Hovenweep Storm is one of those photographs one might recognize for its popularity and never have connected to David Muench. Muench has waited until the light aligns with the dwelling and cast the rest of the landscape in shadow, a framing which differs from his typical approach in favor of capturing the most dramatic sky on display.
Muench’s intention to capture a “timeless moment” is certainly done effectively in this photograph. The way the storm clouds clutter behind the dwelling, lit by the gradient of a rising sunrise, creates a huge range of blues. The contrast of the blues against the vibrant orange midground, the darkness of the shadows in the foreground, and the almost halo effect on the form of the clouds make Hovenweep Storm a stunning image.
This photograph was displayed in Boundless Visions (2008) at G2 Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Dual Visions (2001) at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art in Santa Barbara, California.
Taken in Hovenweep National Monument, Utah.