bgberlin Loc: On the Delaware River

Trip planned for end of this month to Death Valley. Any chance of any Hedgehoggers being there to meet up with?Also accepting all tips/tricks/suggestions for creating photo masterpieces 😎.
Thanks.

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

If you want to be like Ansel Adams, head out to ZABRISKI POINT, DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL MONUMENT. Light is our language so you want to consider early or late in the day to get the shadow and texture. Have fun.

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Black Elk Peak

Badwater Basin, Devil's Golf Course, Artists Drive/Palette, Borax Works, Golden Canyon (great at Sunset), Salt Creek, Devil's Cornfield, Dantes View, Sand Dunes (great at Sunrise).

Will you be staying in one of the park lodges? If so you will be in close proximity to the areas listed above. Also, it will take several days to properly take in the grandeur of the park. It is beautiful.

Vaughan K.

bgberlin Loc: On the Delaware River

Thanks for all suggestions. Vaughn - staying at Stovepipe Wells. Just added an extra day so I won't have to rush. Fingers crossed for decent weather!

Black Elk Peak

Good on the extra day. This is a shot of Sunrise at the Sand Dunes.

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CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

You can point your camera in any direction and get some beauties.

CatMarley Loc: North Carolina

Death valley has one kind of weather. Clear and dry.

Cooknguy

In early planning stages of a road trip from Walnut Creek to Jedi Transition (Rainbow Canyon) to see USAF F18s dippin' n bankin'. Google it!

Bipod

Not this year. Good time to go, though.

It takes a long time (and a 4WD and hiking boots) to get to know the Park
(5,270 sq miles) and surrounding areas. There's everything from desert vistas
to wildlife, to mining ruins, to Indian pictographs -- but none of it is easy to find.
Mostly tourist all takes the same pictures from the vista points along the roadway.

I'd suggest you get a book like Hiking Death Valley by Michael Diconnet,
and look at the photos to get an idea of what's available.

BTW, as you probably know, Scotty's Castle is closed this year due to road washouts
lsat year. Latest road conditions::
https://www.nps.gov/deva/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

The temperature dropped to19F on Hunter Mtn last night according to the NWS
(at 7,168 feet A.S.L.) It cerainly could drop below freezing at the Charcoal Kilns
at 4,500 ft in Wildrose Canyon. On the other hand, if the sun comes out, it could
be 80F at Furnace Creek. Pick your altitude to suit your comfort: from 282 ft below
sea level at Badwater to 11,020 ft above on Telescope Peak.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

I usually go in July. I want to experience the "Death" part of Death Valley.

Arca

bgberlin,

Haven't been there in ten years but an often overlooked and hidden scene is 'Darwin Falls' which is the only waterfall in DVNP that I know of. It is only about 20 or 30 feet in height and it does not in the least resemble 'Niagara' but it is definitely a waterfall nonetheless. It is about a one mile hike off of the road.

Getting to Zabriskie Point to see 'Manley Beacon' in the early morning is wonderful. I was there at 6:00 AM in January 2001 and the distant mountains behind 'Manley Beacon' were orchid/purple. However, five to ten minutes earlier, they were pink. If you get there early enough you can record the entire transition from pink to purple to grayish brown. I used a Rodenstock 360mm on my 4 X 5.

It was cold there in January and my Nikon N80's froze for while. This was not simply a cold battery as a spare, warm battery did not get the camera to function until it warmed up to about 40 degrees or so. I guess this is why the N80 was not considered to be a pro-model, despite having the 1 degree spot meter. The point I am trying to make is be warm, and keep your camera warm as well.

For the kilns at Wildrose, you may wish to go inside and shoot outwards. Since the kilns are totally blackened inside, you may wish to bring along a flash unit. The built-in flash on top of your camera is likely to be totally useless. At this time of year, the air is likely to be quite clear, as there have been no forest fires in the area for many weeks now.

Do not forget the 'Race Course'. This used to be 28 miles of horrible road until about a decade ago when the NPS provided sufficient leveling and new gravel. It is MUCH better than previously. There is a very small campground at the end of the road to 'Race Course'. There is one portapotty there.

Remember that DVNP is the largest NP in the 48 contiguous states, and is second in the country to Denali. So you will use plenty of gasoline while in the park and it is a very long drive out of the park to the nearest filling station where prices could be competitive. I recall the price for gas in the park was outrageous, you pay for convenience. But I was very happy to pay those prices because at least gas was available.

Be safe and have fun.

Arca

jblazar Loc: Sunnyvale, CA

You don't want to miss Twenty Mule Team Canyon at sunrise.

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burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

ENJOY! I spent several days there (The Inn at Death Valley) in February of 1982. If you want the best light, get up very early, bundle up (it gets COLD in the desert at night), and be ready to photograph at the crack of dawn.

billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

We should have a spectacular "bloom" of desert flowers this spring...the internet will provide the exact timing and locations to capture the mojave desert in all of it's splendor.

russelray Loc: La Mesa CA

Not all the time. I went to bed at midnight on July 29, 2018, and it was 118 effin degrees outside. I got up at 6:00 a.m. on July 30 and it had cooled down to 100 effin degrees.