcountry
Sunrise at Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei, Monument Valley - One must have a Navajo guide to gain access to this scene for photography.
There we were, a fellow photographer (also from Los Angeles) and myself, at 5:40 in the morning one day in April 2009, waiting in the lobby of Monument Valley’s View Hotel. The native Navajo music playing over the lobby’s speakers filled the empty hotel lobby, and my fellow photographer and myself talked about what to expect as were going to go out into Monument Valley’s backcountry for four hours of early morning shooting. Very few people have access to Monument Valley the way we were about to have access to it in just a few short minutes that morning.
It was still dark and cold outside. At exactly 6:00 a.m., the bright headlights from Tom Phillips’ 4×4 SUV appeared within view through the hotel lobby’s doors. The legendary Navajo guide, Tom Phillips, who had led some of the best photographers around into Monument Valley’s backcountry to photograph its splendor had arrived, and with a quick “let’s go” we were off.
As we descended into the valley, Tom spoke about the history of Monument Valley, and told stories about the valley and its people. In particular, he spoke about the famous Navajo Code Talkers, bilingual Navajo speakers recruited during World War II to aid in the transmission of secret tactical messages. We passed by several of Monument Valley’s famous buttes and rock formations, including the Three Sisters. Light from the still present moon was the only light source illiminating these formations in the darkness.
Tom knew where to take us to get the best photos that morning. He knew exactly where to be and at what time.
He stopped his SUV in what seemed like out in the middle of the desert. It was still extremely cold and windy outside when my fellow photographer and I unloaded our photo gear out of Tom’s SUV. Tom led us out much further away, and told us to set up our cameras and tripods in a clearing on the desert floor.
We were about to photograph Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei, at sunrise. According to Tom, we had only a few minutes to prepare for the sun to peak behind the rock formations. Time was of the essence.
iPhone shot of waiting for the sun to peak at Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei
The resulting shot was the one that appears at the beginning of this blog post. We snapped away, and meanwhile, Tom was already thinking about the next destination. He yelled at us as he packed up for the walk back to his SUV, “you’re wasting your time!” Time was again, of the essence. With that, my fellow photographer and I also packed up.
The next destination was around the backside of Totem Pole and Yei Bi Chei, Monument Valley’s famous sand dunes. Upon arrival, Tom parked his SUV on high ground in the desert (so we could see it easily on the way back), and led us to a place where we could set up our tripods. There were many places to set up, and many different photo compositions were possible. I worked the area.
iPhone shot of setting up to photograph Monument Valley's sand dunes
I finally found a location and composition that I liked, and went for it.
Sand Dunes Near Totem Pole, Monument Valley
After the sand dunes, Tom took us to a number of different locations. The sun was very much out now, and it was not longer as cold as it had been earlier that morning. Ear of the Wind arch and some miscellaneous rocks with some petroglyphs were some of the highlights.
Ear of the Wind, Monument Valley
Monument Valley Petroglyph
Our four hours of early morning photography were drawing to a close. My fellow photographer was driving to Flagstaff that morning to catch a flight back to Los Angeles. Meanwhile, I still had two full days in Monument Valley. Tom Phillips and I discussed the possibility about taking me out at 3 p.m. that afternoon for some afternoon shooting. He mentioned that there was a possibility of a very strong sandstorm that afternoon, and we decided that it would be best to “play it by ear.” I was to meet him in the lobby of the View Hotel a 3 p.m. that afternoon and we would decide things from there. He made recommendations about other sights to photograph in the area between now and 3 p.m. that afternoon. I took notes. He dropped us off at the View Hotel, and I enjoyed a fabulous breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant. It was a very productive morning of shooting.
Tip: Most of the interesting parts of Monument Valley (ancient ruins, petroglyphs, beautiful arches, etc…) are restricted to the general public, and you need a Navajo guide to access them. I came here to do only photography, so I charted Tom Phillips, who is well known, very knowledgeable, and has worked with many of the finest photographers around. While Tom works with photographers, and is typically well-booked, there are many guides available at the Visitor Center booth. More information is also available inside the Visitor Center and at the front desk of the View Hotel. Please be sure to tip your guide well. Invest in a guide to get the most out of your Monument Valley experience.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Early Morning in Monument Valley's Backcountry
Disclaimer: Monument Valley is a very rich place in terms of things to see and do. My blog postings related to Monument Valley are not intended to be a substitute for one’s own thorough travel research, but rather a “travelogue” of my experience with visiting and photographing Monument Valley, in order to provide some ideas and insights to others. Many ways to experience Monument Valley exist.
