Tag Archives: death valley

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

Angle of Repose

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Angle of Repose
Sand dune patterns, Death Valley National Park.

This “intimate landscape” is a sand dune vignette made in a specific place but which could be found almost anywhere. A close look may reveal some details that desert and sand aficionados may find interesting. The large patterns are typically found on one side of dunes where sand blown over the top of the dune collects below. The smaller “ripples” are a common feature of dunes, too, and these are completely undisturbed since the dunes are somewhat remote. Looking even closer may reveal some tinier patterns and tracks across the face of the sand.

The term “angle of repose” refers to the steepest angle at which a material, such as this sand, might collect without collapsing or sliding downhill. It is also the title of a wonderful Wallace Stegner novel, and that is where I first encountered the term. Fans of the history of the American West, especially the part that came after initial explorations, and especially those who have roots in the west may enjoy the novel as much as I did, with its connections to places and types of people that I know from my own experience.

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Layers, Sunset Dunes

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Layers, Sunset Dunes
“Layers, Sunset Dunes” — layers of desert sand dune formations in the last sunset light of the day.

When photographing dunes that are new to me, I have little to go on when I first venture into them. I typically start walking toward them when the light is still somewhat flat and harsh, or before dawn when it is dark. It is difficult to imagine the details of how the light will evolve. I make some guesses based on the direction of the sun, how I think distant ridges may affect the arrival of shadows, and what I can see of the dunes’ features in the less-than-ideal light. In the end, I’m almost always surprised by how these first visits play out.

I approached these dunes in the late afternoon in preparation for sunset and evening light. I picked out a destination along the base of a particular dune where I saw some potentially interesting plants. Because the ridges to the west are quite low here, I guessed that I’d have a bit longer period of colorful light and longer shadows later on. Initially I walked past the location of this photograph because the textures of the successive ridges had little contrast in the daytime light. Later, as I finished photographing other nearby features that fell into shadow, I happened to look back in this direction, where the very last bit of colorful light was now delineating these shapes as evening shadows approached.

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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

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others.

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

Dune Plants, Morning Light

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Dune Plants, Morning Light
Light from the morning sun slants across the face of sand dunes to illuminate desert plants.

Dune Plants, Morning Light. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Light from the morning sun slants across the face of sand dunes to illuminate desert plants.

During times of what I consider to be the most interesting light in the dunes — right around sunrise and sunset — the scene changes with remarkable speed. These landscapes are so much about the color and angles of the light, and at these times both of those elements can change with great speed. One moment a subject might be dull and flat, but a moment later as a beam of light comes over a dune it may be spotlighted against shadows or its color may change drastically. I’m always surprised by how dynamic the photography process is in this supposedly static landscape!

I had earlier noticed this creosote bush and its small companion, but passed them by since they were in flat shadows. I turned my attention to something else further away, and when I looked at the nearer landscape a few minutes later I saw that the plants were in the sun and the light was touching the top of the dune in the upper part of the frame. I quickly turned my attention to this intimate landscape, and changed continuously as I made several exposures over what must have been no more than a minute or two.

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

Evening Sand

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Evening Sand
Warm evening light on sand dunes, Death Valley National Park.

Evening Sand. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Warm evening light on sand dunes, Death Valley National Park.

I photographed this scene on my first visit to this location. Going to a new location for the first time can be a complex experience. There is, of course, the excitement of photographing something new. But there are other feelings, too — uncertainty about where to start, a bit of confusion and guesswork about how the light will evolve and about where to find the most interesting subjects. While sometimes the new simply seems exciting, other times it is almost overwhelming. For the most part I think I’ve learned to go with the flow, knowing that I’m going to make some wrong choices, that I’m acquiring knowledge that I can use when I come back, and that most likely I will at least come away with something interesting.

Approaching this spot, at first I wasn’t quite sure where to begin. I had an idea of how the light might evolve as the day ended, but when I arrived the light was less than spectacular. Another thing I have learned is that it is often better to just start making photographs rather than waiting for the perfect to reveal itself. Setting up, looking, and making exposures often primes the pump, and soon I start to see things more clearly. It is also good to be flexible and ready to be surprised. This photograph is built around one of those surprises. At first these patterns of windblown sand seemed uninteresting and I went on to photograph something else. But in the very last direct sun (you can see the edge of approaching shadows at lower left) the low light revealed shadows and textures that had been hidden earlier, and the color of the light became momentarily intense.

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.

Blog | About | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

Scroll down to leave a comment or question. (Click this post’s title first if you are viewing on the home page.)

All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.