Monument Valley
Few landscapes on earth are as immediately recognizable as this sprawling Navajo Tribal Park, where massive sandstone buttes rise hundreds of feet from the red desert floor. The classic viewpoint from the valley overlook gives you the iconic lineup of the Mittens and Merrick Butte, best framed with a wide to mid-range lens to capture the full scale of the formations against an open sky. Sunrise and sunset are the prime windows, when raking light turns the sandstone a deep burnt orange and long shadows define the texture of the terrain. Early morning also tends to bring calmer winds, which matters if dust is a concern for your gear. You can shoot from the main overlook or join a guided tour to access the valley floor, where shooting upward toward the buttes gives a far more dramatic sense of their height. A polarizing filter helps manage the intense midday contrast if you visit outside golden hour. (Monument Valley, Navajo Nation, Utah/Arizona, United States)
