Mojave Desert Images....from a spot that I'd never visited before..

I am happy to report that there are many trails in the El Paso Mountains that have been opened, or re-opened, thus  exposing off-road drivers to a new world of beautiful vistas and fascinating rock formations.

One of these trails is EP33, which starts out as a paved road, taking drivers past the Air Force radar installation, all the way up to a radio tower site, from which a stunning panoramic view of the Sierras, the China Lake Naval Weapons Station, and the cities of Inyokern and Ridgecrest.  The pavement gives way to dirt again, as one heads down, and four wheel drive, along with the knowledge and experience to use it is recommended.

Here is one of the images that I created while I was at the radio tower site.

Camera settings:  1/80th sec. @ f/20.  Tripod and remote shutter release utilized order to minimize camera movement.

Mojave Desert Photography: Rock-strewn valley....

From the interior of the El Paso Mountains.

1/160th sec. @ f/14.

Mojave Desert: Deep in the heart of the El Paso Mountains...

...I came across this colorful hill side, with mysterious Black Mountain looming in the background.

1/80th sec.@ f/22.

Mojave Desert Photography: Over The Rainbow (Basin, that is!)

Another scene from Rainbow Basin.

1/80th sec. @ f/18.

Mojave Desert Photography: Afternoon Delight....

Timing is everything.

If one desires to create beautiful outdoor photographs, one has to conform to Mother Nature's schedule.

Photographers often speak of the early morning or afternoon "sweet light."  At these times, the sun is lower in the sky, the lighting is softer, and colors are more pronounced.

The photograph at right was taken on a November day at 4:45 PM.

1/50th sec. @ f/20.

Mojave Desert Black And White...

Mojave National Preserve:  Rainbow Basin.

1/100th sec. @ f/16.

Mojave Desert: Colored Rocks...

Rainbow Basin:  Mojave National Preserve.

1/50th sec. @ f/18.

Desert Photography...

Despite the heatwave that we in southern California are experiencing, the desert still calls to my heart.  It is never far from my mind.

Coso Mountain Range.

1/200th sec. @ f/13.

More Coso Ruins....

Note the sharpness of the wood's texture in the photograph.  I shot this at 1/320th sec, and held my breath as I depressed the shutter release.  The high shutter speed, coupled with nearly no camera movement yielded a sharp image.

Mojave Desert: Ruin close-up...

So, I'm getting a little artsy, here.  It is possible to practice nearly all types of photography when exploring the desert, if one knows where to look.

This is a close-up of some ruins that I found in the Coso Mountain Range.

1/160th sec. @ f/13.

Desert photography: ruins in the Coso Mountains....

Scattered mining ruins: Coso Mountain Range.

Lost in the Coso Mountain Range....

We were lost on this trip.  But, that didn't stop yours truly from seeking out interesting subjects to photograph.  This oddly-bent Yucca caught my attention.

1/250th sec. @ f/16.

Mojave Desert: Lost in the shadow of Red Rock....

The heat was so intense on this day, that my tripod was almost too hot to touch.  Nonetheless, these "stepped" rocks intrigued me,  So, I stepped out of my air-conditioned Jeep and went walking about with my camera and tripod.

I had won the battle against air-conditioning lethargy!

1/50th sec. @ f/20.

Mojave Desert Photography: The Coso Mountains...

We had to climb a very long, steep hill to get to the spot that enabled me to capture this image.  The trail wasn't particularly rocky, but I used my Cherokee's "low-range" four wheel drive, in order to keep stress on the drivetrain to a minimum.

The mountains in the photograph are the Sierra Nevada Mountains.  I was in the Coso Mountain Range when I took this photograph.

1/10th sec. @ f/16.  The camera was mounted on a Slik tripod.

Mojave Desert Photography: Colors in the El Paso Mountains..

Here is another photograph that I took while exploring that little oasis in the El Paso Mountains.

To the casual observer, speeding along the nearby highway,  the desert appears to be a barren wasteland.

But, to those of us who know how to and where to look, the desert is a treasure chest, which yields its prizes only to those who take the time to search for them..

1/250th sec. @ f/6.3.