Badlands, Sand and Salt

Setting sun and wind, Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park

I’m no stranger to Death Valley National Park.  I’d thought I wouldn’t join another workshop there, and that I was only interested in photographing less popular backcountry locations by myself now.  Then a last-minute spot became available on a Visionary Wild workshop with Jerry Dodrill and Todd Pickering.  On impulse I signed on to this front-country, stay-in-a hotel-room adventure.

Closed road, Mojave National Preserve

Sunrise in the Joshua Trees, Mojave National Preserve

I drove out in the van and spent some time in the Mojave National Preserve before the group convened.  Sadly, my favorite place to camp there had been designated wilderness.  No motor vehicles are allowed.  I was less than thrilled to see the turn-off blocked.  There are lots of other options, though, and I settled in at mid-elevation among the Joshua trees and in a nice quiet spot with no traffic.

Workshops keep a more robust pace than I do traveling alone.  Landscape photographers are always up and out in the dark, and this trip was no exception.  On my own, though, I generally get some work done and grab a nap during mid-day.  Instead, the group enjoyed the 4-plus-hour image review sessions.  These were excellent and were time well spent, despite missed naps. I have pages of notes on everything from technical photo processing tips to quotes from Galen Rowell. I also don’t do the long restaurant dinners after sunset shoots when traveling on my own.  After 6-hour sleep nights all week, I was ready for a recharge despite feeling deeply inspired.

Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park

There were variations on familiar locations, like hiking into the badlands a bit at Zabriskie Point for a less common vantage point and to allow us to use the dry wash as a leading line.  It didn’t hurt that the light was spectacular as well.

Snowy Telescope Peak and pink sky reflected, Death Valley National Park

This location in Badwater Basin also blessed us with uncommon sunrise color as we tromped around in the crunchy (but surprisingly durable) salt deposits.

Pastels after sunset, Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park

I love shooting sand dunes but have avoided the accessible (and therefore popular) Mesquite Dunes for quite a while.  Because we were staying at Stovepipe Wells, adjacent to the dunes, we did three shoots there. We had the mixed blessing of wind.  Though there was grit in my teeth and ears, the wind wiped away footprints and created some cool atmospheric effects with backlight.

Ominous clouds over Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park

Storm clouds also did a good job spicing up the dune shots one afternoon.

HDR image from inside a slot canyon in the Funeral Mountains, Death Valley National Park

There seem to be endless side canyons in the mountain ranges throughout the park.  I’ve just scratched the surface with twenty or so canyon hikes, and there are always more on my list.  The guys took us to this little gem in the Funeral Mountains.

Mud Crack Detail along Badwater Road, Death Valley National Park

Sometimes inspiration is available in unlikely places.  This is a detail of a roadside display of mud cracks.  It takes a particular kind of person to appreciate this sort of scene and I’m that kind.

Dune Detail, Death Valley National Park

Details are important to storytelling, and easily found in this magic place if you’re looking for them.

Virga and salt polygons, West Side Road, Death Valley National Park

Dunes and snow, Death Valley National Park

The Mojave Desert lends itself well to dramatic black and white presentations.  These are a couple of favorites from this trip.

Velvet Turtleback, Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Death Valley National Park

I’m sure that, in the planning of this trip, Jerry and Todd were hoping for flowers.  Winter and Spring have been painfully dry in the desert southwest this year, and we didn’t see much.  In fact, this Velvet Turtleback (Psathyrotes ramosissima) was about all I saw.  I celebrated this small victory.

The workshop wrapped at about 3:00 on day five.  At that point, I settled the van in a quiet spot and grabbed that long-delayed nap, then contemplated locations for desert photography next season.

There’s much more in the Spring 2025 Gallery on the website.