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Archive 2005Wild Death Valley
p.1 #1Wild Death Valley
Got a chance to visit Death Valley this past weekend with FM'er Harley. It was a short trip filled with lots of wind and rain, some good light here and there, and some cool clouds. I had yet to visit DV in the spring, and boy, does that place look different with all the green on the hills! We headed to the southern end of the valley, as we heard there were some good wildflowers in that area. There were indeed wildflowers, but also that dreaded wind. Patience paid off for a few decent images of these desert sunflowers on a slope with a great sky in the distance...we had rain about an hour after this image was shot. In all honesty, this was a tough place to shoot and I am hopeful to find one, maybe two keepers in the bunch...for the whole trip! All in all it was a good time...good to get out of town, chat with Harley, explore new areas and shoot a bit. I hope to have at least one more shot posted soon. Comments appreciated. Enjoy.
http://www.jimmygekas.com/deathvalley01.jpg
http://www.jimmygekas.com/deathvalley01.jpg
Feb 22, 2005 at 11:40 AM
p.1 #2Wild Death Valley
Hi Jimmy,
Looks like you had a "wild" trip. We're gearing up to go down there the first week of March and hoping it dries out a bit between now and then....though I'd love some of those scenic clouds to stick around to decorate the skies.
Sounds like you had fun and this is a wonderful shot. I love the contrast in the clouds and, of course, the flowers.
Rosemary
Looks like you had a "wild" trip. We're gearing up to go down there the first week of March and hoping it dries out a bit between now and then....though I'd love some of those scenic clouds to stick around to decorate the skies.
Sounds like you had fun and this is a wonderful shot. I love the contrast in the clouds and, of course, the flowers.
Rosemary
Feb 22, 2005 at 11:52 AM
p.1 #3Wild Death Valley
It's tough to get the wild clouds without the wind. Push the ISO and use a high SS, I guess. Sometimes there's not a lot of choice.
I've only been there a couple of times but certainly not with such a blanket of color. And those clouds! Wow! I'm sure that it was enjoyable despite the trying conditions. Hope you discover some gems that you didn't realize you had.
I've only been there a couple of times but certainly not with such a blanket of color. And those clouds! Wow! I'm sure that it was enjoyable despite the trying conditions. Hope you discover some gems that you didn't realize you had.
Feb 22, 2005 at 12:22 PM
p.1 #4Wild Death Valley
Now when was there a long enough break in the wind to get that one? Were you shooting that with Velvia 50 rated at 40 at f32? Not a chance.
Nice image Jimmy. Great sky. I must have been in the camper imbibing a beverage with no olives when you took that shot.
Looking forward to seeing the mud shot posted here.
Harley
Nice image Jimmy. Great sky. I must have been in the camper imbibing a beverage with no olives when you took that shot.
Looking forward to seeing the mud shot posted here.
Harley
Feb 22, 2005 at 01:11 PM
p.1 #5Wild Death Valley
My kind of landscape, Jimmy. The white's clean & the black's rich. Wonderful conversion.
Feb 22, 2005 at 01:24 PM
p.1 #6Wild Death Valley
Beautiful landscape. Plenty of perspective and drama, and your black and white is excellent.
s
s
Feb 22, 2005 at 01:45 PM
p.1 #7Wild Death Valley
Woah!! neat shot brotha...very neat. love the BW tones here..
you went without me
you went without me
Feb 22, 2005 at 02:20 PM
p.1 #8Wild Death Valley
This is a beautiful and wild-assed image, Jimmy! GREAT job on the black and white, and it even LOOKS windblown.
Wonderful.
Wonderful.
Feb 22, 2005 at 02:30 PM
p.1 #9Wild Death Valley
Beautiful capture!
I will be going Death Valley too from Mar 5-8 with a few friends; hopefully the weather gods will play nice with us
I will be going Death Valley too from Mar 5-8 with a few friends; hopefully the weather gods will play nice with us
Feb 22, 2005 at 10:22 PM
p.1 #10Wild Death Valley
Yup yup, I'll be with nutek. May the weather gods love us so~ ;-)
Feb 22, 2005 at 10:28 PM
p.1 #11Wild Death Valley
Jimmy,
That image has legs. The shot stretches from here to infinity. Really great job on the sky and general contrast. Harley has me intrigued...where's the mud shot?
That image has legs. The shot stretches from here to infinity. Really great job on the sky and general contrast. Harley has me intrigued...where's the mud shot?
Feb 22, 2005 at 11:10 PM
p.1 #12Wild Death Valley
Great shot Jimmy, and great conversion.
Did you guys get to the badwater area? I couldn't belive haw much water was there. I think the lake stretches for 10 -15 miles now.
Did you guys get to the badwater area? I couldn't belive haw much water was there. I think the lake stretches for 10 -15 miles now.
Feb 23, 2005 at 02:44 AM
p.1 #13Wild Death Valley
Nicely done Jimmy. I had my own share of frustrations this weekend closer to home in Borrego Springs. I was hoping for some wild and dramatic weather, but ended up with flat and gray skies and lots of rain and wind-damaged flowers. I'm glad you're not the only one who like black and white for this type of work though...
Arka C.
Arka C.
Feb 23, 2005 at 03:50 AM
p.1 #14Wild Death Valley
Great stuff, Jimmy! The B&W conversion is top notch. And the composition, something special.
Glad you found a little time between deluges! It better dry up out there by the time our Zion trip comes around! Otherwise, we will need an arc for the trip down "The Subway"!
Carl
Glad you found a little time between deluges! It better dry up out there by the time our Zion trip comes around! Otherwise, we will need an arc for the trip down "The Subway"!
Carl
Feb 23, 2005 at 08:33 AM
p.1 #16Wild Death Valley
Rosemary R wrote:
Hi Jimmy,
Looks like you had a "wild" trip. We're gearing up to go down there the first week of March and hoping it dries out a bit between now and then....though I'd love some of those scenic clouds to stick around to decorate the skies.
Sounds like you had fun and this is a wonderful shot. I love the contrast in the clouds and, of course, the flowers.
Rosemary
Thanks Rosemary! I am sure you'll find your clouds and flowers. The place is going to be an awesome site in a few weeks. Have fun!
Hi Jimmy,
Looks like you had a "wild" trip. We're gearing up to go down there the first week of March and hoping it dries out a bit between now and then....though I'd love some of those scenic clouds to stick around to decorate the skies.
Sounds like you had fun and this is a wonderful shot. I love the contrast in the clouds and, of course, the flowers.
Rosemary
Thanks Rosemary! I am sure you'll find your clouds and flowers. The place is going to be an awesome site in a few weeks. Have fun!
Feb 23, 2005 at 10:51 AM
p.1 #17Wild Death Valley
DonH wrote:
It's tough to get the wild clouds without the wind. Push the ISO and use a high SS, I guess. Sometimes there's not a lot of choice.
I've only been there a couple of times but certainly not with such a blanket of color. And those clouds! Wow! I'm sure that it was enjoyable despite the trying conditions. Hope you discover some gems that you didn't realize you had.
Thanks Don. Yeah, the conditions were indeed trying. I actually got a few shots of the flowers that had sharp petals. This image is one of them, as the foreground flowers are still. The clouds were awesome and made me shoot more....I just had to find some composition that incorporated those clouds
It's tough to get the wild clouds without the wind. Push the ISO and use a high SS, I guess. Sometimes there's not a lot of choice.
I've only been there a couple of times but certainly not with such a blanket of color. And those clouds! Wow! I'm sure that it was enjoyable despite the trying conditions. Hope you discover some gems that you didn't realize you had.
Thanks Don. Yeah, the conditions were indeed trying. I actually got a few shots of the flowers that had sharp petals. This image is one of them, as the foreground flowers are still. The clouds were awesome and made me shoot more....I just had to find some composition that incorporated those clouds
Feb 23, 2005 at 10:54 AM
p.1 #18Wild Death Valley
harleygsb wrote:
Now when was there a long enough break in the wind to get that one? Were you shooting that with Velvia 50 rated at 40 at f32? Not a chance.
Nice image Jimmy. Great sky. I must have been in the camper imbibing a beverage with no olives when you took that shot.
Looking forward to seeing the mud shot posted here.
Harley
Hmmmm....I didn't notice any olives
Thanks for a great trip and all your camping expertise
Now when was there a long enough break in the wind to get that one? Were you shooting that with Velvia 50 rated at 40 at f32? Not a chance.
Nice image Jimmy. Great sky. I must have been in the camper imbibing a beverage with no olives when you took that shot.
Looking forward to seeing the mud shot posted here.
Harley
Hmmmm....I didn't notice any olives
Thanks for a great trip and all your camping expertise
Feb 23, 2005 at 10:55 AM
p.1 #19Wild Death Valley
Ray Soemarsono wrote:
My kind of landscape, Jimmy. The white's clean & the black's rich. Wonderful conversion.
Thanks Ray! I am really enjoying your images from your trip to NM.
My kind of landscape, Jimmy. The white's clean & the black's rich. Wonderful conversion.
Thanks Ray! I am really enjoying your images from your trip to NM.
Feb 23, 2005 at 10:55 AM
p.1 #20Wild Death Valley
santos wrote:
Beautiful landscape. Plenty of perspective and drama, and your black and white is excellent.
s
Thanks for the comments, Santos. It was a very dramatic scene and I was very glad to have captured it.
Beautiful landscape. Plenty of perspective and drama, and your black and white is excellent.
s
Thanks for the comments, Santos. It was a very dramatic scene and I was very glad to have captured it.
Feb 23, 2005 at 10:57 AM