“Desert Gold, Snow-Capped Peaks” — Desert Gold flowers bloom with snow-capped desert mountains in the distance.
This photograph epitomizes the extraordinary diversity of Death Valley National Park. It includes two subjects that might surprise those unfamiliar with the place — wildflowers and snow. Because it is known as the place registering the world’s highest recorded temperature, many imagine it to be a place of sand dunes and barren salt playas. Those are part to its landscape, but they are far from the “all of it.”
These wildflowers are desert gold, which was blooming in great fields of yellow in many lowland locations when we visited in late February. I spotted these flowers on a small rise and set up my camera so that they were backed by Telescope Peak, the highest point in the snow-capped Payment Range of desert mountains.
“Desert Gold Field” — Late afternoon light on field of desert gold wildflowers in southern Death Valley.
A day or two ago I thought that I was finished with the photographs from our late-February visit to Death Valley. But I decided to make another pass at the raw files from the trip, and I found a few more photographs that I think help fill out the story of this trip. (Update: Since I wrote that I have found even more!) The highlights — and my primary photographic targets — were the exceptional wildflower bloom and Lake Manly. Here’s another of the wildflower photographs, one which illustrates the extent of some of the larger fields of color.
If you visit this spot during most of the year you might not notice much vegetation at all. Aside from a few bushes, it would mainly give the appearance of a gentle gravel slope. But in February the desert gold plants were taking full advantage of the season’s above-normal rainfall, and some places like this one were more or less carpeted with colorful flowers.
“Autumn Trees, Red Rock Cliff” — Cottonwood trees with fall foliage in front of a red rock cliff, Capitol Reef.
From what I’ve seen, the fall color season in Utah can be lengthy. On my visits I’ve seen the tail-end of aspen color at the beginning of October, implying that it peaks in late September. Out in red rock country the cottonwoods and oaks and other trees transition a bit later. And although I’ve never timed it quite right, I hear that great color is to be found in Zion Canyon in early November.
We stopped to photograph these trees in Capitol Reef National Park on our drive back to camp from a day of photographing in a remote region of the park. It was late afternoon and the light was not going to last a lot longer, so we pulled over a short distance from our campground and worked with these trees growing right in front of a sandstone cliff.
“Wetland Island and Fog” — Tule fog mutes the wetland landscape beyond reed-covered islands.
Fog can make photography wonderful… or difficult when I photograph migratory birds in California’s Central Valley. There are practical issues, such as driving on roads that are dangerously obscured, or not being able to see the birds in the murk. It is cold and damp. But I love the atmosphere that tule fog brings to this landscape, and that’s why I keep going back.
I also like the way that it lets me “minimize” the landscape. Fog blanks out any subjects that are not close to the camera position. On a clear day you would see trees, possibly utility lines and poles, a sky with clouds, and who knows what else. But when the fog is thick all of those distractions disappear and I can work with the most minimal of materials.
