This is, in several ways, kind of an odd Death Valley photograph. The fine-grained gravel covering the slopes and hills here are not widespread in the park — in most places the ground tends to be lighter in color. On the other hand, the curving shapes and runoff erosion channels are seen elsewhere, as are the plants. (If you look very closely, you will see not only the larger green plants but lots of small wildflower shoots just emerging.)
Continue reading Eroded HIlls
I have walked past this place scores of times — it is along one of my regular walks. I walk almost daily, often along one of a group of familiar routes. It had been weeks since I last did this one, so it was time again to visit it. As I walked along a creek and past some commercial buildings I “saw” something that I have certainly seen before, but not really noticed — a great wall of ivy roots stretched across concrete.
Continue reading Ivy Roots
This is another of the “imaginary landscape” photographs. They all begin with the actual landscape, but then I treat the images freely, modifying them in a variety of ways, though always with the the original source material at least somewhat identifiable.
Continue reading Playa and Plants — Imaginary Landscape
As always, cracked desert mud turns out to be an irresistible subject. I photographed this little patch in the northern portion of Death Valley. We arrived as broken clouds were developing, and that gave us varied light as shadows moved across the landscape. I made this photograph in the “in between” light — not full sun, but strong enough to be directional. The mud patterns are interrupted by the pieces of old wood, but that’s not all to notice in this little scene. Look closely and you’ll see a variety of spring plants beginning to grow in this seemingly-barren terrain.
Continue reading Stick in the Mud