The more I photograph Zabriskie Point the more I love it.  The abstract shapes, forms and textures lend themselves to endless interpretations.  The photographs become a fascinating exploration of the emotions that can be communicated.  Often I won't have a clear idea of what a photograph will end up expressing until I start to work with it.  This photograph is one such case.

The photograph was taken at sunset during a Death Valley workshop in February of 2009.  The sun had already set behind the Panamint range but patches of water in the valley floor below were reflecting the bright western sky.  I've always been fascinating with the view to west into the valley floor but have precious few photographs to show for it. It seems that I'm never able to capture the feelings I have.

But this photograph was interesting from the beginning.  When I started the post processing I liked the powerful presence of the foreground ridge.  It dominated the center of the image.  And as I worked with the image it began to take on a three dimensional appearance.  The foreground ridge appeared very close and created a powerful focal point.  But the valley floor with the reflections in the water formed a competing focal point.  The effect suggested great depth so I decided to strengthen it by enhancing the warm tones of the foreground and the cool tones of the background.

The foreground in this composition makes a very definite X pattern which suggested both a horizontal and vertical symmetry.  To enhance the X effect I needed to darken the mudstone on the right so that it was the same luminance as the lava to the left.    But the image is not static even with this double symmetry.  This is because the foreground ridge moves from left to right and slopes down and away.  This added some motion and triggered my imagination to see a crouching beast like a giant lion looking for prey in the valley below.

The background consists of the valley floor and the alluvial fans below the Panamint rangeway.  These are rendered in blue to add to their separation from the foreground.  The reflected light of the areas of water draw the eye to this second focal point.  The range behind the valley floor provides a suggestion of something huge.

I hope you enjoy this image as much as I do.