Zabriskie Point, Death Valley NP, California

Canon 5DMKII ~ f/8 ~ 70mm ~ 1/100sec ~ ISO 100

This has to be one of the most iconic areas in all of Death Valley Nat'l Park!  Photographers come to this area of the park in droves to photograph Zabriskie Point.  In fact, this morning, I was literally shoulder to shoulder with about 40 other photographers.  I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to interpret this area.  I definitely knew I wanted 'Manly Beacon' (point to the right), but other than that, I left it to my own interpretation that morning.  I began with several different compositions, some telephoto, and some wide angle.  So I decided on a compromise of 70mm focal length.  This allowed me to compress the scene somewhat, while anchoring the composition with the repeating layers of the rocks in the foreground.  The light, as usual, was very fleeting.  The early morning sun lit up the valley floor and created this spectacular scene.

Photo tip: Experiment with different focal lengths so you have different options for your final image.  Most of the photography today is digital, so it won't cost you any extra to shoot away. :-)

Good Light,

Bill

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