Death Valley

[dsphotog]

Silly white men..... Think they can OWN the land.

[Drew Wiley]

The Indian in the flick does have a family resemblance to who I knew, but indeed appears too young if the actual footage is anywhere near 1950. It's in color, so...

[lab black]

I have been to Death Valley in May. It was extremely hot and was not conducive ... to me ... for making images as I much prefer the cooler temperatures of November through February. I suggest carrying lots of fluids, both for you and the vehicle as well as extra hoses and belts. Also, there is very limited cell phone service in Death Valley. That being said, I believe Robert Adams, when asked what is required to make a good photograph, replied, "A pocket full of film." So, I'm sure that you will find many things of interest.

[Vaughn]

I never visited this place before. my knowledge has been increased after reading the above posts. Is there any member who can share some pictures of death valley which he/ she capture during his/her trip. I want to read more views and experiences of others before visiting this valley. I am looking for more replies.

Just a few I have shown here before -- most if not all were taken during the month of February. All from 4x5 negs (TMax100, Gowland PocketView, 150mm lens)

[Vaughn]

And a few taken at the sand dunes in the Park (these are of the Eureka Valley Sand Dunes).

All from 4x5 negs (TMax100, Gowland PocketView, 150mm lens)

[djdister]

Very nice, especially like "Windpocket"...

[Jmarmck]

Agreed on the "Windpocket"

[Vaughn]

Thanks! A lot of sand blowing through the scene! The photo of my friend photographing was earlier in the day -- no wind, and "Windpocket" was taken towards the end of the day near the top on the dunes seen just beyond and to the right of my friend. The wind had picked up strongly by then and this was the only opportunity I found to use the sand and wind in an image.

The image of the bright rock and the dunes in the back was taken on the same trip on a day that started off with wind. Instead of getting sand-blasted, we explored the area off-dune, so to speak.

[Drew Wiley]

Roufi - The Death Valley complex is large and photographic possibilities are almost infinite, that is, in the context of desert subject matter. The cardinal rules are to carry sufficient gas, food, and water, and in winter a good sleeping bag (it can get cold there), even if you are staying at the Inn. Cars can break down a long ways from nowhere in that part of the world. Dont travel off a paved road unless you know what you are doing, and don't hike around without good footwear and plenty
of water, or anywhere you can't find your way back out. There are a few short popular trails easy to follow, but places like Mosaic Canyon are best done early in the
day, before the herd competes with your tripod socket. Another big logistical problem is dust, either from blowing wind or by some car passing you on a dirt road.
One more reason to stick with paved roads of set up your tripod a safe distance from any dirt one. Most color films have a very hard time with some of the exotic
mineral and clay colors down there, so really need a practice round or two. Black and white shooting is a fairly straightforward option, but due to the high contrast
lighting typical of desert conditions with very clear air, I prefer films with a long straight line which can separate the shadow values neatly. In this day and age, I'd
probably pack TMY400, but I could make ACROS or FP4 work, and several others. Don't make the mistakes of trying to see all the "mandatory sights" on a single
trip. There is just way too much there. But most people start out by working the central area, roughly between Stovepipe Wells and Badwater. A drive up to
Dante's View is also not that inconvenient. Wildrose is a longer drive, and get you up into the Pinyon, but is otherwise easy. There are a lot of interesting things in
the adjacent Panamint Valley and over toward Owens Lake and Lone Pine too. But honestly, you could probably spend a week photographing within modest distances of Furnace Creek itself, if that is where you wish to hang out. Things like salt formations down on the pan are rather seasonal in terms of both accessibilty and
appearance. I'd rather not be there in March when it gets windy. Really a problem with dust then. Nov, Dec, Jan - magical !

[Kodachrome25]

Been there three times, weekdays are best to avoid the masses. I will be there for nearly three weeks this November, was hoping to spend a couple days at the Racetrack, but it might be trashed from inconsiderate people:

http://digital-photography-school.co...lley-worth-it/