Monument Valley is one of the most-photographed natural wonders of the world, and for good reason. It’s next to impossible to get a unique shot here anymore. That said, I caught it in a seldom-photographed scenario: summertime high-sun overcast from the remnants of elevated morning convection. Rain can be seen in the background middle and left, while altostratus at right blended into bases of unseen midlevel convective towers, and surrounded what was left of the precipitation cores. This sky nicely diffused the normally harsh midday light across features typically in darker shadow, rendering a scene that’s uncommon, even if not unique. The thin, sprinkly overcast also made for a pleasant, mild August afternoon to explore the area. Wind and water have sculpted these marvelous erosional features through four formations (top to bottom): Shinarump conglomerate caprock on Moenkopi formation and de Chelly sandstone, and lower Organ Rock shale, spanning the early Permian (bottom) to late Triassic (top).
17 NE Kayenta AZ (11 Aug 17) Looking ENE
36.9825, -110.1115Monument Valley Summer Overcast
Monument Valley is one of the most-photographed natural wonders of the world, and for good reason. It’s next to impossible to get a unique shot here anymore. That said, I caught it in a seldom-photographed scenario: summertime high-sun overcast from the remnants of elevated morning convection. Rain can be seen in the background middle and left, while altostratus at right blended into bases of unseen midlevel convective towers, and surrounded what was left of the precipitation cores. This sky nicely diffused the normally harsh midday light across features typically in darker shadow, rendering a scene that’s uncommon, even if not unique. The thin, sprinkly overcast also made for a pleasant, mild August afternoon to explore the area. Wind and water have sculpted these marvelous erosional features through four formations (top to bottom): Shinarump conglomerate caprock on Moenkopi formation and de Chelly sandstone, and lower Organ Rock shale, spanning the early Permian (bottom) to late Triassic (top).
17 NE Kayenta AZ (11 Aug 17) Looking ENE
36.9825, -110.1115