Earth Cracks, Coyote Tracks, and a Pending Storm
I was trying to find what I've heard called "salt pans" out in Badwater Basin in Death Valley, where walls of salt are built up between the shape...
Read more
I was trying to find what I've heard called "salt pans" out in Badwater Basin in Death Valley, where walls of salt are built up between the shapes. I didn't find those. They told me the area recently flooded, which wipes out the salt formations so they can start over. As mushy as the walking was, I believe it. This was at least a couple of miles from where I parked, and it was very slow walking in the mud.
Read less
Read less
Dec, 2015Views
2989
Likes
Awards
Action Award
Chatter Award
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 21
Legendary Award
Contest Finalist in Composing with Textures Photo Contest
Featured
Contest Finalist in Desert Vistas Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rank
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in Death Valley, near the lowest point in North America.Time
It was late in the afternoon. I had walked a few miles out onto these salt flats and was a little concerned about how hard it might be to find my truck if I didn't make it back before it got dark.Lighting
It was getting dark quickly as evening approached and a storm looked like it wanted to come in from the west. I liked the look of the storm approaching.Equipment
I used my Sony A99 camera and I think a 16-50 mm zoom lense.Inspiration
I was looking for the shots I had seen in other photos that I've since concluded are of this area when it is more dry. This area had recently flooded according to one park employee, and it smoothed out the salt and made the ground quite mushy. I didn't find what I went for, but the coyote tracks caught my eye. This was miles from any edge of the flats and I wondered why a coyote would even come this way. My attempt here was to capture the vastness of the flats.Editing
I usually do some minor tweaking in Lightroom to make it look like I remember it. I did that here. I since tried one where I lightened up the salt a little more, but I think I prefer darker to let the approaching storm look more ominous, like it appeared to me at the time.In my camera bag
Here I had a longer lense in case I saw wildlife, a few filters, a backup camera, extra batteries, and a tripod.Feedback
I think my best advice is get out a lot and carry your camera. I was looking for something else when I came across this. Careful planning is great, but sometimes luck and/or good fortune work better for me.
