Sunlit Gully, Zabriskie Point

Sunlit Gully, Zabriskie Point
Sunlit Gully, Zabriskie Point

Sunlit Gully, Zabriskie Point. Death Valley National Park, California. March 29, 2010. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Photograph of a sunlit gully in afternoon light at Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California.

Zabriskie Point is a justifiably famous overlook in Death Valley National Park – arguably the iconic view of the park, with the pyramid-shaped Manley Point above amazingly folder patterns of hills and gullies and with Death Valley and the sometimes snow topped summit of the Panamint Range beyond. (OK, the dunes might compete with Zabriskie in the Icon department…)

Everyone photographs at Zabriskie, and I’m no exception. However, my approach to this location has changed over time. At first any Zabriskie sunrise seems worth photographing, and in all honesty sunrise there is an amazing experience in all but the worst conditions. Eventually, though, you become a bit more discerning and not just any sunrise will do. I’ll generally only shoot sunrise there now if I think that the conditions will be extra spectacular, usually meaning some combination of clear or otherwise interesting lower atmosphere, perhaps snow on the Panamints, and some interesting clouds overhead. But even that is starting to feel a bit overworked.

Recently I’ve been trying to figure out what (and how) to photograph here without doing “the usual thing.” Several ideas have come to mind. Earlier I posted a photograph of the Manifold formation made at night under a full moon, and I think there is still more potential there. As others have done, I’ve played around with trying to find shooting locations other than the familiar one near the overlook. This photograph is an attempt to combine two other approaches that I’m working on – detail shots of small elements of the scene made with a long lens and shots made during the day at times other than the “normal” sunrise time.

I first saw this small gully a couple years ago when I happened to stop at Zabriskie during the mid-morning period on my way back from shooting somewhere else. Initially I just thought I’d wander up the path from the parking lot, scout things out a bit, and move on. But as I looked at the scene I realized that not all parts of this spot are necessarily best lit at sunrise, and that some actually can become interesting during the less obvious times of day. This is one attempt at a further exploration of this particular twisting gully, here shot in very bright daytime sun light only slightly diffused by high thin clouds.

This photograph is not in the public domain and may not be used on websites, blogs, or in other media without advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.

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Technical Data:
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM at 400mm
ISO 100, f/16, 1/125 second

keywords: zabriskie, point, fold, gully, hill, pattern, light, shadow, ridge, brown, golden, wash, rugged, gravel, dirt, geology, landscape, nature, scenic, travel, death valley, national, park, california, usa, north america, desert, formation, afternoon, winding, stock

2 thoughts on “Sunlit Gully, Zabriskie Point”

  1. Dan,

    I am headed out to Death Valley later this week for five days – Michael Frye told me you just came back from there and I was hoping you may have some suggestions.
    No question after seeing your work of Zabriski Point it will be one of stops – your images of it are breathtaking as is much of your other work. While I am going to Death Valley in celebration of my 77th birthday and not able to do all I would like, your work is an inspiration to me.

    Much obliged,

    Harris

    1. Harris, thanks for your kind words about my photography. Interesting that you should mention the “Sunlit Gully…” photograph – I rephotographed it (as part of an ongoing project of mine) a couple weeks ago and I have two new images of that very scene open on my computer as I write this!

      I have written a couple of long posts about visiting Death Valley at my blog, and you can see the first one here: https://gdanmitchell.com/2010/01/20/photographing-death-valley-part-1 – there is a link on that article to the in-progress draft of part 2. You are heading to Death Valley at perhaps the ideal time. The weather will not have become unbearably hot yet, and there will still likely be some hints of desert winter in the area. And if you are lucky you may find some flowers here and there. I saw some new plants coming up when I was there a couple weeks ago.

      Have a great trip!

      Dan

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