On our second trip to Death Valley, the plan was to visit some of the more remote places in the park. We found that the journey was actually as interesting as the destination and often revealed interesting and unusual things about the desert.
The moon was a big factor in my photography this trip. It was full and just happened to rise, set, or appear at the most convenient times while photographing.
Moon Set in Death Valley
Very early one morning, as I left the the hotel room, I noticed the moon setting. I have never seen a moon set quite like this one. It looked like some kind of bizarre, alien sunset. I had to photograph this, but the moon had already set. The only option was to race up a mountain to create this photograph as the moon set again from the higher vantage point.
The Badlands of 20 Mule Team Canyon
In order to find a good spot to photograph at sunrise, we spent a day hiking up and down the canyons that spill into the 20 Mule Team Canyon. Not being on marked trails means you have to pay attention to where you are. More than once, we hiked up one canyon and started down another only to find that if we kept going we would end up miles away from our car.
The Last Chance Mountains
The last Chance Mountains stand between Death Valley and the Eureka Dunes, a remote set of high country sand dunes. At sunset, we found ourselves in the pass which runs through these mountains, catching the full moon in a great spot to be photographed.
Bad Water Basin
The interplay of wind and rain will cause geometric shapes to form in the playas (flat basins) of Death Valley. These polygon shapes are always changing. Sometimes they look almost as smooth as ceramic tile floors. This year they were still forming and very rough in appearance.
Like No Other National Park
You sometimes come across relics in Death Valley from the time before it was a national park. These two old and shot up cars were just sitting in the middle of the desert begging to be photographed.
Watch for a few more images from our trip to Death Valley.
Enjoy
A place I would like to revisit sometime. Very inspiring images
Thanks Edmund. You are one of photographers I’d love to shoot with there.
What a wonderful plus, having the moon cooperate so nicely. I absolutely LOVE your ‘Moonset in Death Valley’ … what a wonderful sky! The ‘Badlands of Death Valley’ is almost surreal in its beauty. And your ‘Together in Death’ includes just the right amount of landscape to tell the story. KUDOS on capturing so many more wonderful images from this area of the country!
Thanks Denise. I though you would like “Together in Death”. I thought about you when I found those things. You were one of the people who taught me to see the beauty in the old and abandoned.