An evening shower in Tucson. I once told a Japanese friend that one can "smell" rain in the desert, but he scoffed at the idea. In that moment, I realized how hard it is to convey experiences unique to a place and time to those who do not have a similar background. In the dry climate of the desert, we do become quite sensitive to the "scent" of humidity the precedes a rain fall. For Tucson, this is a "monsoon" rain.

The Grand Canyon in early March. A touch of snow is evident on the North Rim.

The El Tovar Hotel on the south rim of the Grand Canyon.

A couple near the El Tovar Hotel. At night the walk way on the rim is pitch black in some locations, especially when there is cloud cover. You can stand by the wall, and never realize there is a vast hole literally feet away.

The Desert View watchtower at the Grand Canyon. September.

The vista from the watchtower. Look closely and you will see two fellows standing on the top of the rock outcrop in the lower center section. Just to give you a little sense of the size.

The rocks and sky at Navaho National Monument: the essence of Southwest landscapes. This was taken just before the approach of a late summer storm. The earth creates the rock, but the wind and rain give it life. This would work as a blue Duotone, perhaps.

Tseigi is a little town (a hotel location, really) on the road between the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. It is on the Navaho Nation's lands. This is a long duration night shot of the valley behind the hotel. Note to iPad users: this very hard to see when the screen is exposed to glaring light.

Tseigi is a little town (a hotel location, really) on the road between the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. It is on the Navaho Nation's lands. This is another long duration night shot of the valley behind the hotel. The small white dots are stars. The bluffs are lit by moonlight. With cameras such as Nikon's D700, such shots are now within easy reach (provided you have good support.) Note to iPad users: this very hard to see when the screen is exposed to glaring light.

Tseigi is a little town (a hotel location, really) on the road between the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley. It is on the Navaho Nation's lands. Dawn over the stream.

On the road from Kayenta heading north east, you get an interesting pair of markers. A Navaho version of the "Pillars of Hercules", perhaps. This is on the north side. One can only wonder how the spire has survived while the rest of the rock washed away. The photo comes from a panoramic crop of a single picture. No other photo manipulation here.

On the other side is the remains of a volcanic core.

A dawn view of the valley from Gouldings. What can you say: Monument Valley is surreal. I first saw it when The Wings' tune "Uncle Albert" was a hit. To a dreamy kid, the trippy tone of that song was a perfect fit for the otherworldly and timeless ambiance of the rocks and sky. I would LOVE to spend a night in a remote corner, far from lights, and shoot the monuments against the Milky Way. This was taken with a Nikon D70, and an old Ai-S 105mm f2.5 lens.

A popular view of the valley, taken from the parking lot (of all places).

The Watchers

A rock outcropping in the Mystic Valley area near Monument Valley.

So many people, so many traces. But they are all gone in a moment with a good breeze or rain. Once upon a time, this dust was part of a monument.

Rock and skyscape on the road between Kayenta and Chinle. One of my favorite drives.

Canyon de Chelley lies to the east of Chinle in the Navaho Nation. For centuries a trading center for various Native American peoples, the Navaho used it as an "inverted fortress" to avoid contact with unfriendly peoples (including the US Cavalry). You need a four-wheel drive vehicle to get in. This is the bank of a river.

This rock in Canyon de Chelly is called the "Cat."

On the rim near Spider Rock. Canyon de Chelley.

Spider Rock, Canyon de Chelley. According to the beliefs of several Native American peoples, this is the dwelling of Grandmother Spider. Unlike the scary depiction of spiders in European lore (think Shelob in Lord of the Rings), Grandmother Spider has the power of creation. In some ways, the the Native American appreciation is similar to Japanese beliefs that claim large spiders are spirits (kami) of the mountains. As a weaver of webs, the value placed upon spiders can also be juxtaposed to the notion of Indra's web.