Totem Pole and Dineh
USA, Monument Valley on the Navajo Reservation… 2013
Clifford, my Navajo guide, gave me a choice of locations for my dawn shots. Either the famous Mittens or the Totem Pole. I chose the Totem Pole because everyone has a good shot of the Mittens. And I like to be different.
Here’s a primer on landscape photography. You probably know it, but don’t always do it. I confess I don’t always do it.
1. Use your smallest aperture…f/22 Your image will be sharp from near to far if you do this. To get the best depth field focus about 1/3 into your shot. You can use your depth of field preview button to check. It’s reassuring to do this.
2.Have your camera on a tripod with a cable release. Just pushing your shutter can cause camera shake resulting in blur.
3. Stand in front of something worth shooting. Get out of town as my old teacher used to say. Chances are that you won’t get a fabulous landscape in your neighborhood, although an acquaintance of mine earned $25,000. 00 for a shot of a perfectly landscaped back yard.
4. Get up early…at dawn is what that means. This is the hardest part.
I confess I didn’t use a cable release and I used a monopod, not a tripod. I told myself that sticking the monopod into the sand would be the same thing as a tripod. It’s close!!
BTW, I got the Mittens in evening light the day before I shot this. You can’t go to Monument Valley and not shoot the Mittens. It just isn’t done.
My guide, Clifford, is a young Navajo man who, as a twin and the grandson of a medicine man, is considered to have spiritual powers. He said a prayer for rain at the sacred pool in Mystery Valley and explained the ritual to us. He was confident that rain clouds would begin to gather and they did. It rained a day after.
You can ask for Clifford to take you on a photo tour of Monument Valley.
Contact: http://blacksmonumentvalleytours.com/