Manly Lake Sunrise and Sunset
These are a series of images I made at Lake Manly at Badwater Salt Flats in Death Valley, CA. Lake Manly is an ancient lake that last existed in Badwater Basin 10,000 years ago. It re-formed in 2023 after Hurricane Hilary came inland from the Pacific and flooded Death Valley. It was a unique experience to see so much water in a place known for its lack of water.
Chromascapes 131-134: I began making Chromascapes in the first blue twilight of sunrise. Over the course of an hour I watched and photographed the changing light and color of sunrise on this desert lake. The shift in colors was stunning to witness. Taken together, the four Chromascapes illustrate the captivating evolution of light and color during sunrise at a single location. It was a truly magical morning.
Chromascapes 135-138: These were created at sunset. Beginning with the last sunlight still washing over the desert, I made Chromascapes for about an hour as the light and sunset hues changed. Once again, the desert colors did not disappoint!
The three images above are the final Chromascape 133 and the scene I was photographing while crafting that image. I made the two side-by-side still photographs as a reference for myself. I usually don’t share my reference photos. I craft my Chromascapes from the landscape and I prefer for them to be free of the specific details of the place and exist solely on their own. However, I felt this morning light, location, and moment in time was so magical it warranted sharing a bit more of my process.