Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Love Flute Heard on the Wind

My self portrait at John Ford Point in Monument Valley, listening to a love flute being played nearby. This marked my bucket list return trip to Tse Bii' Ndzisgai, in the Navajo Nation, a visit that left me gasping at its beauty. I had brought my 10 year old son for a quick visit years ago when the park looked different and I always wanted to go back. My son had played in the red soil while the only other person left in the parking lot at sunset was a tour guide who played the love flute just for us. How lucky that I should once again be privy to a young Navajo man playing songs while his friend held a young infant during this visit. Since there weren't any horses being posed for tourists this day, I took the blanket that I had purchased at the gift shop and put myself in the photo for a point of interest and colorful contrast.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Navajo County, Arizona, United States of America
Camera: E-M1MarkIII
Copyright: © Rosanne Juergens