I never had much desire to visit the desert. I figured once you’ve seen sand, you’ve seen it all. But Death Valley completely changed my perspective on desert landscapes. With little vegetation, the scenery felt like a different kind of canvas—painted in rocks, dunes, salt flats, and sun rays.
I spent a whirlwind day in Death Valley, where the ancient Lake Manly once stretched across the valley floor. Thought to be extinct and dormant for thousands of years, it returned in early 2024 after unprecedented rainfall. I started the day catching the sunrise at Badwater Basin, reflected in the waters of Lake Manly. I had lunch and caught a quick nap before hiking the Painted Hills, then ended the day watching the sunset over the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
These photos capture as much of the day as I was willing to spend behind the lens. The rest was spent living fully in the moment.
