I'm a firm believer, in once you find the shot, try everything you can think of while you're there. Many times we never go back or the view has changed. So I try many shots bracketing them to get it done fast. You can later even build a HDR image or combine images to get the best artistic view. Or shoot a close focus and a far focus and combine them in layers. I tend to use a tripod for everything. I even have a stubby tripod that can get very low. Later I chimp out the bad shots and try and narrow it down to just a few, eventually ending up with the one shot. You'll never regret taking many shots, only the opposite. I'm glad your family takes pictures too. This allows you more time to "get the shot." Cheers

A couple years ago, my buddy Chuck, my Australian Shepherd named Gem (aka the Mutt) & I took a photo trip to the So. West. One of my goals was to go to Monument Valley, to the precise location where a portion of the movie "Forrest Gump" was filmed ... remember the scene where Forrest & his gaggle of followers are running & he stopped ... with Monument Valley in the background? Well I just had to get a shot of that.

The speed limit on that road is 75 mph, but everyone drives well over 80 mph there. The spot is near the crest of a hill, so traffic coming South & cresting that hill is usually going so fast, that they aren’t likely to be able to brake in time to avoid hitting someone in the road. There's very little time to react.

When we 1st arrived, a family was there taking photos. So I waited until they were done, then I went about getting my shots, which were quite different from their's. The entire time I was attempting to get my shot, Chuck was repeatedly yelling ... "Car!! Car!! Get out of the road!!" as cars would crest the hill behind me. Each time, I'd scramble to the side of the road. However I was eventually able to get the image I wanted, so it was worth the effort ... at least to me. However, unbeknownst to me until much later, while calling me foolish for being in the road, Chuck himself had gone out in the road & grabbed a shot of me taking my shots.

When I had finished & walked back to the car, I realized the family had stayed & watched me, apparently laughing the entire time ... & one of the girls decided the shots they had taken were not the ones she really wanted ... so out in the road she went!!!!!

Hope you enjoy the shots.
Frank

Great story to go along with some great images Frank. We were there in October 2015 basically for the same reasons. There use to be a sign down at the bottom of the hill on the left, that said "Forrest was Here". Altho, the sign had been stolen, at least thats what we were told, but the pole was still there. Our time there was limited for reasons unbeknownst to me, but I have intentions for a return visit in different lighting conditions. Thanks for sharing your story and photos.
Dave