Esther Steffens
April 2025 - Death Valley,CA
Original 2
About the Image(s)
This was taken on 10/24/24. I was on a workshop with Awake the Light in DEATH VALLEY. DV is the lowest, hottest and driest portion of the North American continent. We went out before sunrise for a couple hours and again late afternoon and before sunset. We had a mild earthquake one night with and after shock in the morning.
Canon 90D
Tamron 18-300 lens at 300mm
ISO 20000
1/8000 sec. at f 8.0
9 comments posted
Don't think I want to go there. I might have liked to see more of the dessert. Posted: 04/23/2025 09:44:26
Death Valley is incredible, but harsh. The photographer here adds a sense of scale. I'd have liked to see a larger image. Is this an extreme crop? Posted: 04/23/2025 12:29:43
Sand dunes and distant Sierra Nevada mountains are the dominant viewpoint at this area of Death Valley and your submission certainly shows that. The inclusion of the lone photographer helps with photographic content to make a pleasing image to enjoy. Posted: 04/24/2025 05:30:42
I love this image. With the lone photographer positioned as you have done, gives me a sense of vastness and desolation. I haven't traveled in that part of the country, but I need to make a visit. Posted: 04/24/2025 13:31:02
It certainly does show vastness and desolation. It really helps to have the photographer in the image to show a sense of scale. Sounds like you had an exciting time to be there with the earthquake. Personally, I am not a fan of the aspect ratio being so wide and shallow. Wonder if you cropped it perhaps an inch from the left and a few inches from the right if the aspect ratio may not be better. Posted: 04/24/2025 17:03:48
Esther Steffens
Sukumar, this is a crop. I don't know how to post the original. ????
Thank you for your comments and helpful hints. I like this image (or how I felt when I took it) and would like to improve it and enter it in competition, if only my local photography club. Posted: 04/25/2025 20:11:55
Thank you for your comments and helpful hints. I like this image (or how I felt when I took it) and would like to improve it and enter it in competition, if only my local photography club. Posted: 04/25/2025 20:11:55
Esther Steffens
Shirley, I appreciation your specific suggestions and will apply them. Posted: 04/25/2025 20:13:46
To all in the group, Esther has just asked me to upload a revised version of her original submission. Posted: 04/26/2025 15:18:45
I think the inclusion of more foreground - ie the scrub adds another dimension to her image. Posted: 04/26/2025 15:20:42