Moon Over Monument Itinerary Page

Join us for an incredible adventure in, around & above some of the most epic vistas in the entire American Southwest. Over four days, we will travel to Monument Valley's most renowned locations and also spend an afternoon at the Valley of the Gods just across the border in southern Utah. We'll spend two nights at Mexican Hat's San Juan Inn overlooking the San Juan River.

We'll meet up with expert Navajo guide Tom Phillips for three separate custom sessions. Our first will be sunset at the spectacular Totem Pole and Yei B'Chei formations. These legendary sandstone spires and stunning orange Navajo sandstone dunes will be softly front-lit as the sun sets in the west . The following morning we'll shoot these same formations at sunrise, silhouetted against colorful skies. The rest of the mid-morning will be spent touring and shooting a variety of sandstone arches, petroglyphs, and high desert wildflowers.

Our last night of the trip will be spent tent camping on breath-taking Hunt's Mesa where we'll photograph sunset and sunrise. There are few words to describe the jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring view from Hunt's Mesa. After a roughly two hour journey on what could be charitably called an 'adventurous' 4x4 jeep trail, we crest the last saddle and the view unfolds before you. We've done this trip more than a dozen times ourselves and the reaction is always the same: stunned silence followed by audible gasps and a WOW or three!!

We'll have grilled steaks & chicken ala Phillips (!), baked potatoes, salad & dessert by a roaring campfire; if this isn't one of most incredible nights you ever spend under the stars, well . . . we'll want to know what we've been missing!@!!?? Oh, and Tom & his crew set up all our accommodations!! We eat, drink, and photograph merrily . . . a trip you'll never forget!!

We'll depart Sedona at 6AM sharp for our approximately four hour journey to Monument Valley and Mexican Hat, Utah where we'll stay for the night. Mid-afternoon will be spent exploring Valley of the Gods, a lesser-known but incredibly beautiful area of monuments and mesas.

We'll finish our day shooting a classic sunset of 'the Mittens' adjacent to the entrance of the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.

Up early (always!), we'll be at the Mittens again to capture all the colorful glory of the sunrise silhouette perspective here.

After a hearty late breakfast at Goulding's Trading Post, we'll spend the mid-day hours touring a variety of vistas along Monument Valley's world-famous Loop Drive.

For sunset, we'll join Tom and make our way across private 4x4 jeep roads to shoot the sacred Totem Pole and Yei B'Chei formations deep in Navajoland.

We'll return with Tom at sunrise for an entirely different perspective of Totem Pole and Yei B'Chei. We'll shoot thru mid-morning at a host of locations, including rippled sand dunes, arches, mesas and buttes.

After late breakfast/lunch, we'll journey to Hunt's Mesa for our overnight adventure.

We'll capture some arches on the way down from the 'Mesa' and begin our return trip to Sedona around noon. We should be in Sedona by 4:00-5:00PM for those wanting to make travel connections that same day. For those spending the night in Sedona and departing the next day, there will be a bonus session at Sedona's Red Rock Crossing where you'll be able to photograph one of Arizona's most iconic rock formations, Cathedral Rock, in the sumptuous sunset hues of the last light of the day.

All transportation and lodging are included in the price of our workshops. Most of our trips originate in Sedona on day one and do not include hotel accommodations should you choose to arrive the night before. We will gladly help you with reservations and booking should you desire the convenience of arriving early and likewise staying an extra night after the workshop ends.

Included lodging is based on double occupancy. Single participants will be paired with a compatible roommate but should you desire single accommodations, there will be an additional charge of $60-$80 per night. Please let us know when you register if you need special reservations.

We do offer for all our early arriving & late-staying guests the option of an additional photo shoot at Sedona's legendary Red Rock Crossing. It's wonderfully close to town and, with the right conditions, offers an incredible photo opportunity for a relatively easy sunset shoot. We'd love it if you'd take advantage!!

While some early morning and mid-day snacks (yogurt, breakfast bars, trail mix, etc) and water will be provided to tide you over on our long days, all formal meals and drinks are the responsibility of participants.

We think the optimal way to travel to Sedona for our workshops is to utilize the Sedona-Phoenix Shuttle, especially for those wishing to save on car rentals. It's inexpensive, convenient, fast, but it's also not included in the workshop price!!

On most trips, we accommodate participants with three pieces of luggage, specifically one sturdy camera backpack (with tripod carrier!), a second pack for computers, chargers, extra batteries, lenses, etc, and one large duffel bag ( maximum size, no exceptions: 36"L x 20"W x 20"H) or a similarly-sized suitcase. Room for gear is limited in our 4x4 SUVs & you will be held responsible for adhering to these baggage requirements. Should you exceed these requirements, you will have to make your own arrangements in Sedona to store your extra gear.

As there is always an element of risk in any adventure associated with the outdoors, participants must be physically fit and capable of participating in outdoor photography in field locations and aware of any associated risks created by field locations and weather. Workshop instructors will take considerable time to familiarize participants with safety precautions, almost to a fault. It will be the responsibility of each participant to listen and follow precautions carefully. Your safety is our #1 priority and if necessary insuring your safety will take precedence over ruffled feathers!!

All participants are required to provide on our registration form current and accurate medical information. Where applicable, participants will be required to provide medical release forms from their supervising physicians to participate in the outdoor physical activities associated with workshop photography.

Southwest Perspectives Photographic Workshops, Derek von Briesen, Kim Hoshal, all guides, and cooperating agents aim to provide every participant a safe, educational, and enjoyable experience. We act solely as agents for you regarding accommodations, special activities, and travel, by any means, and assume no liability for any act, error, omission, injury, loss, delay, mishap, or damage to persons or property arising from any cause during the course of the workshop or in transit thereto.

We can accept no responsibility for losses or additional expenses due to delay or changes in the services to be provided. We reserve the right to change our arrangements should conditions necessitate, or to cancel any aspect of the workshop due to exceptional circumstances.

In the event that we deem it necessary to cancel the workshop we will provide a full refund which the participant(s) acknowledges as full and final settlement. In the event of a workshop cancellation airline tickets, car rentals and hotel reservations associated with participation in this workshop will not be refunded. We recommend you purchase refundable airline tickets and make refundable car and hotel reservations. We strongly advise purchasing some form of trip insurance. We also recommend you carry travel and camera equipment insurance.

At the time of registration, a 50% deposit is required. Payment in full must be made thirty days prior to the workshop. In the event that a participant cancels their workshop reservation, the cancellation must be at least sixty days prior to the workshop to receive a full refund. Cancellations less than sixty days prior to the workshop will be subject to $100 lost booking fee.

As there is always an element of risk in any adventure associated with the outdoors, participants must read the liability release form carefully. Participant's signed/dated release will certify that said participant is physically fit and capable of participating in outdoor photography exercises in field locations, and is fully and completely aware of any associated risks created by field locations and weather.

Meeting times, meeting places and itinerary are subject to changes dictated by the weather, the road conditions and other imponderable variables that are part of doing landscape photography. We will be carrying cell phones but reception is not always possible. You are responsible for being at the meeting place at the designated time and have your photographic & camping equipment with you.