Monumental Milky Way

• Prize
  Gold in Nature/Astrophotography
• Photographer
  Brian Clopp
• Technical Info
  Sony A7r V
• Photo Date
  05/08/2024

The Milky Way spectacularly shines above a spire in Monument Valley. A desertscape provides striking leading lines that race towards the 260 million year old rock formation. The Milky Way is 13.61 billion years old. This puts into perspective our own place in time. Monument Valley is a stunning desert landscape famous for its towering sandstone buttes and mesas, many of which have become iconic symbols of the American West. Located on the Arizona-Utah border, it's part of the Navajo Nation and holds deep cultural and spiritual significance for the Navajo people.

BRIAN CLOPP leads photo workshops through LensExplorers.com, teaching photographers of all skill levels from hobbyist to professional, and donates a portion of proceeds to conservation efforts. He leads workshops locally in Utah where the wild horses roam, the Tetons where moose abound ( TetonWonders.com ), across the USA for breathtaking landscapes, and globally for cultural immersions. He is also a Field Journalist for the American Wild Horse Campaign. He recently launched FosterPhoto.org in partnership with Nature's Best Magazine to give foster youth access to photography training.