Sunrise Dunes, Desert Mountains. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Sunrise light highlights sand dunes against a backdrop of desert mountains.

Some of my recent Death Valley dunes photographs have featured a wild wind and sand storm — a very dramatic scene that was not easy to photograph. Here I switch to the opposite mood in the dunes, the quiet moment when the first sunrise light arrives. The light changes with incredible speed at this time of day, going from the soft blue tones of pre-sunrise to bright and harsh daytime colors in moments. I made this photograph during the first direct light, when distant mountains were still in shadows.

Continues at https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/21/sunrise-dunes-desert-mountains

#deathvalley #nationalpark #deva #dvnp #desert #sand #dunes #sunrise #nature #landscape #travel #photography

Desert Canyon, Morning Light. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Soft morning light on eroded landscape in a desert canyon.

There are places and subjects that I can return to many times and still find new ways to see them. This photograph comes from one of those places, one that I remember thinking I was “done with” a long time ago,. But every time I return I discover something that I missed before. For years I have photographed from the little valley that is the subject here… but only recently realized that it could serve as the subject as well as a camera position. Continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/19/desert-canyon-morning-light

#deathvalley #dvnp #deva #desert #nationalpark #nature #travel #landscape #photography

Dunes at Dusk. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Soft dusk light on low sand dunes, Death Valley National Park.

This subject is going to appear in several photographs from our late-March visit to Death Valley National Park. Some of them will focus on the astonishing power of a dust storm that swept through near the end of the trip. However, this one comes from a different evening, a quiet one with gentle winds and soft light. ...continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/10/dunes-at-dusk

#deathvalley #dvnp #deva #desert #sand #dunes #nature #travel #landscape #photography

Badlands, Desert Valley. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

The view across eroded badlands hills and up a broad wash toward desert mountains.

This scene has intrigued and challenged me for quite a while, and this is certainly not the first time I have photographed it. I is near an area where I frequently photograph in Death Valley, and for a variety of reasons I typically arrive at this spot after completing work in nearly locations. The view opens suddenly from a high perspective at a turn in the route, and I hardly ever pass without stopping. ...continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/08/badlands-desert-valley

#deathvalley #nationalpark #dvnp #deva #desert #badlands #blackandwhite #monochrome #nature #landscape #photography

Dunes, Blowing Dust. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A late-afternoon spring dust storm sweeps across sand dunes, Death Valley National Park.

This was a wild scene. By late afternoon it was clear that high winds and blowing dust were on their way. We hunkered down for a while and ate an early dinner while waiting to see what would develop. The winds continued to build and the sand and dust were heading more and more in our direction. These conditions are both compelling and extremely uncomfortable, but my desire to photograph overcame my common sense and I headed out. ...continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/06/dunes-blowing-dust

#deathvalley #nationalpark #deva #dvnp #sand #dunes #storm #dust #wind #nature #landscape #photography

Twisting Desert Canyon. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A deep desert canyon winds between tall cliffs, Death Valley National Park.

In a recent post I mentioned that I had finished sharing photographs from my January visit to Death Valley. What I did not mention was that we were heading back in late March to make more photographs. With this post I begin sharing photographs from this second trip. Death Valley is never the same twice, and on this visit we encountered rain, snow, high winds, and much more. In fact, our visit to this canyon was partially intended to avoid the winds sweeping through the valley that day. ...continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/05/twisting-desert-canyon

#deathvalley #nationalpark #dvnp #deva #desert #canyon #nature #landscape #travel #photography

Butte, Morning Haze. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A desert butte and mountains stretching into the distance in morning haze, Death Valley National Park.

With all that haze, this may not be your typical Death Valley photograph, but it is my favorite kind of light. I love haze, backlight, and scenes full of interesting shapes, curves, and lines. I’m also fond of including elements that are barely visible, as is the case with the furthest hills beyond the rounded butte. ...continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/04/butte-morning-haze

#deathvalley #nationalpark #dvnp #deva #atmosphere #haze #morning #landscape #nature #photography

Red Cliffs, Dawn. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Red Cliffs, in dawn light, in front of Death Valley and distant desert mountains.

During my January visit to Death Valley National Park I ended up exploring this scene over a period of several days. My ability to travel more widely in the park was limited by storm-related road closures, so I took a closer look than usual at areas nearer main attractions. The first time I was in this area I missed the good light but saw potential, so I returned later on scout more thoroughly. (That led to a lovely, solitary hike up a long wash that doesn’t seem to get many visitors.) I went back for a third time, arriving well before sunrise and photographing until the light became less compelling. ...continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/04/02/red-cliffs-dawn-2

#deathvalley #deva #dvnp #desert #nationalpark #dawn #sunrise #landscape #nature #travel #photography

Mountains and Fan, Morning. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning light on desert mountains and an immense alluvial fan, Death Valley National Park.

continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/03/26/mountains-and-fan-morning

#deathvalley #deva #dvnp #nationalpark #desert #mountains #morning #landscapt #nature #travel #photography

Across the Canyon. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning light on a desert canyon and eroded hills, Death Valley National Park.

continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/03/21/across-the-canyon

#deathvalley #dvnp #deva #nationalpark #desert #landscape #nature #travel #photography

Dunes and Shadows. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Low angle light casts shadows across sand dunes, Death Valley.

Sand dunes provide a virtually infinite range of photographic subjects, from the shapes of the tallest dunes down to the footprints of tiny creatures. In many ways, they are canvas on which the light paints, creating changing... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/22/dunes-and-shadows

#deva #dvnp #deathvalley #sand #dunes #desert #nationalpark #landscape #nature #photography #monochrome #blackandwhite

Rocks, Playa, Desert Mountains. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Afternoon light on desert mountains beyond rocks and playa, Death Valley.

This spot has drawn my attention over many years of visits to Death Valley. It would be easy to miss — it is just a rock-covered hill next to a roadway, in a location where people are most likely looking in... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/21/rocks-playa-desert-mountains

#deathvalley #deva #dvnp #desert #nationalpark #blackandwhite #monochrome #landscape #nature #travel #photography

Desert Wash, Before Sunrise. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Pre-sunrise light gently illuminates badlands and desert sky, Death Valley.

This is perhaps not the most common light that I photograph, although I experience it frequently. The time is just before sunrise, when the growing light turns the sky pink but the shadows remain blue, as do the lower reaches... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/20/desert-wash-before-sunrise

#deathvalley #deva #dvnp #desert #dawn #nationalpark #nature #landscape #travel #photography

Desert Holly, Badlands Wash. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A desert holly plant grows in a wash in Death Valley badlands.

I went to this general location to photograph something else — there’s a nearby vista that I had photographed during mid-morning light, and I wanted to try it a bit earlier in the day. As I slowly headed that way I was distracted by many other... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/19/desert-holly-badlands-wash

#deathvalley #deva #dvnp #nationalpark #desert #landscape #nature #travel #photography

Dune Patterns, Evening. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Evening side-light highlights the textures of san dunes, Death Valley National Park.

What photographic visit to Death Valley would be complete without at least one photograph of sand dunes? I did not devote much time to that subject on this visit, but I did spend an evening among the dunes, arriving... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/18/dune-patterns-evening-2

#deathvalley #dvnp #deva #dunes #sunset #desert #nature #landscape #travel #photoraphy #nationalpark

Desert Hills, Morning Haze. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning haze obscures distant hills above badlands formations, Death Valley Naitonal Park.

This scene came as a complete surprise. I arrived at this location on a low ridge before dawn and photographed some striking geological formations to my north as the sun came up, gradually... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/17/desert-hills-morning-haze

#deathvalley #deva #dvnp #desert #badlands #atmosphere #landscape #nature #arid #travel #photography #nationalpark

Distant Ridge, Dusk. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A distant ridge in dusk light, viewed from a high point in Death Valley Naitonal Park.

This was just about the final photograph that I made at this location high in Death Valley National Park’s Black Mountains. I had arrived here well before sunset, remaining to photograph the light transition... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/16/distant-ridge-dusk

#dusk #sunset #mountains #snowcapped #nevada #deathvalley #deva #dvnp #landscape #nature #travel #photography

Death Valley, Black Mountains Ridge, Sunset. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Looking across a Black Mountain ridge in sunset light toward Death Valley.

It looks like I am getting nearer to the end of the photographs from my late-January visit to Death Valley National Park. As I mentioned previously, washed out roads and other issues forced me to change my plans... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/15/death-valley-black-mountains-ridge-sunset

#dvnp #deva #deathvalley #nationalpark #desert #rugged #landscape #nature #travel #photography

Desert Mountains, Morning Haze. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Morning haze obscures the details on a series of desert mountains, Death Valley National Park.

This is another serendipitous photograph, and if you compared it to many of the other photographs I made at this location you would never guess that they came from the same place, same time, and ... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/14/desert-mountains-morning-haze-3

#deathvalley #dvnp #deva #desert #mountains #atmosphere #haze #landscape #nature #travel #photography

From Valley To Peaks. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

The Panamint Range rises in morning light from below sea level in Death Vally to over 11,000 feet at Telescope Peak.

Earlier I shared another photograph of this series of impressive ridges, rising in the dawn light from the below-sea-level playa of Death Valley to the 11,000’+ summit of Telescope Peak... continues: https://gdanmitchell.com/2023/02/13/from-valley-to-peaks

#mountains #desert #rugged #deathvalley #deva #dvnp #sunrise #landscape #nature #travel #photography