Tag: desert

California desert, Desert Photography, Desertscape

Learning

by patricia emerson mitchellLeave a Comment on Learning

Photography is a constant learning experience for me. Attempting landscape photography is not something I’m entirely comfortable with, and desert photography is rather challenging. A lesson I learned from this last trip (one among many lessons, mind you) is that I would be wise to bring a card reader so I can peruse what I shot when we get back to home base and see what I can do better.

I’ll still post some of the photos I made, but I must say it makes me want to go right back and do things differently!

On this particular trek to the dunes I neglected to bring the adapter for the long lens so I was stuck using other lenses. Rats! (Another lesson learned, I hope!)

Desert Dunes, 3.29.22

California desert, Photographers

Running Late

by patricia emerson mitchellLeave a Comment on Running Late
Dan just posted a photo of the dunes, with a story about nearly missing the light and not getting out quite as far as he expected. I, on the other hand, didn’t even reach his location: I had gotten distracted by some brown-eyed primroses and so I was quite a distance away from him. But hey, I could see where he was and make this!
 
Dan on the Dunes, 6:53PM, April 3, 2019

If you click on the link to Dan’s image above it won’t be the image he is making here: he is, instead, pointing the same direction I’m pointing. If I find the image he made in this shot I’ll link to it.

Death Valley National Park, Desert Photography, Floral Photography

Dust Storm

by patricia emerson mitchellLeave a Comment on Dust Storm

While we were on our little Death Valley trip we did have one dust storm. It was nothing like one we had in the past, where we hunkered down in our motel room and had to block the door with towels, but it did mean we sat in our car to do a bit of shooting.

One photographer decided, instead, to go out on the dunes. I took in a mouthful of sand at one point, just sitting in the car. I can’t imagine what he was dealing with!

I wasn’t really thinking photographically when I shot this. I was thinking more about how crazy that guy was. (If I’d been thinking about the image I would have centered it a wee bit differently, I’m guessing.)

Photographer in a Dust Storm on the Dunes, 4.2.19Photographer_in_a_Dust_Storm_on_the_Dunes,_4.2.19.jpg

California desert, California Wildflowers, Floral Photography

Trip to Carrizo Plain and Death Valley

by patricia emerson mitchellLeave a Comment on Trip to Carrizo Plain and Death Valley

Dan and I took a little trip this week to both the Carrizo Plain and Death Valley. I really needed this get-away, and he just finished teaching a post-retirement quarter at DeAnza so I suspect he needed it as well!

The flowers in the Carrizo area are just unreal. Truly. Even while there, it’s difficult to really comprehend. My first shot, though, was merely with the iPhone. This is before we reached the actual plain, if I understand where we were. (Dan knows for sure since he knows the area better and is the driver for most of our trip.) I loved seeing the baby blue eyes there. Just stunning!

First Shot: Wildflowers, 4.1.19 (iPhone)First_Shot-_Wildflowers,_4.1.19_(iPhone).jpg

Nemophila menziesii, 4.1.19Nemophila_menziesii,_4.1.19.jpg

Castilleja excerta (I), 4.1.19
(Owl’s Clover)Castilleja_excerta_(I),_4.1.19.jpg

Layia platyglossa (I), 4.1.19
(Tidy Tips)Layia_platyglossa_(I),_4.1.19.jpg

I wasn’t the only one getting down low …
Dan in the Flower Field, 4.1.19
Dan_in_the_Flower_Field,_4.1.19.jpg

It’s not easy to describe the colors. It’s not easy to believe them, either. But the Phacelia were amazing and the variety of yellows unbelievable. Here are just a couple more shots. I have many more to look through, some close-ups and some not. I hope to share more soon, but I also have to start focussing again on music-making.

Wildflower Colors at Carrizo, 4.1.19Wildflower_Colors_at_Carrizo_Plain,_4.1.19.jpg

Purple, Yellow, Green, 4.1.19Purple,_Yellow,_Green,_4.1.19.jpg

Death Valley images will mostly wait for another day, but I suppose it would be wrong not to post just one. This particular morning we spotted some photographers out on the dunes. I love to shoot photographers. Peacefully, mind you. (I even wondered if perhaps this was a workshop run by a friend of ours, but I’ve not asked him yet.)

Photographers at Sunrise on the Dunes, 4.3.19Photographers_at_Sunrise_on_the_Dunes,_4.3.19.jpg

California desert, Photographers

iPhone Desert Shots

by patricia emerson mitchellLeave a Comment on iPhone Desert Shots

There is nothing like finding a shot you really like, only to realize it’s an iPhone shot. This means it looks just fine at a small size, but no way can it be printed large. Trust me. Perhaps the next time we go to the desert I’ll keep that phone in my bag and use the better cameras more. I can dream …

Here is Dan on the Dunes. This is a photo that Dan actually processed, so I can’t claim it completely as my own. But it was my photo initially. On my phone. So I put a copyright on it but really that’s kind of a lie, right?

And the title of the one below speaks for itself. 😉

I’m Taller

Death Valley National Park, Desert Photography

Desert Memories

by patricia emerson mitchellLeave a Comment on Desert Memories

I’ve moved back in time a wee bit: I had made it up to mid-April with my 2018 images when I decided to tackle the Death Valley trip Dan and I took. I still puzzle over how to shoot landscapes, and I struggle with the larger Death Valley images. I’ll keep working on them, though!

Here are three I will go ahead and share for now:

Desert Winds Pano, 3.26.18

Desert Lines, 3.27.18

Sitck ‘ Sand, 3.27.18