Every day, from time immemorial, the earth has slowly turned on its axis as it hurtles around the sun in its quest to use up its allotted time in this universe. As it completes its rotation, the terminator, that line that divides light from dark, moves across the face of our planet bringing day for some and night for others. This celestial clock can not be adjusted or reset and there is no force that we know of that can halt this race to darkness or stop the illumination of the first light of dawn.

Here at Monument Valley we see the last of this day’s battle as the earth continues its steady rotation into that good night. The colors of the buttes and the surrounding earth they rest on change from the deep dark red of bright sunlight into the muted colors of night. Soon they will appear to be black, just a silhouette seen under the light of the stars. But as it does every single day the night passes and the bright light of day will arrive restoring the colors to the land.

Every second of this unending process is precious and holds its own special magic. You may be partial to mid-day or early morning but this moment, the moment of change, as the colors intensifies then slowly fade to black, is one of the most special times to witness.