The Great Southwest, USA.

This week, Krista Stevens asks us to show the effect of time and the elements. I have some images of old farm equipment and other associated gear that has the patina of old age, maybe measured at no more than a century in time. I even have images of buildings of a certain era that would certainly qualify as meeting the challenge. You can read the entire challenge post here. 

I decided, however, to go for the long ball, the Hail Mary pass, and focus on weathering over several millennia. The opening photo features a view of Canyon de Chelly, near the town of Chinle Arizona. There was a time when the river was at the top of these cliffs. Today, the canyon is hundreds of feet deep and its beauty has been sculpted by time and weather.

Head east from Chinle into New Mexico and from Albuquerque, head north toward Santa Fe. Near Cochiti, New Mexico, you will find the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. The unique composition of the rocks has allowed the weather to sculpt a great number of conical shapes.

My last example of weathering is an image from Monument Valley. Part of the Navajo Nation in northeastern Arizona and Southern Utah, the iconic Mitten Buttes are instantly recognizable to fans of old John Wayne movies. Director John Ford spent many thousands of feet of motion picture film on images captured in this beautiful, well-weathered environment.

John Steiner