Death Valley National Park
Death Valley had long been on my list of places to visit, and I finally made the trip in early January of 2020 (before Covid-19 changed everything). I had pictured a barren desert, but I was surprised at the diversity and beauty of the valley. Here are some of my favorite photos from that trip.
Badwater Basin
Badwater Basin is a vast expanse of salt flats that lies 282 feet below sea level. It is the lowest point in North America. Late at night I walked about a mile out onto the salt flats under the light of a full moon. It was eerily quiet the whole time I was there – not a person or animal in sight – and this image was my reward.
Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes
This large dune field, backed by mountains, occupied much of my time in Death Valley. I find making a good sand dune photo to be very challenging, but it is a great opportunity for experimentation. There is an endless variety of shapes and shadows to try to capture with the camera. I’ve included two extra dunes photos as well.
Ubehebe Crater - Nighttime
The Ubehebe Crater is a volcanic crater ½ mile wide and over 700 feet deep. While the crater itself is a dramatic sight, I chose to show you two photos that I took a few hundred yards from the crater. This one is a long exposure shot, taken late on a cold night and lit only by the moon. Yes, that is black volcanic soil. This is one of my favorite photos.
Ubehebe Crater - Daytime
This photo was taken at mid-day, looking the opposite direction from the photo above. I like the desolate nature of the scene and the contrast between the black volcanic soil and the light colored scrubby bushes.
Badwater Basin (Again)
Badwater basin is rimmed by mountains, and I liked the reflection of the snow-capped mountain and blue sky in the large pool of water. Because the water was shaded by a mountain to the east, it created a black foreground for the photo.
Zabriskie Point
I don’t have many photos from designated overlooks, but I had read that the view from Zabriskie Point at sunrise is spectacular. So I got there before sunrise and set up my tripod. Zabriskie Point overlooks a colorful landscape at the edge of the Black Mountains. I took this photo shortly before the sun hit the mountains, and I think the colors make for a beautiful image.