In anticipation of my Death Valley workshop this month, I made a trip to the park in late December. Whenever possible I prefer to make another scouting visit when a workshop approaches. Road conditions change, local services may come and go, and nothing beats boots-on-the-ground experience to be well prepared to host a group of photographers. The final scouting trip also gives me an opportunity to take my own photographs. I will take photos with my workshop group, however my focus is always the students and my camera doesn’t come out as often (how it should be for a workshop host in my book).

One of the locations I visited is the classic Dantes View overlooking Badwater Basin. I have been this spot several times. I opted for a sunrise visit during this trip. Temperatures were cool but not cold. I was comfortable in layered clothing and a simple skull cap, my hands stayed warm in gloves although the pockets of my jacket would have also done just as well.

I hiked up one of the nearby peaks with a great view of the salt flats of Badwater that also had sweeping views of the valleys to the east. The sky put on a brief, if not subdued, display of color. I worked a few compositions, using rocks in the foreground to shape and frame the scene. I continued hiking the trails and found another intriguing view of the valley floor through a small arched rock. It was one of the few times I kicked the legs out on my tripod and got down low for a view through this natural aperture.

The overcast skies shrouded the sun again. Daylight struggled to pierce the cloud cover with little success. The clouds themselves were textured and interesting, with hits of pinks and purples. A subdued palette, one that suppressed the brighter oranges of the mountains that would otherwise be more vibrant. A few other early morning hikers and photographers came into view. Some had been there when I arrived, others trickled in as the light rose. I turned my attention to the east.

The sun continued to rise, still suppressed by the thick clouds. The valley to the east took on warmer tones. I got lost in the layers of the valley, how the mountains faded to hazy ridges in the distance. The dusty haze between each set of ridges added depth. I switched to my longer lens to compress the scene, searching for an interesting collection of peaks and valley. Yet Death Valley is so vast, it seems to defy photographic attempts to compress and reduce its scale.

As I finished my hike and the sun finally began to break up the cloud cover. I stopped for one more photo of the valley to the east. I looked back at the trail I’d just hiked, using it to anchor the photo and lead into the frame. I chose to capture a panorama to help convey the vastness of the valley and to keep the splash of clouds from bumping against the edges of the frame. I’m happy with how the photo turned out. And thrilled with the experience.