detour through death valley
january 2024 | death valley np
MAMIYA C220
Velvia 50, Ektar 100, Portra 160 and 400, Ilford hp5
The main focus of my winter trip to the desert was Zion, but knowing Death Valley lies only a few hours from the Vegas airport, I couldn’t resist a (very long) detour in the opposite direction to Death Valley after a six year absence.
With only a day and a half available for this detour to a remote world, in a landscape so endless and varied throughout, I chose to photograph the three highlights - Zabriskie, Mesquite, and Badwater - during my two sunsets and single sunrise. Arriving just before sunset, I started with the dunes and walked aimlessly through them until any usable light expired. The next morning, a light rain rolled through, creating incredible conditions at Zabriskie, and after shooting from the main overlook, I set into the canyon, about halfway to Gower Gulch, looping back as the sky cleared and the heat steadily increased. Last on the agenda was Badwater, which was flooded about knee high in most places, and proved to be the most interesting stop, but the hardest to shoot. After the sunset, I made the drive to Zion in the darkness.
This park is enormous, and I’ve had scattered visits around specific areas three different times. I always leave Death Valley wanting to dedicate more time here, which is a good thing as it keeps me coming back.