In "The Mitten," three of the most distinguishing features of Dad’s photography are present in a single frame: sharp contrast, depth of field, and expert composition, a lesson he learned from my mother. Although the primary focus is on the monument, he uses the old tree as a natural frame.

The peak of The Mitten stands approximately eight hundred feet above the surrounding valley and is one of two that are similar in that they assume the shape of a pair of a mittens when viewed from a distance. Navajos call it Big Hands and hold that these once powerful, though now still hands may someday return to rule over Monument Valley.

Almost all the monuments and mesas in the surrounding area carry both Indian and Anglo names. The Mittens are often referred to as "Left" and "Right."

This photograph originally appeared in the pages of Venture Magazine and subsequently awed audiences at various fine arts exhibitions.
- Michael Goldwater