MONUMENT VALLEY PANORAMA

JOHN FORD’S POINT MONUMENT VALLEY
NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK, ARIZONA

Image Number 250

Monument Valley in Arizona presents one of the most definitive images of the American West.  It has featured in over 47 movies, notably the John Wayne movies directed by John Ford.   This image was captured from John Ford’s most iconic location – John Ford’s Point, from which he filmed “The Searchers” and “Stage Coach”.   In the ridge in the far distance, one of his other key locations, The View Hotel, may be seen.

Monument Valley is located within the Navajo Tribal Park which is the semi-autonomous homeland of the Navajo Nation.  The Park occupies an area greater than the state of Connecticut.  The View Hotel, owned by the Navajo Nation, is the only hotel in the Park.

All owners of this photograph should see Monument Valley once in their lives (and stay in the View Hotel – reservations need to be made up to a year in advance).

TECHNICAL NOTES

Captured just after dawn from John Ford’s Point on a Zeiss Contax 645 medium format camera with Zeiss 120mm lens at F11 with an exposure of half a second.   The photograph comprises some twenty images, each with a file size of 260 meg, 8 bit – a total file size of 5 gigabites.  To achieve this, the camera was mounted onto a rail which was levelled and rotated through approx. 130 degrees.   A single manual exposure was used to prevent colour variations from image to image.  The images were then stitched together.

The image was registered on a Phase One IQ180 80 megapixel digital back which captures approximately five times more detail than the highest resolution 35mm SLR camera currently available – and explains the high resolution.

This is among Atticus Webb’s most exacting images and rewards close examination.  Signed and numbered by the photographer in an edition limited to only 20 prints.