Tag Archives: death valley

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature

Panamint Sunrise, Lake Manly

Image Leave a comment
“Panamint Sunrise, Lake Manly” — The winter solstice sunrise illuminates the Panamint Mountains, reflected in the surface of Lake Manly.

We were in Death Valley National Park just before Christmas, arriving the afternoon before the winter solstice and departing on Christmas Eve Day. There are lots of reasons to visit this landscape in the winter, including the reappearance of Lake Manly for the second time this year. In prehistoric times this Lake was much larger and deeper, but in wet years a remnant appears, and shallow water spreads across the lowest part of the valley.

We headed to the shoreline before dawn on the solstice, not quite sure what we would find. (We had arrived too late to scout it the previous evening.) My first choice location wasn’t available due to a road closure, so we quickly readjusted and made our way to the edge of the water. From here we photographed the landscape and its reflections as the first light came to the Panamint Mountains across the valley.

Leave a comment or question using the form. (Click the title to see the full article and to comment if you are viewing it on the home page.)

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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Light and Dark

Image Leave a comment
Light and Dark, a narrow Death Valley canyon.
“Light and Dark” — A canyon wall lit by reflected sunlight is seen through a dark section of canyon narrows, Death Valley.

Having photographed in the red rock canyons of Utah, I suspect that I have a bias toward that sort of beautiful, warm-toned landscape. In Death Valley I often look for, and enjoy finding, canyons with similar smooth surfaces… though that Utah red rock isn’t something you’ll see very much here. The narrow canyon in this photograph is perhaps more typical of the Death Valley landscape, with much rougher and more angular rocks.

I have written frequently about how wonderful canyon light is and how much it contrasts with the harsh and brilliant light of the desert landscape outside the canyons. In the deepest and narrowest sections the shadowed light becomes quite blue since the blue of the sky that is the main source of illumination. In this photograph we see the contrast between those blue foreground shadows and the warmer colors of the more distant canyon wall that is more open to the 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” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: People In Landscape, Photographs: Photographers, Photographs: Southern California

Alone in the Wilderness

Image Leave a comment
Alone in the Wilderness, Death Valley
“Alone in the Wilderness” — Over a dozen morning photographers crowd one small section of sand dunes, Death Valley.

Yes, the photo title is obviously tongue-in-cheek. This is not really “wilderness,” nor is this a place where one is likely to be “alone.” But there is a lot to think about here. If you look closely — and you may need to click the image to get a larger view — you can count at least a dozen photographers spread out in this desert landscape that comprises a very small section of these dunes… and it is not at all the most crowded area.

You can diminish the number of people out there with you if you go in the off-season, avoid weekends, get up very early, and perhaps go there when the wind is howling. But most often you will not be anything like “alone” in this place. To be honest, one task for photographers here is figuring out to work around the crowds, assuming the crowds are not your intended subject.

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

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)

Photographs: Death Valley, Photographs: Desert, Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Southern California

Gullies in Soft Light

Image Leave a comment
Gullies in Soft Light, Death Valley
“Gullies in Soft Light” — Eroded gullies and ridges in soft light, Zabriskie Point.

These badlands formations, where soft layers have been eroded by water, can be difficult to photograph. Those difficulties can lead to ethical questions for photographers. The issue is that the range of colors and luminosity in these formations is very limited — the color is basically a light tan and the difference between the light and dark areas is small, at least in soft light. One choice is to enhance that contrast and coloration during the post-processing phase, and that can create some impressive images… though this can depart radically from the actual appearance of the landscape. Here I decided to go with the low contrast and soft colors instead.

To repeat a story I’ve previously related, almost by accident I ended up here to photograph a subject that ultimately did not develop as I had hoped. So I turned my attention to other things nearby, including these formations. I photographed them rather early, before the direct sunlight arrived. This meant that the contrast was even more subdued, as the soft light was from the early morning open sky — directional, but only subtly so.

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

Join the discussion — you are welcome to leave a comment or question. (Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately.)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

(All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.)