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The Totem Poles
It was late afternoon and we were in Southern Utah traveling through Monument Valley with our favorite guide Richard Frank.  Richard a Native Navajo was born and raised amongst the buttes of the valley.  They were his playground as a child and today he enjoys working with photographers and providing access to areas of the valley where only Navajo’s are permitted.

We were on our way, rolling over the red dirt road in Richard’s vehicle.  We had about an hour before the sun would be setting over the western buttes.  The air was dry but relatively calm.  Earlier in the day we found ourselves dodging dust storms left and right, however now the winds have subsided for at least the time being.
Richard continued to drive along the adventurous dirt road looking to his left for the turn off to the monument known as the Totem Poles.  Soon we were there and the road turned from bumpy to “oh my gosh”.  I was seated in the back and holding on to my camera gear to keep it from being tossed about.  Richard navigated the bumpy road as though he was simply turning into his driveway.  It was clear that he knew this road like the back of his hand.  I’m not quite sure if knowing this was enough to calm my nerves.  There were moments when our tires were only inches from the roads edge with a drop on either side.  We needed to dodge the many crevasses in the trail where rain washout had left huge gaps where our tires could easily get hung up.

We turned a corner and Richard pulled over so we could get out of the vehicle and take a closer look.  We were finally here, the famous Totem Poles, there they were.  Basking in the sunset amongst the wispy clouds and desert grasses.  It was time to start our shooting as the light would be changing any minute now.

~Kimberly