“At the Edge of the Salt Flats” — Panamint mountains tower above as a small wash runs to the edge of the salt flats, Death Valley,

During my late-February visit to Death Valley National Park I spent two early mornings photographing this location. It is generally most interesting at dawn, when the morning light shines on the distant Panamint Mountains, so I was there well before sunrise. In order to find ideal locations here you really have to scout ahead of time. On the first of the two visits I slightly missed my target location in the darkness. I still got photographs, but before my return on the last morning of my trip, I checked it one more time and determined that following this runoff gully would get me where I needed to be…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/04/15/at-the-edge-of-the-salt-flats/

A cathedral in the darkness, in the best portal to the infinite that the world underneath our feet has to offer: my capture of Badwater Basin one winter's night, "True Sky".

“Salt Flats to Mountain Peaks” — Snow-covered Telescope and Rogers Peaks and the Panamint Mountains tower above Death Valley salt flats in morning shadows.

It still seems odd to find water flowing here, but out on the salt flats of Death Valley it does flow at all times of the year. It is extremely shallow and it moves very slowly — but the amount of moisture out there is still impressive. Hint: don’t walk on these flats — you aren’t going to enjoy the thick mud on your shoes, the sensation of sinking into it, or the tracks you leave behind…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/04/10/salt-flats-to-mountain-peaks/

“Zabriskie Before Sunrise” — Badlands terrain, distant Panamint Mountains, and Rogers Peak.

I made this photograph right around sunrise. A half hour earlier I had abruptly aborted my drive to a different locationi when I thought I saw some promising clouds in the pre-dawn dusk. I thought that they might produce something exceptional at sunrise. My hunch was wrong — it was a lovely morning at Zabriskie, but nothing particularly out of the ordinary. But since I was there I went ahead and photographed, including this image that includes the short and long views…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/04/08/zabriskie-before-sunrise/

“Desert Holly Plant, Dry Wash” — A dormant desert holly plant in a desert wash, Death Valley.

This photograph comes from one of the more arid, inhospitable-looking locations in Death Valley National Park. The soil here is not conducive to much plant life, and few plants manage to eke out an existence. One that does is the desert holly. When it gets enough water it sports lovely gray-green foliage, but when the heat and aridity become too much the plant goes dormant and turns brown/tan…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/04/06/desert-holly-plant-dry-wash/

The Wildrose Charcoal Kilns in Death Valley, California, stand as a testament to the area's rich mining history, set against a striking desert and mountain backdrop.

#BuyIntoArt #DeathValley #WildroseCharcoalKilns #History #California #NationalPark #mining #desert #mountain

https://john-twynam.pixels.com/featured/wildrose-charcoal-kilns-in-death-valley-california-1-john-twynam.html

“Canyon Narrows Light” — Soft, filtered light illuminates the walls of a Death Valley slot canyon.

Desert canyon light is remarkable. A canyon like this one is a huge contrast with the world outside — the intense, harsh desert light gives way to soft, gentle light and shade. The temperature drops. The color of the ight changes, too. Deep in the canyon it often shifts to ward blue, especially when the canyon walls are black or gray. There are also changes and contrasts where different softs of light come together — as in this photograph where the deeply shaded blue tones contrast with the warmer tones of the higher walls…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/04/02/canyon-narrows-light/

“Roadrunner” — A greater roadrunner, Death Valley National Park.

After more than two-and-a-half decades of visiting Death Valley National Park, you would think that I’d have see quite a few of these birds. But, no, this is the first time I have encountered a roadrunner in the park. Actually, there were two. I arrived at my campsite and was getting my gear out when a couple of them showed up to investigate my stuff…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/04/01/roadrunner/

Salt formations and rugged terrain at Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley, California. The desolate landscape is famous for its salt encrustations and harsh, arid conditions.

#BuyIntoArt #DeathValley #DevilsGolfCourse #California #NaturePhotography #desolate

https://john-twynam.pixels.com/featured/devils-golf-course-salt-formations-in-death-valley-john-twynam.html

Ep. 11, #TransAmerica 9,000-mile #Overland #Roadtrip :

https://thevagabondcouple.blogspot.com/2025/03/trans-america-overland-road-trip-part-11-death-valley-california-usa.html

Cruise through Artists Drive in Death Valley, where the desert transforms into a painter’s palette of vibrant reds, pinks, purples, and greens! The Artists Palette Viewpoint is pure magic, especially in the golden glow of sunrise or sunset. But visiting in the heat of summer? Now that’s an adventure!

The ultimate trip in America isn't a city, nor a beach, nor even a mountain; no, it's the clear shimmering window into eternity that is Badwater Basin at night, set in the sublime landscape of Death Valley, the "True Sky".

#PhotoOfTheDay is cool geological stratifications on display out the windshield of my Land Cruiser, Titus Canyon, Death Valley National Park.

“Badlands, In Shadow” — Badlands formations in early morning shadows, Death Valley.

This is another is a series of photographs I made one morning at Zabriskie Point during my late February visit to Death Valley National Park. Previously I mentioned that I rarely photograph at this spot any more — after a couple of decades it takes some pretty special conditions to persuade me to join the crowd there. I stopped when pre-dawn clouds suggested the potential for a very colorful sunrise. Alas, that did not happen, but I did get some interesting light before the direct sunlight came to the formations at Zabriskie…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/03/26/badlands-in-shadow/

"To serve an unintelligent man is like crying in the wilderness, massaging the body of a dead man, painting water lilies on dry land, whispering in the ear of the deaf." (Panchatantra)

“Fractal Landscape” — A Death Valley landscape of layers of eroded ridges.

This view has intrigued me for years. At one popular Death Valley National Park location, one comes upon it quickly and often briefly. Because it is the coda of visits to this area that has many other attractions, it is easy to overlook it. It is harder to photograph than it seems that it should be — there are some compositional challenges, and unless the light is right the scene can have very low contrast and tricky colors…https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/03/24/fractal-landscape/

“Gullies in Soft Light #2” — Eroded gullies and ridges in soft light, Zabriskie Point.

In the right light (and perhaps with a certain amount of post-processing) the geological patterns in a place like this can be drawn out and emphasized. But most of the time they are rather subtle, with pastel colors and low levels of contrast. This is especially true early and late in the day when the formations are not in direct sunlight. In this series of photographs from Zabriskie Point I decided to embrace the low contrast light and allow subtleties of shape, texture, and color to predominate…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/03/22/gullies-in-soft-light-2/

“Dunes and Desert Hills” — Early morning light on sand dunes and eroded desert hills, Death Valley.

Sand dunes were the primary attraction when I first visited Death Valley a couple of decades ago. They are visual icons of the place, and any new visitor would want to see them. For me, a person whose wilderness experience had been almost exclusively focused on the High Sierra, the dunes were exotic and new. Over time I discovered that there is a much more to this place, and the dunes are no longer at the top of my list of Death Valley destinations. Yet, I can’t let a trip go by without at least a brief visit…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/03/20/dunes-and-desert-hills/

“Canyon Bend” — A narrow desert wash curves though the depths of a slot canyon, Death Valley.

This photograph was made in a somewhat remote Death Valley canyon — access requires a long drive on primitive roads followed by a bit of walking. On this late February day it was very quiet here, and I saw only two other parties during my visit. We often see photographs of very colorful Utah slot canyons, but this photograph is more typical of Death Valley, where the rocks are more likely dark and much less colorful. But the shade and the quiet are just as wonderful…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/03/18/canyon-bend-3/

Scenic view of Zabriskie Point at sunset in Death Valley, showcasing rugged badlands and vibrant skies.

#BuyIntoArt #ZabriskiePoint #DeathValley #California #NationalPark #NaturePhotography #sunset #badlands

https://john-twynam.pixels.com/featured/zabriskie-point-death-valley-at-sunset-3-john-twynam.html

“Sand Dune Abstract” — Sand dune patterns in evening light, Death Valley.

I first photographed this specific subject in Death Valley well over a decade ago, and perhaps closer to two decades. I “discovered” it by accident while driving back from visiting an entirely different feature. I had stopped in this location to photograph other things, and as I scanned the landscape I noticed this section of almost pure sand dunes. I went here again this year at the end of February when the light on my intended subject died early, and I thought I might be able to work with the soft light in this spot…continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2025/03/16/sand-dune-abstract/