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Capture the Milky Way over Monument Valley’s iconic formations with Phillips' Photography Tours. This night photography adventure lets you refine your skills under starry skies and experiment with light painting beside The Totem Pole and Mittens.
Capture the Milky Way over Monument Valley’s iconic formations with Phillips' Photography Tours. This night photography adventure lets you refine your skills under starry skies and experiment with light painting beside The Totem Pole and Mittens.
Book with Phillips' Photography Tours
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Phillips' Photography Tours · Oljato-Monument Valley, Arizona
Monument Valley, straddling the Arizona-Utah border, commands attention with its colossal sandstone formations that punctuate the desert skyline. This iconic landscape, a Navajo Tribal Park rather than a federal National Park, offers more than just striking daytime vistas—under the cover of darkness, it transforms into a celestial playground. Phillips' Photography Tours specializes in revealing this night-time magic through their Night Photography Tour, an opportunity to capture Monument Valley’s legendary features—The Totem Pole and the Mittens—framed by the vast Milky Way.
These monolithic spires of red sandstone rise dramatically from the valley floor, shaped by millennia of erosion, presenting a stark contrast against the star-filled sky. The tour offers an immersive experience in nocturnal landscape photography, guiding participants through techniques to capture the Milky Way’s sweeping arc. Participants can try their hand at light painting, a creative way to add dynamic illumination to foreground subjects, making each photograph uniquely personal.
Flexibility is a cornerstone of the experience: tour times are set by the guests themselves, allowing alignment with optimal astronomical conditions or personal schedules. Starting at the Visitor’s Center, just four miles east of the Arizona-Utah state line on Highway 163, the tour places adventurers right in the heart of Navajo land, where cultural respect and sustainability are paramount.
Phillips’ Photography Tours connects visitors deeply with Monument Valley’s rugged beauty and its dark skies, a rare combination in the American Southwest. Whether seasoned photographers or curious travelers eager to elevate their night-shooting skills, the Night Photography Tour challenges participants to see the desert through a different lens—one where stars, rock, and light intersect in unforgettable ways.
easy.
2–4 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels; minimal physical exertion needed.
No prior experience is required; the tour is suitable for beginners and experienced photographers alike.
You set your own tour time to match your preferences and ideal lighting conditions.
Yes, a $5 per person Navajo Tribal Park entrance fee is required.
Light painting is encouraged, but always use responsible techniques that do not disturb the environment.
Tours generally last between 2 to 4 hours, depending on participant preference.
All tours start from the Monument Valley Visitor's Center, located 4 miles east off Highway 163.
Monument Valley is a Navajo Tribal Park rich in cultural significance and has been a backdrop for countless Western films since the 1930s.
The tours emphasize responsible night-time conduct to minimize light pollution and protect fragile desert ecosystems.
Phillips' Photography Tours operates guided photographic outings in Oljato‑Monument Valley, Arizona. The company specializes in landscape and cultural photography across Monument Valley's iconic formations, offering carefully timed sunrise and sunset sessions to exploit the region's dramatic light. Tours include the Monument Valley Sunrise Photo Tour and Monument Valley Evening Photo Tour, both three-hour guided experiences that focus on landmarks such as the Totem Pole, Sun’s Eye, Big Hogan, and the Mittens. The business also runs a Mystery Valley Evening Photo Tour that visits Anasazi ruins, petroglyphs, pictographs, and Tear Drop Arch for culturally rich sunset images. For immersive experiences, Phillips' Photography Tours offers a Hunt's Mesa Overnight Tour with camping, hot meals, and provided gear to photograph both sunset and sunrise. A dedicated Navajo Culture Tour explores backcountry routes, ancient dwellings, and includes an optional hogan visit with demonstrations like rug weaving. Night photographers can book a Night Photography Tour to capture the Milky Way above recognized landmarks using light painting techniques, with flexible scheduling to match astrophotography conditions. Guides are experienced with Monument Valley terrain and the area's changing light, planning each outing for optimal photographic opportunities. Reservations are recommended during peak season; permits and access vary by route and are coordinated by the tour operator. Equipment rental may be available.
Book with Phillips' Photography Tours