Death Valley Workshop

Most successful images require some planning.... along with a dose of good luck. This is especially true when you're shooting outdoors, and counting on somewhat less-than-predictable weather conditions. These 2 images are no exception. Taken last weekend at Death Valley, right at sunrise, just outside the Mesquite sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells. We had walked with headlamps, a short distance in the dark, just to make sure we'd be prepared with a framed-up image, ready for those first few minutes of the amazing desert light. I found an area with no mountains to obstruct the first rays of sun. And as usual, finding some suitable subject matter was no problem. The only missing ingredient was the light. Using a Tamron 90mm macro lens on a tripod, the camera was aimed directly at the ground from about chest height.

The image on the left was taken about 20 seconds before the one above. The only difference is in the lighting, and a half stop in the exposure. Notice how the direct light really improved the contrast, and the warm light added drama.
After taking these shots, we proceeded into the dunes, and had a few minutes of wide-open shooting in the pristine, wind swept sand.