A snow storm approaches (from the left) as wild/range horses graze. The white horse, presumably the alpha, chases another keeping others in line. He would occasionally stop and look directly at me.
Near Arizona/Colorado border.
Photo # K04_5451cbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp
One thing I discovered while exploring not only these Lower Antelope Canyons but also much of Monument Valley, is that there are faces personified in almost everything I see. Even as I viewed this scene through my viewfinder, I could see multiple faces extending from the canyon walls. Again, the colors that dance from these walls are amazing.
Lower Antelope Canyon, AZ.
Photo # K04_3208ac.
(c) Kelly Shipp
The light can be so amazing in the slot canyons. This photograph shows how soft and textured the light can be on the stone as the light bounces through the canyon.
Lower Antelope Canyon, AZ
Photo # K04_3522.
(c) Kelly Shipp
A natural formation eroded in sandstone, located in the far south-east area of Monument Valley, is known as the "Sleeping Dragon".
Starting at the far right of this photograph, you see the body of the dragon, and if you follow the body, to the left, as you near the center of the photograph, you'll see a dip and narrowing through the neck, and the head is near center ending with the nose.
Sleeping Dragon Butte, Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # IM7_1065-74bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp
Half-way during my 4-mile desert hike, I paused to view the north side of the East Mitten Butte and take a break. It was an extremely windy day where the wind was blowing over 20mph from the east-to-west direction (left-to-right in this photograph). What worried me was the rain storm, from the East, being carried by this front. At the time, I estimated that it was going to run into me before I finished the 4-mile hike. What I didn't know is that the wind was already changing direction, to the North. While resting, I decided to take a long-exposure photograph of my view. Soon afterwards, as I continued my hike, I then realized that I was walking against the wind - it indeed had changed to the North, moving the threatening rain around my return path. I was so happy and relieved that I wasn't going to walk into that storm.
What surprised me about this photograph is that it accurately shows the change in the wind direction. You can see on the left-hand side of the photograph how intent the wind was moving left-to-right, but the right side began to move more south-to-north, almost mid-point over the monument.
Being over 1,000 feet high, the summit of East Mitten Butte is 6,226 feet in elevation.
East Mitten Butte, Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # K04_4989-5037hdrbw.
(c) Kelly Shipp
Traveling the back highways of Colorado, it was easy to run into snow storms in the high passes. If you look closely, near lower-center of the photograph, you can see three wild/range horses.
Ute Mountain Reservation, Colorado.
Photo # IM7_2398bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp
You can see the dramatic mix of clouds and sky in this photograph. I braved the 4-mile desert hike in sustained 20 mph winds, gusting to 40 mph, all while praying the rain wouldn't reach me during the hike. Over a mile into the hike, the sun broke through the clouds and provided a wonderful, dramatic view of the East Mitten Butte.
Being over 1,000 feet high, the summit of East Mitten Butte is 6,226 feet in elevation. The rocks of the valley are mostly sedimentary, dating from between the Permian to the mid-Jurassic.
East Mitten Butte, Navajo Nation Reservation, Monument Valley, AZ.
Photo # IM7_1526-36bw.
(c) Kelly Shipp
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