Description
A lone tree, long dead from the constant extreme weather of Death Valley, stands firm in the morning sunrise over the valley. This photo, captured just as the night transitions to day, captures the dichotomy that is Death Valley. Here not only does the stars give way to the blaring sun, but the cold sky gives way to the warmth just on the horizon. Known for its extremely hot days, the night temperatures in the winter can over be below freezing, and the wind does not ease the cold. This photo captures it all - the once alive now dead, the night now becoming day, and the cold becoming warm.
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I trekked through the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes of Death Valley National Park in the early morning hours, well before the sun announced is presence, carrying my large format camera with a variety of lens options, and a small portion of food and water - just in case. The coldest point of any day is always the point just before the sun pops up from the horizon, just before it begins to warm the earth. Trudging through the sand with 50 lbs of camera and survival gear, I found this lone mesquite tree rising above the others. I quickly setup my camera, racing the spin of the earth hoping to beat the appearance of the sun. I was forced to guess where I thought the sun might appear, as there is no trace of it while I setup and aim the camera in the dark. Even focusing - which is notoriously hard to do in large format because of the low light levels on the ground glass - was an extreme challenge in this case. I was able to overcome all the technical difficulties to capture this image, and the detail is amazing. If you have the space, this print in its native 8 foot size does not disappoint.
