Scouting in the valley of death
I traveled to Death Valley recently and thought I'd share my experience when I am scouting shots. Scouting is built into every trip I take to help ensure I'm getting the best shots I can given the circumstances. I generally try to arrive at a location at least a few hours before sunset so I can scout for both sunset and the following morning's sunrise. This alleviates the stress of looking for subjects when the light is getting really good at sunset and the frustration of searching for that sunrise spot while it it is still dark out. I've done that - it sucks.
When I'm out for a scout, I typically grab GPS coordinates, take a few snapshots, and record notes in my phone. I also use an app called PhotoPills to verify the azimuth of the sun for sunset or sunrise and the moon for moonrise or moonset. All of these things are factored into the subject and direction I will shoot. Of course, sometimes things don't go as planned, which you will see below. . .
Hover over any photo for more scouting notes and location information.
Day 1
Goal: Photograph the "travelling rocks" that create trails, at night on the Racetrack Playa with Geminids meteors in the sky.
Scouting activities: Minimal, frantic scouting in the dark. My plan was to arrive at this location by 2:30-3:00 to scout for sunset and night photos. The drive took 3 hours longer than I expected so I arrived at the Racetrack after dark. It was also extremely cold, which did not help my scouting efforts or mood.
End result: I missed out on sunset photos (and it was a lovely sunset) and got a couple night photos, but no meteors, and no trail. Next time, I wont make the Racetrack my "day 1 location" to give myself more time.
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 Light painting, Racetrack Playa
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 Star trails, Racetrack Playa
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Day 2
Goals:
- Photograph Mushroom Rock at sunset.
- Photograph Zabriskie Point after sunset.
- Photograph star trails at Zabriskie Point and/or in 20 Mule Team Canyon.
Scouting activities: I scouted Zabriskie Point first, looking for places to take star trail photos. Nothing was really striking me, but I knew of a panoramic image I wanted to take post sunset, so I confirmed I would do that. Then I headed to 20 Mule Team Canyon to look for star trail locations. I found several and settled on two locations right next to each other so I could set up one camera for star trails, then head to the next location with another camera for light painting. Finally, I headed over to Mushroom Rock. I had never noticed this rock prior to this visit, but it is unique so I wanted to get at least one photo. This rock is only 10 minutes away from Zabriskie Point, which made it possible to shoot both locations before it was completely dark.
End result: I got a few good shots this day. Next time, I'll explore Zabriskie Point a little further to see what possibilities there are for star trails.
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Scouting images
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Final images
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 Panoramic of hills after sunset, Zabriskie PointNo scouting photos of this location
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Day 3
Goals:
- Photograph Mesquite dunes at sunrise.
- Photograph Charcoal kilns at sunset and light painting at night.
I have been to the dunes so many times, and the landscape changes as the wind blows so I had not scouted the dunes prior to sunrise. I kind of wish I had because I would have made other plans after seeing the obscene amount of footprints. I managed to get one decent shot without footprints, but nothing spectacular.
Scouting activities: I decided I wanted to go back to the dunes the next morning, but look for a different route that would take me to a less traveled section, so I scouted that after sunrise. I also checked out the salt pans in case I wanted to shoot sunrise there instead, or shoot post sunrise. Finally, I drove to the Charcoal Kilns. I arrived there a lot earlier than necessary but I was still a little anxious after having blown my racetrack plans.
End result: I pulled one decent shot out of my sunrise dune hike, hoping for better results the following morning. The weather at the kilns looked good when I arrived but just before sunset, the clouds came rolling in, obscuring any possibility of star trails. I tried lots of different light painting techniques but I wasn't pleased with any of the results, hence no shots below. I'd like to go back when I can get star trails or the Milky Way.
 A million footprints, Mesquite dunesThis is what the dunes looked like when I traveled from the main parking area. They are one of the most popular attractions in Death Valley.
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 Sunrise at sand dunes, Mesquite dunesOne of the few spots that I found without footprints
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Day 4
Goals:
- Photograph a lesser traveled section of Mesquite dunes at sunrise.
- Photograph salt pans if clouds present.
- Photograph Joshua Trees at sunset and do light painting at night.
I started my new hike to the dunes about 1 hour and 15 minutes prior to sunrise. It was dark but I could see that there were more clouds in the sky than the previous day. I plowed forward, hoping for a break by sunrise. No such luck. The cloud cover was too dense to let any good light through which makes for less than dramatic dune images. The overcast light did give me the opportunity to get some detail shots of dune patterns and create a panoramic that I am pleased with.
Scouting activities: After a long excursion at the dunes, I headed over to the Salt Pans and do some shooting before the sun got too high. After that, I went to Harmony Borax Works to look for some detail shots before I headed out to the Joshua trees to scout for sunset. I arrived at the Joshua trees with plenty of time to scout before sunset. Despite strong winds, the cloud conditions were good for sunset, not so much for star trails.
End result: I got a few more good shots this day and am a little more ready for my next trip into the valley of death.
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 Scouting image for Mesquite dunesMid-day at a lesser visited section of the dunes. These weren't quite as high, but they were clean.
Shooting direction (all directions)
Location: 36°60′9″ N 117°08′4″ W
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 Sunrise at sand dunes, Mesquite dunes
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 Sunrise at sand dunes, Mesquite dunes
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 Sand dune panoramic during overcast sunrise, Mesquite Dunes
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 Scouting image for Salt PansShooting direction: Southwest, 240 degrees
Location: 36°27′0″ N 116°51′4″ W
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 Mid-morning landscape, Salt PansI had scouted this the previous day as an alternative to sunrise at the dunes. It's a good location for sunrise, mid-morning, sunset, or night photos.
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Harmony Borax Works
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 Barrel, Harmony Borax worksAn average barrel at Harmony Borax Works.
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Joshua Tree Sunset shots
 Joshua tree at sunset, Lee's Flat
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 Joshua trees at sunset, Lee's Flat
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 Joshua tree at sunset, Lee's Flat
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 Joshua trees at sunset, Lee's Flat
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Joshua Tree night shots
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 Joshua tree at night, Lee's Flat
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I hope you enjoyed this scouting adventure!
