Finally we are in Death Valley at a far off the beaten path place called the Racetrack Playa. This is very far from anywhere closely resembling convenient. It is one of the most spectacular places I have ever been. I first ventured here after seeing a picture online of these mysterious moving rocks. They crept all over this vast dry lake bed, leaving their trail in the dirt showing their passage. Some of these trails were hundreds of yards long until they faded into the dry cracked mud. From that first visit and through several others I always wanted to find an adventurous client to bring out here for a portrait session.
We have scheduled this as a location for a “Destination Portrait Weekend” last year and no one was brave enough for the Death Valley experience. This year, that all changed. Once we posted this as an option again, Jesse and Linnea were very interested and wanted more info on this strange place in the Mojave Desert. Once it was explained they were totally onboard.
We met out at the Racetrack in the afternoon and photographed till almost dark. It was so fun for me to finally have my vision for their portraits come full circle. I was creating images I’d dreamed of four years prior. This is one of the most invigorating feelings as an artist. I have so many ideas locked in my head waiting for the right circumstances to bring them to life. It was now near sunset and I had another idea I’d dreamed of, to photograph a bride in this environment. Linnea went back to the RV to change into her wedding dress that she brought from Colorado. I then spent another hour photographing Linnea in her dress on the massive dry lake bed. As it started getting dark the sky turned a dark cobalt blue with a rim of black mountains. This was a stark contrast to her glowing white wedding gown. I hope this was as great an experience to Jesse and Linnea as it was for me.
The next day we photographed in another part of the park. This was a mountainous area that looked much like what I imagine the moon to be like. We used many features from giant boulders and flash flood eroded canyon walls to hillsides of Turquoise. Jesse and Linnea have told me they had a wonderful time and thanks for taking them to somewhere they would have never gone otherwise.
We still have some openings for other destination weekends later this year. see the previous blog posts for more info on that.
Thanks again Jesse and Linnea for your adventurous spirit and fun, relaxed attitude. I think your love really shows in these images.
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