Death Valley National Park Display

Hiker in Fall Canyon, Death Valley National Park.

Two years ago to the week, I shared a fantastic trip with my dad to Death Valley National Park.  It was a pretty special trip for both us, and he later voiced that of all the trips we had done together over the years, this one quickly became his favorite, and remained so to his death.

My dad died in a hiking accident this last fall.

When I remember my dad, this trip and the fun we had always jumps to the forefront. 

Shortly after my dad's death, I was approached to license an image for a new display at Death Valley National Park.  What a great way to honor my dad and our special trip together!

Artist's Palette, Death Valley National Pqark.

One image soon turned to two images as we negotiated, and an agreement was finalized.

So, it is with great excitement and pride that I share with you this announcement!

Next time you visit the Furnace Creek Visitor Center in Death Valley National Park, look for both these images on display!

Thanks for the memories dad, and the opportunity to photograph this wonderful park with you; a park with features that were so new and unbelievably different to the both of us.

More images can be viewed in my Death Valley National Park Gallery.

Thanks for visiting.

Artist's Palette - Death Valley National Park

Artist's Palette is on the face of the Black Mountains along Artist's Drive in Death Valley National Park.

As the name would suggest, it broadcasts an aray of attractive colors in its rock. The colors are brought on by the oxidation of different metals; red, pink and yellow is from iron salts, green is from decomposing mica, and the purple is from manganese.

The Artist's Drive area provides evidence of one of Death Valley's most violently explosive periods, though this is not the predominant thought on your mind while viewing these colors of the rainbow.

Geology and history aside, Artist's Palette is a darn right beautiful place! The contrasting palette of colors attract photographers and tourists alike, especially toward evening as the sun begins to set. This is when the colors start to pop as the light grows ever softer.

A great vantage point is on a bluff just south of the main parking lot. It's also accessible from the road shortly before the Artist's Palette turnoff.

This bluff serves as an excellent place to catch sunset over the Panimint Range as well. And if you are lucky enough to catch clouds in the sky, the reward can be excellent!

Arist's Drive is a scenic one-way loop located about halfway between Furnace Creek and Badwater, accessed from Badwater Road. It rises up to the top of an alluvial fan fed by a deep canyon, and includes many sharp curves and deep dips - much like a roller coaster.

These images were all captured with my 70-200mm lense, often in tandem with a 2x telenconverter. This setup was particularly useful in isolating the patterns and colors of the rock.