The Lookout Point - Ko Phi Phi Don Island, Thailand

Shot in February 2007.

Pentax K10D with DA 18-55mm

On a recent rip to Spruce Grove Campground in Angeles National Forest, I tried another attempt at Fire Photography. I’m not proud of this series and I don’t think the photos came out very well at all this time around, but I’ve got some ideas on how to make things better for next time. I do certainly like some of the long fibrous looking sparks, which remind me of don Juan’s supposed luminescent filaments. Perhaps he was onto something after all…

Fire Photography - Just Getting Started

Combustion

Inferno

Afterglow

Hexagonal Salt Formations at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

These pictures of Badwater Basin were taken during a Photography tour through Death Valley National Park on Thanksgiving Weekend in November of 2009. Out of all of Death Valley’s incredible tourist sights that I visited, including Zabriskie Point, Dante’s View, The Devil’s Golf Course, the Artist’s Drive, and the Mesquite Sand Dunes- I most enjoyed the short time I got to spend here.

The "Badwater" Puddle - Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Badwater Basin’s claim to fame is that it sits at the lowest point of elevation in all of North America, at 282 feet below sea level. Incredibly, the highest point of elevation in the lowest 48 states (Mt. Whitney) is only 76 miles West of here!

Looking North From Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

The area was given its name due to a small pool of water that now sits just next to the modern parking lot. This water was rendered undrinkable by the incredibly high concentration of salt, due to the unique geological features and geochemical makeup of the valley.

Clouds over Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

In all the traveling throughout Death Valley, this was the only place I saw any standing water whatsoever. And that’s probably not a shock to most of you who know a thing or two about the area (it’s one of the most arid environments in existence), but I was there during a massive rainstorm!

More Salt Formations at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

The entirety of Badwater Basin is covered in complex and intricate salt-crystal structures of magnificent beauty. This is one of the coolest, most beautiful, and most fascinating places I’ve ever been, and I’ve seen quite a few National Parks. I’d rank this as a must-see destination for anyone at all interested in natural beauty.

Contrasting Colors at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

As the sun began to dip below the mountain range hugging the valley floor, the shadows grew longer, and the features of the terrain even more spectacular. I sat in awe, watching the landscape transform as it began to glow golden-brown in the late afternoon light.

Detail of Salt Formations at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

The salt formations are created by an endless cycle of freezing and thawing that the area undergoes, when nighttime temperatures dip deep into the blue, while blazing daytime heat leads the thing salt crust surface to crack into hexagonal honeycomb-like shapes.

Close-Up of Salt Pinnacles - Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Occasional rainstorms, like the one I witnessed my last night in the area, flood the valley and cover the entire area with a very thin sheet of standing water, no more a few centimeters deep. These shallow lakes don’t last long due to the daytime temperatures, with an annual evaporation rate of 150-inches!

Mountains of Salt at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

As Wikipedia points out, this is the United States’ “greatest evaporation potential”, and “means that even a 12-foot deep, 30-mile-long lake would dry up in a single year.” As the water evaporates, some of the salt gets dissolved which ends up being deposited on the sandy floor as clean crystals which eventually accumulate into the incredible oceanic-looking formations.

Salt Formations in Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Close-up shots appear like aerial photography of the Himalayas, with the salt deposits creating the impression of snow-tipped peaks rising from the valley floor. Wandering around the salt plan gave me the impression of being a giant amongst a desolate, but captivating landscape.

Concentrated Salt-Crystal Structure at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

And in areas of extreme concentration, the salt-crystalline structures became increasingly complex. Like a colony of some sort of self-propagating polyps, the appearance of this bubbly landscape took my breath away, and forced me to reevaluate my conception of the area as a dry and dusty desert.

Salt Lines in the Sand at Badwater Basin - Death Valley National Park

Be sure to check out some of Death Valley’s other incredible sights by visiting the links listed below.

Anitya - "Impermanence"

Pentax K10D with DA* 16-50mm f/2.8

Ethereal glow along the North Fork of the San Gabriel River

Ladybug Scout

Pentax K10D with Vivitar 105mm f/2.5

A lone explorer ambles off into unknown worlds

Dantes View - Death Valley National Park - Self Portrait

These pictures from Dantes View were taken during a Death Valley camping and backpacking trip in November of 2009. This point was the location used in the original Star Wars movie (Episode IV: A New Hope) for the shot overlooking Mos Eisley- that most “wretched hive of scum and villainy”.

Dantes View Overlook - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View is at the top of a mountain rising from the floor of Death Valley National Park. The peak sits at 5,475 feet high, and affords an incredible view since the valley floor lies at just about sea level. You can see for miles in just about every direction from the top of the mountain.

Dantes View - "Mos Eisley Spaceport" - Death Valley National Park

As I stood overlooking Death Valley below, I had the odd sensation that what I was seeing was entirely familiar, yet I couldn’t quite place it in my repertoire of memory. It wasn’t until I returned from the trip and did some research on the history of the area that I found out this was one of the many Death Valley locations used in the original Star Wars movie. The shot above is quite similar to a scene when Obi Wan points out Mos Eisley to Luke.

Dantes View - The Valley Floor - Death Valley National Park

Dantes View is one of the most spectacular of all locations in Death Valley National Park, and a convenient drive from the Furnace Creek Visitors Center, situated just about 15 miles to the South. There are multiple short hiking trails leading from the parking lot, offering even more interesting overlooks in different directions than “Mos Eisley”.

Dantes View - Lines in the Desert - Death Valley National Park

I got lucky and accidentally ended up here relatively early in the day (just after visiting Zabriskie Point) and before the sky had been completely blown out. There’s no shade at the top, so make sure you’re prepared to deal with the elements. And if my visit was anything to go by, prepare to face quite a bit of wind while you’re up there.

Dantes View - Close Up of Desert Floor Lines - Death Valley National Park

Dante’s View is certainly worth the short side-track, and one of the absolute coolest locations in the entire National Park. Make sure to check out some of Death Valley’s other incredible locations by clicking the links below.

San Jacinto's Summit - Viewed From Joshua Tree

Pentax K10D with DA* 16-50mm f/2.8

Shot in January 2010. Shot near Barker Dam.

This set of photos is my second attempt at creating interesting images by manipulating fire. The Camping and Backpacking Fire  fulfills a primal urge, providing light and heat in a landscape that would otherwise be dark and frigid.

These six shots were taken during a recent Camping Trip to the Sandy Flat Campground in Sequoia National Forest. Unfortunately, my Circular Polarizer ($100 lens filter) was destroyed during the generation of these images (due to sheer stupidity).

While I don’t think that their quality was worth the loss, I did learn a valuable lesson in the process: never place sensitive photographic equipment in close proximity to extreme heat.

It All Started Out So Simple (And Ugly)

Soon Becoming More Complex (I Like The Wavy Log On The Right)

Conflagration

Circular Polarizer Screaming In Agony

Enfuego

Zabriskie Point Panorama - Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point was the first major stop on my trip to Death Valley National Park. I arrived just as the sun was getting high enough to allow for strong sky poralization, though just a little too late to capture the longest early morning shadows. I’d love to return some day at sunset to shoot the golds and oranges of the hillsides.

Zabriskie Point Lookout - Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point is comprised of a small part of the Amargosa Range, a series of small eroded mountains. A dry river bed runs through the center of the area, offering some great potential hikes if you’re there during the right time of year. In the summer heat, this spot would probably be too hot to bother with.

View From Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

Death Valley’s original industry was in Borax mining, and Zabriskie Point was named for the vice-president and manager of the Pacific Coast Borax Company- Christian Brevoort Zabriskie. A small sign at the lookout spot commemorates his company’s achievements.

Zabriskie Point Photography - Death Valley National Park

Zabriskie Point has captured the public’s fascination and even been featured in popular culture. In 1970 an Italian director used the location for his film – Zabriskie Point – featuring a soundtrack with offerings from some of the biggest names in rock music: Pink Floyd, Jerry Garcia & The Grateful Dead, and the Rolling Stones.

Zabriskie Point Photos - Death Valley National Park

The fin-shaped mountain formation in the shot above is called the “Manley Beacon”, as is perhaps the most recognizable feature of the surrounding landscape. It was named after William L. Manly, who helped some miners escape certain death by leading them to safety way back in 1849. The early morning and late afternoon sun create a complex and absolutely fascinating network of shadows on its severely eroded hillsides.

The Foothills Near Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

I wish I had taken the time to explore the area a little further, but we were only in the Park for three days, and had quite a few more destinations to visit. I’d certainly have liked to walk the dry riverbed, and taken a closer look at the interesting colors on the much darker mountains in the background of this shot.

Dried Lava Flow(?) in Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

When I first shot these photos, I figured that the dark gray area could have been an ancient lava flow, but after reading up on the spot at Wikipedia, I think I was a little off. Apparently the tops of the dark mountains on the left of my shots are made of dried lava that erupted nearly five million years ago, but the floor of the valley is something entirely different.

Close-Up of Zabriskie Point - Death Valley National Park

Either way, this is a beautiful spot, and one that should be visited during any trip to Death Valley. It’s conveniently situated about half-way between the Mesquite Sand Dunes and Dante’s View, so make sure to stop by when you’re in the Park!

Wildflowers in Shady Canyon - Irvine, CA

Pentax K10D with Vivitar 105mm f/2.5

Shot about 5 minutes from home