Death Valley National Park, July 2018: Zabriskie Point Sunrise

On my summer road trip I had three goals most nights -- shoot sunset, get a good amount of sleep, and shoot sunrise.  I soon realized that it was much more realistic to pick two of those, and the one that usually went out the window was the sleep.  Setting up and taking down a campsite takes time, and sleeping bags just aren't as comfortable as beds.  I splurged on two nights at hotels, though, and my first night in Death Valley was one of them.  My selected sunrise spot was only about a 10-minute drive, and I knew I could return to my room to pack up later in the morning.  So I was nice and refreshed as I headed to Zabriskie Point.

I probably could have set an even later alarm, because there was very little light on the eastern horizon when I set up.  The shapes and locations of the clouds made me very optimistic about getting a sunrise full of color, though.

Where the color was going to appear was a bit of a mystery.  But even during the blue hour, the sky contained drama.

Tripods and long exposures are incredible gifts that I never take for granted.

As the official time for sunrise approached, it began to look like the clouds weren't going to pick up those vivid pinks, purples, and other vibrant shades they sometimes do.  I still can't look at either the pre-dawn or pre-sunset sky and predict with any degree of accuracy when that's going to happen.  Alternately, I've decided to just appreciate whatever I get instead. :)

Honestly, the twilight really seemed to last a lot longer than I'd expected.  And the story in the sky kept changing as the minutes passed.

I was able to get a series of shots right before the sun peeked over the horizon covering the arc from east to south, where the clouds had the most color.

I heard a nearby father tell his child that the sun was going to appear any minute, which the boy drily pointed out he'd been saying for about 10 minutes already.  It did seem to drag out!

I didn't end up even capturing "that moment."  There was something too unexpected happening to the west -- a double rainbow!  That drew my attention and focus instead.

To see something associated with moisture in a place so dry seemed like a real treat.  So I composed and re-composed and shot and shot as long as the colors were strong.

Once the rainbow dissipated, I took one last shot to the southeast capturing the unique textures of the terrain and headed to my next destination, no longer merely refreshed but now also energized!

Related Links:

• Death Valley National Park, July 2018: Arrival
• Death Valley National Park, July 2018: The Valley Floor
• Death Valley National Park, July 2018: Panamint Range