Note: some images may be missing due to a loss in the database on my older server. Sorry!
TSE II AHI – ‘We walk in Beauty’ in Navajo. After just two hours at Monument Valley, this saying I had seen on a road sign along the way surely resonated with me. I had been driving for hours through beautiful red-rock country even before arriving at Monument Valley.
I had earlier today posted a picture through the rainy window of my car on Facebook, bummed that I was going to get rained out of this part of the state and couldn’t wait around as I had to get to Telluride. I really didn’t think that I was going to get a break, with the forecast I was hearing. But it’s the desert and a lot can change in a large expanse of area around here, and heck, I was on my way past Monument Valley anyway, so I headed there and hoped for the best. By the time I arrived, the storms were scattered cells, and first there was the rainbow and great clouds over the buttes, then there was a long spell of ‘almost there’ images towards sunset, and then the chance was lost to another cloud bank that rolled in. I used my polarizing filter to enhance the rainbow’s colors, but no special effects otherwise. It was the night before a full moon and I knew that it was out there so I waited to see if possibly it would break up enough to see it. Unfortunately by the time we saw the moon, it was pretty high and the light balance was too extreme. I waited for clouds to pass over it to lower the contrast, and I actually didn’t blow the highlights (or at least they were recoverable), but it’s still a brighter orb than I’d like. Still, I really like the mood of the scene. I was pretty happy with just those two scenes, and drove over to set up ‘camp’ for the night in the RV parking lot in the park. That’s when the thunderstorms began to the west – and then they rolled intensely over us, shaking the car with the wind and pouring down rain and non-stop flashing! I tried to get a picture of it while inside the car, mounted on my tripod still, but it was too rainy and pretty risky. When it passed to the east, and it was safe, I managed to capture an incredible light show over the two mittens and the other formation. 75 second exposures on bulb ensured I was going to get some flashes, even if not bolts. There was a tremendous amount of cloud flashing, so I felt very lucky to have three images with bolts. All in all it was an incredible 2 1/2 hours. Now, the temps have dropped, the winds are up, and it’s not over yet – forecast is for more storms tonight – and clear/sunny in the morning. Hopefully in time for sunrise!
Brenda … I love these! Just think … if you had decided not to stop at Monument Valley and rushed on to Telluride, you would have missed these wonderful shots!
Thanks, Debbie – yes, I know! I’m so glad I didn’t rush on. Sometimes I make the right decisions, lol!
Fantastic work on these Brenda, I like all of them. I have never been there, but you are inspiring me!
Thank you Bob. I appreciate your feedback!
Great shots!!!
Thanks, Ron. Appreciate the feedback.
Thanks, Scott! And I’m sure you are going great in North Dakota – there can be spectacular storms there…
Here I was thinking I was going great in North Dakota! These are spectacular, Brenda!
Thanks, Sheila and Kalani. I felt blessed at the end of that day. It was pretty wild weather though – but I figured that carbon fiber doesn’t conduct electricity – and I hope I’m right! lol. I only got out of the car after it was over the buttes and past me, though. At least I think I was safe!
Glad you didnt get blown away by the storm! Sounded really scary from your trip report. I would probably have to go on several trips over several years to get 3 great shots like these. You’re blessed. Thanks for sharing Brenda 🙂
You are so adventurous – guess that’s why you always get the most awesome images! Once again, they are just fabulous. Thank you for sharing.