Although much of our work in Water Currents focuses on our watery world, we sometimes look at the absence of water, and what that means for human beings and the other species we are privileged to share the planet with. Few places say “absence of water” more than Death Valley, the national park that straddles California and Nevada.
From the National Park Service:
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Lush oases harbor tiny fish and refuge for wildlife and humans. Despite its morbid name, a great diversity of life survives in Death Valley.
This week, Gavin Heffernan of Sunchaser Pictures emailed to let us know that his crew just finished a new “Death Valley Dreamlapse” short, “a crazy day and night of timelapsing at the epic Eureka Dunes.
Though we almost froze, we got some amazing stars, Geminid meteors, star trails, planets, and even a UFO :),” he wrote.
“Armed only with boxed wine, firewood, and our DSLRs, we had to conquer epic climbs, sand roads with the 4×4 Jeep, and the occasional UFO,” Heffernan wrote on Vimeo. “But it was all worth it when the skies cleared and showed us an incredible galactic palette! Star Trails shot at 25 sec exposures. No special effects used, just the rotation of the earth’s axis.”
We love the piece, and feel it highlights some of the beauty that abounds even in the most parched landscapes, if we stop to watch and reflect.