death valley

Death Valley National Park
Land of Extreme Diversity
Group Leader - Ron York
March 19-23, 2012
8 Participants

Death Valley National Park includes many unique formations and photography locations. We will be making images at 282 feet below sea level at Badwater, and may see a light snow cover on 11,000 foot Telescope Peak. The ever changing shadows and textures of the Death Valley Sand Dunes in late afternoon and early morning are inspiring. Golden Canyon provides many locations with light reflecting off the striking golden rock walls. The Devil’s Golf Course, and its bizarre ground formations are a fascinating study in light, line and form. The warm afternoon light adds a glow to the weathered wooden and metallic mining equipment and structures of the many building and mine in the valley. Zabriskie Point at sunrise offers a view of the golden hues and rock striations of Manly Beacon standing above the surrounding rock hills and canyons. Darwin Falls at the end of a 1 mile or so hike over flat terrain is a happy and beautiful oasis in the desert.

The workshop will provide an opportunity to apply your compositional skills to some very unusual landscapes and natural formations. In addition, we will find compositions in decaying old buildings and some of Death Valley’s history of long abandoned mining operations.

Death Valley National Park is over three million acres. This vast area is the largest national park in the lower 48 states, and includes the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level near Badwater, as well as Telescope Peak at an elevation of 11,049 feet. The desert landscape includes unique colorful rock formations and windswept sand dunes. We will photograph the multi colored rock and hillsides at Zabriskie Point and Artist’s Palette. The Panamint Range and the often snow capped Telescope Peak will serve as a backdrop for our desert flora and desert floor compositions. With favorable fall and winter rains the desert landscape may be awash in colorful blossoms at the time of our visit. Dante’s View at an elevation of 5,480 feet provides a wonderful vista over Death Valley, with Badwater and the barren salt flats lying below, and the Panamint Range across the valley. The snow capped Sierra Nevada peaks in the distance can be viewed on a good day. Mystery will also be part of our visit to the park while we photograph the strange moving rocks of the “Racetrack” and speculate on the cause of their movement. The area is also home to several photogenic man made features from the deserted Charcoal Kilns to abandoned mines, ghost towns and the exotic Scotty’s Castle. The unusual, diverse terrain and interesting history of Death Valley make it a true paradise for nature photographers. I hope you will join us for a few days of photography and fun.

Fees: $945 (van transportation while at the workshop - limited to first four requests - can be added for an additional $150, and pickup at the airport on Mar 18 at 1 p.m. and drop off at the airport on Mar 23 by 2 p.m. can be added for an additional $95 - please see airport transportation guidelines). We will coordinate the sharing of rental cars if requested, for those who do not take the van transportation.
Estimated lodging: Approx $160 for single, $80 double per night
Airport for pickup: Las Vegas, NV
Hiking Rating - Moderate, some walking on sand dunes.
Minimum number of participants - 1; maximum participants - 8.