Hi Gang,
Today’s post features 5 images from somewhere between Furnace Creek and Salt Creek basin. Furnace Creek basin is just to the south and to the north is Salt Creek proper. A little further south sits the Mequite sand dunes. Salt creek is a year round surface level salt water creek and home to the endangered Death Valley Pupfish. The basin we photographed is a result of flooding and evaporation; this story is starting to repeat in my posts. Furnace Creek Basin is fed by springs of the Amargosa Range, giving rise to a natural oasis. An oasis is a body of spring water found in a desert region. Oases, if large enough, would support plant, animal and human life. The Furnace Creek oasis no longer exists in any meaningful form, most of the water being diverted for use by the the tourists and year round residents.
With that being said, there is still surface water and you can see some amazing sky’s and reflections in this water. Given the effects of a wide-angle lens used in these images, the water area appears much larger than it does to the naked eye. There isn’t much water and what there is is merely an inch deep. In the second image, which is void of water, you see what we called “lily pads,” or salt formations in the basin.
My next, and possibly last post on Death Valley, will feature images from the Alabama Hills area. This area is actually not in Death Valley, but located near Death Valley just outside the town of Lone Pine, CA in the foothills of the Sierras.
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6 Comments
Awesome, Alec. I think my favorite is 2; 5 is really nice, too!
Speaking of people diverting water, where did you all stay while you were there?
-CJ
Awesome, Alec! I think my favorite is 2. 5 is really nice, too.
Speaking of people diverting water, where did you all stay while you were there?
-CJ
Hi CJ,
Thanks for the post. There are two major resorts in the Park. The larger and swankier is Furnace Creek. The other is Stovepipe Wells. We stayed in Stove Pipe. Furnace Creek is conveniently located near Zabriskie Point and Badwater and has a great breakfast restaurant. Stovepipe is right across the street from the Mesquite Dunes and points west (Lone Pine) and has a reasonable restaurant and bar. Its really a coin toss. On any given day we drove 100 miles and our trip to Alabama Hills was 90 miles one way. So, if you’re shooting you’re going to put miles on in DV regardless. The choice is really whether you want to pay $140 a night (Stovepipe) or $340/night in Furnace Creek.
Great images (again and as usual), Alec. The “Lilly Pads” shot is unbelievable. I love the textures and colors in that one. It looks like you and your buddies had an outstanding trip.
KC
Hey KC,
Thanks for the kind words. The lily pads is my favorite of the set. We had a great trip. Way more great light than we could hope for in an outing. Robert and I were taking about this yesterday. You go into this type of shoot HOPING for a couple (2-3) really nice images. We were given piles of great shooting opportunities and made the best of them.
Cheers,
Alec
Terrific images……… the color is off the charts!
Travis