I just picked up a 18-55 Zoom for my Nikon D80 on eBay. I’m looking forward to trying it out. But I still don’t expect to get images like this.

I really need a wide angle lens.

I can’t see that particular shot on Mike’s site yet, but I’m very tempted to get one of his prints.

I distinctly remember lining up for this shot on the last morning of our Monument Valley flights. The sun had just risen into a bank of thin clouds, so the light was very soft. We flew up and around the formation you see here from a much closer distance than the image would suggest. (Mike obviously used a wide angle lens.) We made several passes at several altitudes and, as you can imagine, the light was different each time. Later, the sun broke free of the clouds and cast a much harder light on the whole valley.

What’s interesting about this photo is that it includes one of the most photographed formations in Monument Valley: the Totem Pole. Can you see it? You’re probably used to seeing it from the ground. The rest of the butte is seldom shown — at least not like this. That makes Mike’s photo a very original look at this place.

The sad part of all this is that when you see sights like this all the time, they’re just not as astounding anymore. You become somewhat immune to them. Sure, they’re pretty, but they’re never quite the same as the first time you set eyes on them. I think that’s one of the reasons I like to take people to places like this. So I can get some of that first look experience through their eyes.