Archive for the ‘ Badlands ’ Category

New Mexico Hoodoo

A badlands hoodoo in the New Mexico desert. Shot with a Nikon D300 and a Nikor 12-24mm lens at 18mm. Exposue at f16 for 1/25 of a second

Most of my photography friends know that I am a sucker for a good hoodoo and I think this strange beast qualifies. I was on my way to visit Chaco Canyon and noticed some interesting landscapes on the road to the park. I hiked in a little way and found some wonderful hoodoos along with a wild eroded landscape worn by water and wind. I was particularly drawn to this one since the top looked like part of a Samurai warrior’s helmet. Standing nearly eight feet tall, the fragile formation consisted of multiple layers of shale all precariously balanced on a pillar of soil. Oddly human in form, I imagined this hoodoo patrolling the landscape at night in search of desert marauders.

Badlands Butte

Highway 89 heads north from Flagstaff, Arizona up to Page. It is a road I love to drive because the landscape changes so dramatically. North of Cameron, 89 runs through portions of the Navajo Nation. The landscape here is desolate and beautiful. I have always been fascinated with the eroded hills and buttes in this area. I know this particular butte very well having passed it on many trips up to Page. Each time I have passed it in the wrong light. Heading back to Flag late one afternoon I finally arrived with the right light to take a photograph. The butte was beautifully side lit, nice clouds drifted overhead, and the red hills in the distance glowed. This image is the Featured Print this month on my website, http://roberthclarkphotography.com

A badlands butte on Navajo lands stands tall in the late afternoon sun. Sony α900, Zeiss 24-70mm lens at 28mm, f14 at 1/50 sec.

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