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KimNordbyPhotography

Salty Scape

NIKON D850

settings

Aperture f/9 ISO 200 Shutter 10/1 Focal Length 150/10

upload_date

Mar, 2021

Views

1223

Likes

+164

Awards

Curator's Selection

Contest Finalist in Mother Nature Photo Contest 2021

People's Choice in Remote And Isolated Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Remote And Isolated Photo Contest

Peer Award

+420

Absolute Masterpiece

Top Choice

Magnificent Capture

Superb Composition

Outstanding Creativity

All Star

Virtuoso

Genius

Superior Skill

Emotions

Impressed

Relaxed

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 10 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Top 20 rank

Behind The Lens

Location

My husband and I love to travel and we were fortunate enough to experience the Badwater Basin of Death Valley National Park. This was our first trip to Death Valley and we really enjoyed exploring all the park had to offer.

Time

The Badwater Basin salt flats during the evening blue hour are magical. Walk out on the basin and you are presented with so many photograph opportunities. The compositions are endless! The salt flats create various patterns and designs that can keep you busy for hours. You can certainly spend hours here making images that you'll look forward to revisiting on your computer when you get home.

Lighting

One of the things I especially enjoyed while photographing during the blue hour is that the color of the light complimented the coolness of the ice so very well. Add a blue sky and you've got a beautiful image washed in blue.

Equipment

Shooting with a wide-angle lens was a great choice for this location. I was able to get low to the surface to focus on the polygonal shapes. I used a tripod with my Nikon D850 so I could use a slower shutter speed to gather as much light as possible.

Inspiration

I've seen so many photos of the Badwater Basin salt flats. It's something I wanted to photograph for years. The various shapes and salt designs make for such a challenging composition, and so very interesting. Add the blue hour light to this scene makes for a wonderful photographic experience.

Editing

This image was processed primarily in lightroom. I added some blue using the white balance. The clarity slider brought out the ridges of salt on the flats. A vignette helped to bring focus to the center of the image.

In my camera bag

My landscape photo bag is set up with my trusty Nikon D850. I've typically got 3 lenses with me, the Tamron 15-30, the Tamron 24-70, and the Nikon 70-200 for picking out the details in the landscape. A new addition to my camera bag last year is a lightweight tripod from Peak Design. A lighter pack enables me to adventure and explore further with more comfort. I've also got a set of filters that I use when the scene calls for it - circular polarizers and various ND filters.

Feedback

Death Valley weather can be extreme. It's definitely earned its name! Winter and Spring are great seasons to visit the park. If you can plan your visit for just after a rainstorm you may be able to see water on the salt flats that enhance the scene even more!

See more amazing photos, follow KimNordbyPhotography

KimNordbyPhotography

KimNordbyPhotography

Salty Scape

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow KimNordbyPhotography

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