Articles: Top Ten National Parks

Death Valley

Death Valley Fine Art Landscape Photography

The Park is one of those locations that, when you first hear about it for photography, the immediate reaction can be one of skepticism. Could a barren desert be that interesting? Upon further investigation, I began to see the potential of the sand dunes, salt flats, and other formations.

Top 4 Locations

1. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

I’m not a big fan of hiking on the soft sand of the beach, but for some reason, I don’t mind hiking out into Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. I like to get out about a mile where there are fewer plants and the dunes are a little larger. I recommend starting out in the dark before dawn. If I’m going out in strong winds, I minimize my gear, wear ATV goggles and only take my camera out of the bag for as short of time as possible and try to keep my back to the wind. It’s a little stressful, but it is quite rewarding.

2. Badwater Basin

The formations in the salt of Badwater Basin are pretty amazing. For this location, I tend to go out at the end of the day for the sunset in the west. The formations in the sand are cleaner the further you walk out, so it is just a matter of preference how far you want to go. Some of the closer in formations in the salt can be a little gnarly, but they’re kind of cool too. If the clouds are looking good, it becomes a serious contender for your time at the end of the day.

3. The Racetrack

The mysterious “moving rocks” are a blast to play with photographically. The road out there can be rough and will cut normal tires easily. I strongly recommend renting a jeep with beefed-up tires. You can rent one for 24 hours and cover both sunset and sunrise. If the playa with the rocks is wet and soft, please refrain from going out there. Footprints harden and last forever and destroy photo opportunities. It’s just simple courtesy.

4. Zabriskie Point

This very popular overlook can be crowded at both sunrise and sunset, but there are plenty of places to position yourself for a variety of compositions. The popular angle is to the west, but there are also some neat formations and colors in the dunes to the north and south. Keep your eyes open and watch what the clouds are doing.

Other Locations

There are plenty of locations to shoot. It’s just a matter of how long you can be there. Other locations include Eureka Dunes, Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Dante’s View, Artists Palette, Panamint Dunes, and Aguereberry Point.

Best Times To Be At the Park

Like any desert, you’ll need to shoot very early and very late. The rest of the day can be used for exploring. It is an easy place to get hooked on returning to. I highly recommend staying inside the park, so advance planning of your trip is required as rooms book up in advance. February and March are my favorite times to be there. I have found March is a good month for winds, which have a nice cleaning effect on the dunes. Always be sure to carry plenty of water.

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Fullscreen Slideshow
sunrise at Aguereberry Point at Death Valley National Park, California
Desert Burst
Aguereberry Point, Death Valley National Park, California
Sunset on the formations near Zabriskie Point at Death Valley National Park, California
Valley Colors
Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California
storm clouds descending over Eureka Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Desert Contrasts
Eureka Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Shapes in the golden sands in Death Valley National Park, California
Golden Shapes
Death Valley National Park, California
Sunset colors in the sky at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park, California
Desert Shades
Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California
Soft Shadows in the sand dunes at Death Valley National Park, California
Soft Shadows
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Shadows and curves in the sand dunes at Mesquite Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Curves
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Shadows and ripples in the sand at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Sand Shadows
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Layers of sand dunes in a sandstorm at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
layers
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
High winds blowing the sand on the dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
High Desert Winds
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Exploding sandstorm at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Sandplosion
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Soft curves of small sand dunes at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Soft Curves
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Sand dunes with blowing sand at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Soft Desert
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Sand dunes contrasting with the background at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Wind Streaks
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Big clouds at Badwater Basin salt flat formations at Death Valley National Park, California
Changing Skies
Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park, California
sunset sky over the salt flat formations at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California
Fire Above
Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park, California
sunset sunbeams over the salt flats at Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California
Desert Storm
Badwater Basin, Death Valley National Park, California
Storm clouds over Salt Creek in Death Valley National Park, California
Incoming Weather
Salt Creek, Death Valley National Park, California
Long shadows on a moving rock at The Racetrack in Death Valley National Park, California
Shadow Point
The Racetrack, Death Valley National Park, California
A moving rock making a left turn at The Racetrack in Death Valley National Park, California
Left Turn
The Racetrack, Death Valley National Park, California
Two moving rocks crossing paths at The Racetrack in Death Valley National Park, California
Crossing Paths
The Racetrack, Death Valley National Park, California
Sunrise light on the dunes at Mesquite Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California
Dune Glow
Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley National Park, California
Morning light on Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park, California
Zabriskie Point
Zabriskie Point, Death Valley National Park, California
Cube shaped moving rock at The Racetrack in Death Valley National Park, California
The Borg Cube
The Racetrack, Death Valley National Park, California
One of the Moving Rocks at The Racetrack in Death Valley National Park, California
Desert Track
The Racetrack, Death Valley National Park, California