The Racetrack Playa in Death Valley National Park rates as one of the most sought after locations for both exploration and photography. Recently the long fought after and talked about myths and theories of how these rocks that weigh hundreds of pounds move came to a scientific conslusion. From what I’ve heard and read, it matters not! I’ve even forgotten what that conclusion was, although I’m sticking with my original story that I get out there while others sleep to move them!

As I see it what does matter is how you feel and then interpret that movement. Some folk only see big rocks. Some only see the trails or tracks left by the movement or both. Though the years I’ve tried to see the bigger picture. That is, the magnificent playa that holds between its mountains this spectacle.

The last moments before the direct light leaves the playa and the last light of the dying day have been most memorable and led to my best images. I’ve found the reflective glow has amazed me to the point that I have just stopped what I was doing to simply watch! Holding my cupped hands near the playa and studying that light always helps me with exposure. If I don’t capture this correctly my intended composition will be a long and labor some task later. I usually think about how to hold the detail and highlight last. In the image above this was solved with a 4 hs Sing-Ray graduated neutral density filter.

The highlight of the sky was darkened and brought within 6 stops of the playa with the filter and the glow off the ground and color of the foreground rock were enhanced by use of a Singh-Ray ColorCombo filter holding back the glare.