James & Hannah | Proposal | Monument Valley Utah/Arizona

James reached out a few weeks prior looking for a photographer for his proposal. He planned to pop the question in the middle of a sight seeing roadtrip with his girlfriend (and now, Fiancé). This was surprisingly my first time visiting this place. For those of you that are not familiar with the area, Monument Valley is positioned in the heart of Navajo land on the eastern Utah/Arizona border. Despite the lack of amenities, this landmark remains a moderately crowded attraction. The west is full of scenic places. Some of them are crowded, some of them are quiet and peaceful. I have made a habit of seeking out the quieter places as I don’t love large crowds. This shoot was a reminder that I have been wrong to write the places off. I first learned that lesson with Horseshoe Bend. Monument Valley is a special place and I am happy to see how well the Navajo Tribe has preserved it. While I usually see limited access as a negative, this place benefits greatly from the lack of roads and hiking trails. Though, it would be nice to see the 17 mile scenic loop remain open past the sunset.

Back to the proposal: James’ idea for his proposal was simple and solid. He opted to do it at sunrise as to avoid the crowds and as a drone enthusiast, it made sense for them to seek out this scenic spot for a sunrise anyways. The idea was that I would be just another photographer enjoying that sunrise and as he made his move, I would swoop in and start shooting. The plan worked out flawlessly. Here are some photos from that moment and the engagement session that followed. Enjoy.