Zabriskie Point Revisited

Carol Freshley April 30, 2018

My blog post of our first visit to Zabriskie Point mentioned 'flat light'. I was disappointed in not getting the bright golden light needed to get the best demonstration of the fascinating rocks that make this site such an iconic point of interest in Death Valley. Tom and I decided to give it another try. We used The Photographers' Ephemeris to pick a morning where the light was forecast to be more interesting. In addition to a different light, I wanted to try out my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens that had just been returned to me by Tamron. The lens would not focus properly right out of the box! So you will see some really nice close up photographs not usually posted for Zabriskie. Our choice meant we had a long three hour drive to get there before sunrise and catch whatever Mother Nature would give us. We hope you enjoy the effort!

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Carol Freshley April 29, 2018

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are the best known and easiest to visit sand dunes in Death Valley. We were excited to find that they were going to be a mere 5 miles or so from our parking spot at Stovepipe Wells. These are not tall dunes, the highest dune rises only about 100 feet, but the dunes actually cover a vast area. This dune field includes three types of dunes: crescent, linear, and star shaped. I think you can identify the first two easily from our photographs. The third may require more elevation than we gave you! Polygon-cracked clay of an ancient lakebed forms the floor. Mesquite trees have created large hummocks that provide stable habitats for wildlife.

We photographed the dunes three separate times. The photographs from our evening and morning adventures show just how much a Golden Hour color impacts the sand's color. It can change right before your eyes as the sun move up or down. The last couple of images were capture about mid-day and show how white the sand is without that sun's golden glow.

Lonestar Roundup 2018

Carol Freshley April 28, 2018

Once again Tom attends one of his favorite car shows, the Lonestar Roundup. Held in Austin each year, it provides him with some quality camera clicking time while re-connecting with many old friends while making new ones. Enjoy these!

Modal A Ford Sedan with super-charged Chrysler power

Another version of the classic deuce hiboy roadster

1934 Ford Coupe with '34 Roadster in the background.

Dave and Jackie having a good time at their seventh year in a row . . . coming from Australia!!

Austin musical legend Dale Watson entertaining the crowd.