Valley of the Gods; Perfect for Drone Photography
On my most recent road trip, I took a drive through the Northeast corner of Arizona into Utah. This is the area that drives through Monument Valley, Mexican Hat and more. It culminates in a drive up the Moki Dugway (a white knuckle drive up very tight switchbacks taking you to Muley Point and Natural Bridges)
While driving through the Monument Valley section, I was reminded of the scene in Forest Gump when Forest ran across the US. There is a spot on highway 163 where the scene was filmed in which Forest finally stopped running.
Standing where Forest Gump Stopped Running
It was here I thought it would be a great deal of fun to begin doing some aerial photography with my drone to “capture the moment”. (to kinda quote my wife)
I pulled out the drone and begin filming some epic video and then also too, some really cool photographs.
This area, if you are familiar with it, is a vast, VERY VAST, wide open space. The Monuments stand tall on the otherwise flat horizon as the long, straight road seems to run off the edge of the earth
The area is one of my favorites from this road trip.
I drove through here on my way to Valley of the Gods.
I read a post from someone that said “If Monument Valley had a younger, much nicer brother, it would be Valley of the Gods”. I agree 100%.
Monument Valley is very, very touristy. It reminded me some of a Disney out in the desert. So much signage, so much commercialism. Horribly done, unprofessional signage. I hate that crap out there in the wild.
The Mexican Hat as viewed from the heights using a drone to photograph
Not far up the highway 163 there is a turn off just past the town of Mexican Hat.
I took it and this graded dirt road led me deep into the Valley of the Gods.
It was here I chose to stay for 2 nights and where I met a great new friend called Coyote. He gave me an education on the Indian people of his tribe and it was awesome.
To formalize our friendship, upon his departure to parts unknown (and mine too) he presented me with a Red Tail Hawk tail feather and a sage brush wrap.
It is, apparently, illegal for any non native to possess a red tail hawk feather unless it has been given to him by a native American.
My Friend Coyote and his Rig heading out going past my campsite at the base of a giant monolith
Coyote had this feather from his time in Sequoia which is where he collected it.
It’s at my house now on my mantle. I’ll keep it forever.
The Valley of the Gods was a candy store of photographic wonder. I shot a ton of drone video as well as photography in my days there.
I chose to focus exclusively on using the drone for the photography I was doing along with the video. No DSLR camera this time. It allowed me to shoot far above the tops of the Valley to created incredibly dramatic photographs, getting me into areas and angles not otherwise attainable with a standard camera by hiking.
Panoramic photographs were epic.
I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my favorite drone photographs taken while in the company of the gods out there.
I hope you enjoy em.
Until the next time,
rob out
