5am, Zabriskie Point

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 17, 20143,170 views12 comments

Just returned from a Death Valley trip (my first).
For those familiar, Zabriskie is maybe one of the most photographed scenes in the country and it lives up to the billing.
I did not want to get the same sunrise shot everyone else does (there were dozens of photogs there at sunrise), although I did stay for the big event.
I got up at 4:30, because they was a third quarter moon that rose very late that I hoped would light the scene enough and it did to my pleasant surprise! It was awesome to have the point to myself in the very early morning darkness, kind of eerie, but beautiful.
I shot for 2 hours until everyone else showed up, and I left......

14mm, f2.8, 20 sec., iso1000, D800

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on November 17, 2014 at 9:58 AM

Nice take on Z Pt. Your presentation looks good, like a night image (not all night images look right to me).

I can't blame you for taking off when the hordes show up. It is kinda crazy and not that much fun there at those times.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on November 17, 2014 at 11:21 AM

I love Death Valley but have never shot this location mostly because of the crowds. Love you way of getting around that and coming up with a uniquely beautiful image. Nice work.

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on November 17, 2014 at 1:27 PM

Very nice capture and story.

I refuse large crowds. Period.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on November 17, 2014 at 2:50 PM

This is a neat catch, Dan. There's plenty of light and detail in the land and a fine collection of stars in the sky. (I recognize Orion in the center.) The stars in the right hand quarter of the sky show up much better in the larger version.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by D.A. Edwards on November 17, 2014 at 3:31 PM

Nice take, Dan. I like the leading line of the dry wash and any shot with Orion is a winner in my mind. I find the appearance of greens on the left side of the image though to be a little inconsistent with DV in November. Perhaps they are some effect from the long exposure or the moonlight but I would suggest desaturating them.

I've done the DV trip maybe 12-15 times since the early 80s and haven't been to Z Point since everyone became a landscape photographer

There are literally millions of spectacular acres in the park that rarely see anyone let alone a tripod.

Registered on October 8, 2014, 226 Posts, 1187 Comments

Comment posted by Ryan Shain on November 17, 2014 at 4:46 PM

I like this Dan, and I would not like to be around the herd of people either. I bet the solitude at this time was very memorable, and the image you came away with is very nice. There is a leading line with what appears to be a dried stream? I really enjoy the sense of solitude in this image, and this one works for me.

Good work with this capture Dan.

Registered on February 20, 2007, 226 Posts, 4571 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 17, 2014 at 6:33 PM

Dan, I'm sure it did feel a little eerie being there because this image certainly has that feel. Looks like you could be totally alone, at least for a little while

before the sunrise. I like this very much!

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by David Chauvin on November 17, 2014 at 7:09 PM

A classic comp with added twist. I like that the fg is not too bright and has the color and contrast of the night.

Registered on August 5, 2004, 1007 Posts, 5595 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on November 17, 2014 at 8:28 PM

Zabriskie at night is a cool place. Well captured here, Dan. I like the feel of this image, and the fact that it looks like a night image.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Navin Sarma on November 18, 2014 at 9:06 AM

Very nice mood Dan. The oranges and blues work really well togethe .

Registered on July 17, 2011, 233 Posts, 1373 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on November 18, 2014 at 2:00 PM

I like the night shot, Dan. I was at Zabriske on the 12. Love that place, with the exception of the people. Being there at odd hours is the ticket.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on November 18, 2014 at 5:48 PM

This is real nice, Dan. You nailed the exposure, and Orion gleaming in the heavens is a nice touch. This is peaceful, but has a nice drama, too.

--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments