This past month I had a great time out on the Racetrack in Death Valley. I took a group of clients out for some night photography under a pitch black sky… oh and of course to take classic photos of the Racetrack as well. (Highlight photos to be shared this week so stay tuned.) Being in a star trails kind of mood I didn’t make it long into my drive to Death Valley from San Francisco without the itch to pul
There is a lot to be said for immersing yourself in Nature. In this day and age it is just too easy to lose yourself in the day-to-day of life. Ironically life out side of our day-to-day routine is the real world and we have to remind ourselves to visit it. Once you step out to see the world without distraction you can’t help but bond with the land, sea and stars. It is… liberating, in the truest sense. (
One of the most attractive features of Death Valley is it’s very graphical landscape. By day you’d likely miss the details that make Death Valley so attractive photographically, but just as the sun rises or sets it all becomes clear. Zabriskie Point is one of the most famous and popular lookouts to witness this transformation. Famous as a sunrise location the eroded mountains pick up color and contrast.
The desert always brings time in to focus when I visit. Desert features are formed at such a slow pace that it is tough to imagine. Some features of the desert take decades, centuries and even millennia to form. With this in mind it’s always a treat to arrive and see something that is fleeting not just in relation to my visit, but to the larger span of geological time. Knowing that the formations I photograph t
And now for something completely different. Thanks to Borrowlenses.com I made use of Canon’s new 8-15mm zoom fisheye lens. In some weird way I really fell in love with the 8mm focal length that has 180º field of view. What you’re seeing in this photo is a view straight up. Within the circle is every star in the sky visible at this one moment and the band of stars seen from the upper left corner down to th
It’s good to be back from Death Valley National Park. I was fortunate on many fronts while in Death Valley National Park. The members of my Racetrack photo tour were great, we had unbelievable light and incredibly clear skies to enjoy every star in the sky! Weather conditions were unseasonably cold with temperatures dipping down below 26F, but that didn’t slow us down. Conditions at Badwater this trip wer
I find it fascinating that one could be attracted to a location with death in the name as is the case with “Death Valley”, yet strangely I am. Death Valley is one of the worlds most extreme environments, but thanks to technological developments over the past century I can easily enjoy it. All it takes is a long air conditioned car ride and a decent supply of food and water if I choose to camp. Still it is
Normally the Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park are known for their golden yellow and orange hues, but at the right time of day they can turn a stunning purple. While easily accessed and often traversed by park visitors its easy to be drawn into the vast dune field to find inspiration, both from the drama of the unfolding light that paints it and within oneself as you experience the solitude of the dunes. T