Damn foot prints on Death Valley dunes

torags

They drove me nutz.

From the roadside



Hiked in



Grrrr... footprints

Andy

:uhoh Uh-oh

schmoo

Andy wrote:

:uhoh

Mansmind

.. perfect reply.


Nice shots.

wfeller

I'm not going to mock or tease you. I know how frustrating it can be out there on any given day.

Impressive comp in that last one.

anonymouscuban

Andy wrote:

:uhoh Uh-oh

roflrofl

agunther

The path less traveled
Try the Guadelupe Dunes State park. Not so many people go there. I shot the dunes there without any footprints.

Andy

wfeller wrote:

I'm not going to mock or tease you. I know how frustrating it can be out there on any given day.

Impressive comp in that last one.

I hope you don't think this is mocking or teasing! I'm just having fun and saying "amen, brother."

coscorrosa

They drove me crazy when I was there too, I shot Zabriskie Point at sunrise and then headed immediately to the dunes and when I got there, there were already about 5 cars parked on the shoulder and foot prints all over. I think there were some footprints from the previous day too. Need to get there a before dawn on a weekday after some wind from the previous night. I would also like to see what the dunes look like under moon light. It's the one part of the park that I shot that I knew I could do better next time.

Although, some of the footprints are cool, if they're not human:

wfeller

coscorrosa wrote:

They drove me crazy when I was there too, I shot Zabriskie Point at sunrise and then headed immediately to the dunes and when I got there, there were already about 5 cars parked on the shoulder and foot prints all over. I think there were some footprints from the previous day too. Need to get there a before dawn on a weekday after some wind from the previous night. I would also like to see what the dunes look like under moon light. It's the one part of the park that I shot that I knew I could do better next time.

Although, some of the footprints are cool, if they're not human:

I didn't follow up and see if you were convinced otherwise, but I'm still with your original thought that those are from a sidewinder.

torags

Andy wrote:

I hope you don't think this is mocking or teasing! I'm just having fun and saying "amen, brother."

No offense.. Just frustrating. I think after a wind storm is probably best.

Rags

torags

agunther wrote:

Try the Guadelupe Dunes State park. Not so many people go there. I shot the dunes there without any footprints.

thanks for the tip

torags

wfeller wrote:

I'm not going to mock or tease you. I know how frustrating it can be out there on any given day.

Impressive comp in that last one.

Thanks.

I was real cranky. The day before I was at Antelope Canyon and it sucked.

The light in March only lights the top 15'+/-. the 20' black shaft leading to it just increases the dynamic range problem. the walls were dim mud color. It was really crowded. Loads of slow moving folks and cameras. Waiting to pass, people stumbling into my frame... ugh...

Marc Muench

While Andy was running through his own pics there were actually areas covered in ripples



It is not easy in the parks today with all the folks wanting to take photos. You really need to get lucky and be there at the right time.
There is always the option of visiting the dunes in July
Honestly it comes down to the odds, you need to spend time returning to these popular locations to get the best conditions I hope to see you out there sprinting for the good light.

wfeller

torags wrote:

Thanks.

I was real cranky. The day before I was at Antelope Canyon and it sucked.

The light in March only lights the top 15'+/-. the 20' black shaft leading to it just increases the dynamic range problem. the walls were dim mud color. It was really crowded. Loads of slow moving folks and cameras. Waiting to pass, people stumbling into my frame... ugh...

I've never been to Antelope Canyon. That sounds like a long drive. It's hard to keep up a positive attitude while swirling around with the unwashed masses- let alone driving a couple hundred miles or so between sessions.

torags

wfeller wrote:

I've never been to Antelope Canyon. That sounds like a long drive. It's hard to keep up a positive attitude while swirling around with the unwashed masses- let alone driving a couple hundred miles or so between sessions.

Well I guess it was more than a couple of hundred miles. I was on my way back from a coast to coast & back on my bike and was really disappointed.

you're right it is hard to keep a positive attitude...

Rags

Griffin

Well I can sympathize - you just have to remind yourself that other people have different intentions than you. It just makes the shot with no foot prints all the more valuable.

I can remember sitting at delicate arch with at least 25 other photographers waiting for the perfect sunset light and someone in a bright parka decides to lay down at the bottom of the arch! .... fortunately they moved before the "perfect" light came.