Desert Waves
Death Valley NP, CA
Desert Waves
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF LAST LIGHT AT MESQUITE DUNES
Mesquite Dunes are the most popular and easily accessible dunes in Death Valley. This magical place is great to explore and offers photographers endless opportunities for landscapes and abstract images.
However, the dunes' easy access and popularity attract many visitors who leave footprints in the sand. For photographers, this can be frustrating when trying to find a great composition without spending hours editing out distracting prints. Unless you visit the dunes after a major windstorm, an excellent alternative is to photograph the dunes from above.
The shot above was taken from 1.5 miles away and about 300 feet above the dunes. This elevated viewpoint not only allows for fewer visitors and less foot traffic but also offers a unique angle to capture these incredible Desert Waves.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
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DATA POINTS INCLUDED WITH LAST LIGHT AT MESQUITE DUNES SUMMARY
I rate the difficulty of this trail as a 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult. This shot is located along a gravel road leading to Grotto Canyon, just north of the Mesquite Dunes parking lot. The road is a maintained gravel path, and although it can be rough, a standard SUV can drive on it without needing a 4x4 vehicle.
Mesquite Dunes is one of my favorite locations in Death Valley to photograph. It is the easiest dune field to access, which also means it tends to be the busiest, attracting many visitors and leaving behind plenty of footprints. The shot shown here was taken from nearly 300 feet above the dunes, capturing a section of Mesquite Dunes that receives less foot traffic. This vantage point helps to minimize the number of visitors and their footprints.
The Grotto Canyon road is about a mile long, going from sea level to around 490 feet, depending on how far up the road you travel. As you go higher, the view becomes flatter, and a longer lens may be needed. The image above was taken about halfway up the road, near the electrical poles. From this vantage point, you can overlook the entire dune field. However, the best compositions are to the right (east), where the sand dunes appear more wave-like and less cluttered with bushes, shrubs, and visitor footprints. This is a personal preference, and there are countless compositions to choose from.
This vantage point is great at sunrise and sunset during the winter months and even better during the blue hour. If you are photographing the sunset here, don’t stop when the sun goes down; the best light occurs 20 to 30 minutes AFTER sunset.
Below is a series of shots taken at different times. The dunes' colors are just as you see them (RAW files), and they change based on the sky's reflective hues.
The location of this shot is approximately 1.5 miles from the dunes, and is taken from about 300 feet above the dunes. The dunes themselves are situated roughly 35 feet below sea level, while this vantage point is about 270 feet above sea level. At this distance, a very long lens is needed. I used a 100-500 mm zoom lens @ 500 mm, with a 1.4x extender. The image is created from a two-shot panorama, using the full frame without any cropping. Although you can shoot from this location with a shorter lens, you will need to crop the image. The image above was captured at 700 mm.
The image above was taken @ 700 mm.
270 Ft. Elevation
Other Resources Available with Membership
KMZ Trail File
Directions
Best Time of Day to Shoot
Best Time of Year to Shoot
Equipment Needed
Permits Required
Direction of Shot
Google Maps Birds-Eye-View
Number of Photographers to Expect
Cell Service
Overnight Lodging/Camping
Nearby Restaurants
Area Guides and Workshops
Other Resources
LOCATION SUMMARIES WRITTEN BY PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS
