A few more images from the Sunset Crater National Monument

Richard Charpentier Arizona, Photography Leave a Comment

The view from atop the Citadel

The view from atop the Citadel

Photo sorting continued yesterday and this morning.  Am I done?  Almost, but there were some pretty neat images.

The whole area is a fun place to take a “photo walk.”  Short hikes, unique scenes, ancient ruins, lava fields, cinder cones………  It’s a dream for someone looking to make unique images.

Beyond being a great place to shoot it’s just an interesting spot to visit.  Less than 1000 years ago there were many people living in the area.  Farming communities parked so close to an active volcano.  It must have been an interesting life.  After the last eruption from Sunset Crater folks gave up the region.  Just a little too close for comfort.  I don’t think I’d want to be parked under an active volcano.  Walking through each ruin you wonder, what was it like here?

In addition to visiting the Lomaki Ruins (shown yesterday) we also stopped by the Citadel and Wukoki Ruins as well.  After seeing each of those sites we moved on to the base of Sunset Crater and took the little look walk through the lava fields.  So much to see, so much to photograph!

Looking out from the Wukoki Ruins

Looking out from the Wukoki Ruins

Standing next to a cooled lava flow

Standing next to a cooled lava flow

Growth in the Sunset Crater Cinder fields

Growth in the Sunset Crater Cinder fields

I’ll tell you, a second visit is often the right call.  For me I need to scout a location, get an idea of what’s interesting to me, and understand the lighting in the area.  This round of photos I found that I captured more of what I wanted.  The first trip to Sunset Crater left me a little deflated.  I didn’t like 95% of what I shot that day.  Good reason to return to try again, right?

Best of all, the Sunset Crater National Monument is worth more than one visit.  I’ll probably stop through again this year when time is available.  And I’m sure I’ll see new things that I missed on the first two visits.

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