Geology Lesson. © Copyright 2020 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.
Colorful eroded formation in Death Valley National Park.
The title of this photograph is offered with tongue somewhat in cheek… since I would not be the first person you would go to for a real geology lesson, nor for an accurate description of the objective facts that would account for these remarkable formations. I understand that the material was layered a very long time ago, and that additional colors may have been added over time. Eventually the strata were distorted and twisted and then exposed, where the elements began a process of eroding material away and creating the sculpted effects we see today.
Regardless of the explanation, almost everything about this place and places like it evokes wonder: the striking patterns of uplifted and twisted strata, the unusual patterns of colorful material, the subtle curves of the gully that rises and then turn left, and the details visible in the soft light.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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