This season I took advantage of the rare opportunity to photograph reflections of desert mountains in Death Valley. We were there just before Christmas 2025 and then again near the end of February 2026. The Lake Manly was there both times, though it had visibly diminished on the second visit. But from up close its surface still reflected the surrounding mountains and sky.
The light progression on this February morning was impressive. There was a bit of the expected sunrise and pre-sunrise color, though it was quickly muted by clouds. That left a sort of soft blue quality to the light, along with a bit of haze. Not long after that, the sun shone on the scene once again, still with a bit of that warm morning coloration, and changed the scene.
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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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email
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