Creosote, Morning Light. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.
A cluster of creosote in sand dunes, backlit by morning sun.
As this morning’s light quickly evolved, I had just time to make one photograph of this subject from this camera position. I was photographing almost straight into the sun, which was just above the ridge that creates the shadow in the background. The plant’s mirror image of shadows caught my attention, and it sort of felt like the combination of the plant and its shadow exploded across this bit of dune landscape.
From a photographic perspective, this image is another example of a few semi-technical points I’ve made in some of my recent Death Valley posts. It was made quickly — not at all using the sort of sedate process that some might think of when considering landscape photography. This landscape of dunes and light evolves very quickly at this time of day, and to respond to it I often work quickly, moving rapidly from one subject to the next. It is also a photograph made with a long focal length lens. As I have mentioned, this lets me work a larger area in the dunes more quickly, and it also allows me to limit the scope of the composition.
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, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
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Scot has a website: http://scotmiller.com. His videos also appear frequently on the CBS Sunday Morning nature segments. He’s also active on social media, at least on Facebook.
I will have to check out his page if he has one. Let me know if you end up putting anything together. I assume you can post it here so everyone can see it. Also I know your wife does a lot of flowers photography and hers would be incredible if she ever did time lapse!
Thanks, Mary Beth.
I haven’t done any real time lap photography of these subjects — I’m generally too busy shooting stills! It has crossed my mind, though, to put together some sequences of changing light and conditions based on shots where I kept the camera in one spot. (My friend and fellow photography Scot Miller does a ton of video and time lapse work… and he carries multiple systems so that he can do that and the still photography.)
I love this! Makes me wish I was there! Do you ever do a time lapse video with your photography?