Last week after 1-1/2 days of driving from Colorado we arrived at Death Valley on Wednesday to see the predicted Super Bloom. On Day #1, of what should have been time spent shooting flowers, we found ourselves in an incredible windstorm with a lot of airborne dust. Taking any pictures of flowers was nigh-on impossible and the wind continued trying to rip our car door off its hinges
Our plan was to remain in DV for four days but the wind storm was predicted to last through Saturday. We certainly weren't excited about spending that much time in our VRBO so we cut our losses and started back to Colorado.
While on I-40 we noticed clouds building to our east and read weather forecasts indicating there would be storms building over the Grand Canyon that afternoon. At that moment we changed our plans and decided to head to Moran Point on the south rim. I've been to GC three previous times but never when there were storm clouds present. I think what we found that evening made for an incredible consolation prize!
Thanks to GDanMitchell for his continued inspiration to return to DV and for taking time to send me PM's about the park. We'll return another day.
Al, you got two beauties with that change of plan. I prefer the composition and light on the landscape, of the first one. The second one has incredible light in the sky. Magical
dakel wrote:
Al, you got two beauties with that change of plan. I prefer the composition and light on the landscape, of the first one. The second one has incredible light in the sky. Magical
Thanks...it was especially exciting to be there at that moment!
---------------------------------------------
gdanmitchell wrote:
That’s some spectacular atmosphere. You may have gotten (semi) skunked in DEVA with the wind, but you got some compensation here.
I hope to get back to DEVA someday. There may not be flowers but there is so much more to see there.
---------------------------------------------
guidostow wrote:
Stunning conditions Al beautifully captured. Not a bad second choice... A great recovery!
junglialoh wrote:
Wonderful capture the rare moment - great ompositin
Thank you! I do feel fortunate the have been there...though we were shivering in the cold!
---------------------------------------------
keepclicking wrote:
Al, winds can be miserable in DVNP and almost impossible to photograph, but you got a wall hanger here. Great conditions and you captured it so well
You got there at just the right time. My first visit, age 12,was noon on cloudless November day. My reaction...it was just a big hole in the ground. A few years later and with better weather and lighting conditions I came to love it very much.
Great pictures. It is the light and weather that make the Grand Canyon shine!
I should have acknowledged your story about the wind/dust storm. That was probably too much excitement... and of course makes photographing the wildflowers pretty much impossible. I'm afraid that those wind events are just something that happens there — hey can be dramatic, but also can be bad enough to pretty much pin your down.
But great that you had the chance to get that great light and atmosphere on the way home!
Al, sorry to hear about the brutal winds ruining the conditions for you at DV. But I love how you regrouped and took the detour to GC when you saw good conditions forming. These are wonderful captures!
Great captures of amazing conditions Al! Sorry about DV conditions but these pictures make the trip worthwhile. Perfect timing in the first shot and spectacular sky in the second!!!
StephenS_CP wrote:
You got there at just the right time. My first visit, age 12,was noon on cloudless November day. My reaction...it was just a big hole in the ground. A few years later and with better weather and lighting conditions I came to love it very much.
Great pictures. It is the light and weather that make the Grand Canyon shine!
Thank you, Stephen. I have a couple old friends who moved to Sequim sometime ago. Lovely area!
---------------------------------------------
gdanmitchell wrote:
I should have acknowledged your story about the wind/dust storm. That was probably too much excitement... and of course makes photographing the wildflowers pretty much impossible. I'm afraid that those wind events are just something that happens there — hey can be dramatic, but also can be bad enough to pretty much pin your down.
But great that you had the chance to get that great light and atmosphere on the way home!
I can only imagine if they survived last week's wind that it is simply incredible being there this week.
---------------------------------------------
Ross Martin wrote:
Al, sorry to hear about the brutal winds ruining the conditions for you at DV. But I love how you regrouped and took the detour to GC when you saw good conditions forming. These are wonderful captures!
Aren't we fortunate to live in a country that has so many protected national parks that you can shift gears and still find something at another?
---------------------------------------------
jm10_former wrote:
Great captures of amazing conditions Al! Sorry about DV conditions but these pictures make the trip worthwhile. Perfect timing in the first shot and spectacular sky in the second!!!
jacob
Thank you, Jacob!
---------------------------------------------
douter wrote:
Love the strata layering and the light highlight in the first, Al!
Douglas
