Monument Valley is perhaps the most appealing example of the overwhelming beauty of the desert landscape in southwest America. The silhouette of lone red rocks surrounded by an empty, vast plain has served as the backdrop for dozens of films and many commercials. Most of the park is in Arizona, the northernmost tip belongs to the state of Utah. Millions of years ago, this area contained many more rocks, composed of various types of rock. The softer layers were worn away by erosion, forming the so-called mesas. These are wide rocks that are flat at the top. The continuous erosion process ensures that even a mesa wears away very slowly. The harder upper layer wears away less quickly than the softer sides, so a mesa becomes narrower and narrower. When the width of rock eventually becomes smaller than its height, it is no longer a mesa, but a butte. The butte also slowly wears away, until what remains is a spire, a rock needle. Which will eventually slowly disappear entirely. Monument Valley is a Navajo Nation Tribal Park, which means it belongs to territory managed by the Navajo Indians. Some families have lived in the area for generations, and they uphold the traditions of their ancestors. For these Indians, tourism is an important form of income.
Kim Visser (1977) and Olof van der Steen (1978) both grew up and still live in the Egmonden. Since their early childhood they have been good friends and a few years ago they started taking photographs together. What started as a hobby has now grown into a professional occupation. Over.. Read more…