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Keeping on with the desert photography theme, I wanted to talk about another essential element of desert photography, light. Quality of light is a vital element for any type of photography, but in my experience, deserts will expose bad techniques more than any other environment. Chasing good light in a desert environment helps immensely with the heat as well. We often wake up well before sunrise for the hikes. The temperature is one the cooler side, and most often than not, there are very few people around. We usually go back straight to bed and wake up in the afternoon to be ready for sunset.
Then comes the light, hands down the best part of being in a desert is the beautiful morning light. It truly transforms the place. As I spend more time photographing deserts, I have come to appreciate the light before the actual sunrise. It’s beautiful, evenly lit with warm tones. Suddenly, details start to emerge even in the mundane looking elements.
I took this shot at the Valley of Fire SP while on the hike to the fire wave. The day ended up being harsh and hot, but the early morning hike well before sunrise was delightful. On the way to fire wave, I noticed this beautiful pattern on a nearby slick rock. I was in a hurry to get to the main attraction of the hike, so I didn’t have a lot of time to think of a good composition here. I still like this image a lot, while it was not the best from the hike, I think it’s a great example of how good light can make a difference.