Death Valley

The photographs on this page were taken during my trip to Death Valley in February of 1999. The largest of all the national parks, it is located on 3,336,000 acres in south-eastern California and is considered part of the Mojave Desert ecosystem. While its climate and location create extraordinary and unparalleled natural scenery for photographers, it also creates significant challenges.

Death Valley was named by a group of 1849 gold-rush settlers who became stranded in the Valley and nearly died there before being rescued. Borax was discovered in the valley during the late 1800’s, leading to the creation of the Death Valley Borax Company and the brand "20 Mule Team Borax", referring to the wagon train used to haul refined borax out of the Valley. Borax mining ceased in the late 1800’s when more economical sources were discovered. By this time, however, Death Valley had gained additional notoriety as the hottest, driest, and lowest place in the hemisphere (282 feet below sea level at Badwater). Combined with its numerous scenic and natural features, tourism emerged as the primary activity in the area. In 1933, Death Valley was proclaimed a National Monument by President Hoover, and with the passage of the Desert Protection Act of 1994, was designated a National Park.

During the winter, and during my trip, the temperature averages about 65 degrees. Summertime temperatures, however, can reach 120 degrees - hazardous for any activity. Despite that, the park is open year-round, and according to "locals," (a hardy few working in the lodge, restaurant, and general store) does receive many adventurous visitors in the summer months.

But everyone knows about the temperature (even me). What I didn’t know about was the wind. Out of a five day stay, I lost two whole days to 40 mph sandstorms that obscured visibility, probably scratched the paint on my rented 4x4, and would have rendered unprotected photography equipment inoperable in seconds. Even those days when the wind wasn’t blowing terrifically, there was still enough sand blowing around to keep me in a state of carefully controlled panic anytime I had my camera out.

Ironically, the very sandstorms threatening to destroy my equipment provided me with some of the best opportunities a photographer can hope for in the park. Tourists usually climb all over the 100 foot tall dunes outside the town of Stovepipe Wells, ruining for photographers the wonderful graphic patterns and forms that emerge in early morning and sunset light. The sandstorms wiped the entire area clean of footprints (and tourists), enabling me and several other anxious photographers to get a few shots off during brief periods of calm.

Photographers must also contend with Death Valley’s sheer size. Other, more dense parks and scenic areas allow for options if you choose a location not optimum at that moment for whatever reason. Death Valley, with its hour-plus drives between sites, doesn’t allow that. Pick a bad location for a morning shoot and you’re stuck with it.

All outdoor photography requires temperance to cope with the unpredictability of weather and nature. Shooting Death Valley required more than the usual, at least in my experience.

For more photos of Death Valley, see the Dunes Gallery