Death Valley is extremely hot–one of the hottest places on earth. This valley, 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level at its deepest, is walled by heat-trapping mountain ranges. Moreover, sparse vegetation allows the California sun full access to the desert soil.
Storm clouds loom above rocky escarpments in this winding pass through the Utah wilderness. In the distance, a bit of sky is visible through a small arch that formed atop the cliff.
Waterpocket Fold, seen in the distance, is a 100 mile long, 65 million year old, warp in the earth’s crust that is partly contained in Utah’s Great Barrier Reef National Park.
Scientists believe it is possible that the same collision of continental plates that caused this fold, here seen more closely, also created the Rocky Mountains.
This surreal sunset leans more toward digital art than photography, although it had its origins in a long exposure after a coastal storm. Photography does lend itself to experimentation!
These two warm glowing sunsets might provide some calm during this busy holiday season. Busy at least in the two places where the photos were taken–Australia and the United States.
East Point Reserve Park, Darwin, Australia.
Peters Canyon Regional Park, Orange, California.
This clever gull chose the best possible place to view the sunset at a cove in Laguna Beach, California.
This railroad trestle over the Connecticut River in Vermont is just a stone’s throw away from the location of my previous post. The tranquility of the afternoon with only a slight breeze stirring the water makes it hard to imagine a train rumbling through.
