High Winds and Sandstorm on Death Valley Dunes

Last winter I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when everything other than day use was shut down. Camping at DV has a special vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground. The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve experienced there and I was hoping the gear did not get damaged. These conditions gave a softer feel to the light as in the first image. For the second composition I converted to black & white and developed for more contrast, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

Last winter I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when everything other than day use was shut down. Camping at DV has a special vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground. The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve experienced there and I was hoping the gear did not get damaged. These conditions gave a softer feel to the light as in the first image. For the second composition I converted to black & white and developed for more contrast, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

Last winter I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve experienced there. These conditions gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as seen on the first and second images, For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to get the snap and contrast back that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve experienced there. These conditions gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as seen on the first and second images, For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to get the snap and contrast back that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve experienced there. These conditions gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as seen on the first and second images, and this worked wonderfully for a smooth tonal range. For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to get the snap and contrast back that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve experienced there. These conditions gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as seen on the first and second images, and this worked wonderfully for a smooth tonal range. For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to get the snap and contrast back that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for reading & viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

A year ago during the peak of the winter covid wave I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve ever experienced there and I was hoping my gear did not get trashed. The wind stirring things up gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as can be seen on the first and second images, and this worked wonderfully for a smooth tonal range. For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to add the snap and contrast back in that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for reading & viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

A year ago during the peak of the winter covid wave I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve ever experienced there and I was hoping my gear did not get trashed. The wind stirring things up gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as can be seen on the first and second images, and this worked wonderfully. For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to add the snap and contrast back in that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thanks for reading & viewing!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

A year ago during the peak of the winter covid wave I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut down everything other than day use there. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve ever experienced there and I was hoping my gear did not get trashed. The wind stirring things up gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as can be seen on the first and second images, and this worked wonderfully. For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to add the snap and contrast back in that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thank you reading & looking!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross

A year ago during the peak of the winter covid wave I was en route to camp at Death Valley National Park when the pandemic shut it all down at the NP’s. Camping at DV is a very special experience and vibe for me so I was bumming, but decided to go ahead and shoot a few days in the valley while ‘commuting’ from a Nevada small town campground.

The winds on the Mesquite dunes were the highest I’ve ever experienced there and I was hoping my gear did not get trashed. The wind stirring things up gave a softer feel to the light and more open shadows as can be seen on the first and second images, and this worked wonderfully. For the third image I converted to black & white and developed to add the snap and contrast back in that the conditions had softened, and this abstract became one of my favorite images of the trip. On my final day there a crazy sandstorm formed and I found an excellent vantage point of this surreal panoramic scene from the slope of an adjacent mountain.

Thank you reading & looking!

All the best in 2022 to everyone,
Ross