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In November of 2019, we packed the RV and went on what we referred to as, “a road trip” through Arizona and New Mexico. I had never visited New Mexico before, so I was hoping it would be yet another, “visual feast”... and it was! From Sedona we traveled east to Albuquerque, then up to Santa Fe and on to Taos before heading back west again. On our return, we headed for Monument Valley when this massively tall, heap of rock appeared in the horizon! Strangely it sat all by itself on the desert floor, in the middle of nowhere. "How strange", I thought. We slowed down to take a closer look but it wasn’t until we drove past that I observed the deep, dark gouges and the vivid colours of Monument Valley in the distance. “Oh wow, how unique and picturesque” I said, and with that, we turned around so I could take a few shots. Now one must remember, that we’re in a RV (on a two-lane highway) so turning around takes some maneuvering but in this case, it was worth it. I took this photo in “Raw” because it had the potential to be a prize photo. That said, before I start shooting, I have to decide if I want (or need) a Raw or Jpeg format photograph. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. Admittedly, Jpeg is quick and it’s easy because it’s already edited by the software (although limited). There are however many reasons why I choose to shoot in Raw. Here are my primary reasons: 1) Raw gives you more editing options (in Photoshop). 2) I want the highest quality image I can get. 3) You can never destroy the original Raw photo (any edited version is duplicated and is no longer Raw version). 4) If I were to enter a competition, sometimes you need a Raw version to prove its authenticity. Church Rock, is located just off Highway 160, east of Kayenta, Arizona and sits precariously by itself. It’s a “volcanic plug”, which is a geographical formation that occurs when lava cools inside the neck (vent) of an active volcano. Now, thousands of years later, the rock and soils around the plug have eroded away, leaving "Church Rock".
With plans to tour and photograph Monument Valley, we checked into the KOA campground (not far from the park’s entrance). A very polite and young clerk from behind the counter quickly informed us that the park was closed but she excitedly suggested we visit The Valley of the Gods instead. She had us intrigued, so off we went; not knowing that we were about to be astonished. We traveled north from Monument Valley (through the small community of Medicine Hat) before turning west down a side road and to the entrance of the 17 mile scenic route. The road was gravel, windy, very dusty and very bumpy and (honestly) it seemed like we had traveled for miles before we saw one towering pinnacle; and we thought, “Is this it?”. A few miles further though, I was captivated and enthralled by the tall, red, majestic, mesas, buttes, and cliffs that towered above the valley floor! “Oh wow!” My chin dropped, and then I quickly grabbed my camera because the sun was setting fast and I knew the mountain shadows would grow The “Valley of the Gods”, was truly “God-like”. My soul was truly captivated and I was moved to tears; I felt at peace with Mother Nature in the grandeur of the valley. It was hard to leave, knowing my many travels were coming to an end; it was time to go home. * Valley Of The Gods is located in the south-western Utah.
