Terry Heggy
Death Valley is known for being unbearably hot in the summer. But winter? Ahh, it’s nice to be warm. It’s a perfect place to spend time in the middle of winter, especially if you’re someone who appreciates nature’s beauty. The SaddleBrooke Photography Club arranged just such a trip in late January, and a bunch of our neighbors loaded up their cameras and zipped over to Death Valley to explore, enjoy, and document the landscape.
Trips like this are among the many perks of belonging to the Photography Club. There are typically one or two trips planned every month. Each trip has a pre-trip meeting to discuss great places to photograph, techniques to get the best images, and suggestions for travel and lodging. All you have to do is show up.
For February, the featured trip was a visit to Tombstone during the celebration they call Vigilante Days. This offered an opportunity to take pictures of authentic re-enactments of Wild West behaviors, something that Tombstone is famous for. But in addition to grizzly dudes in cowboy clothes, gunfights in the street, and horses pulling a stagecoach, the town itself presents fascinating opportunities for creative and memorable photography.
One of the Club’s “trip prep” meetings was about night sky photography. Because Arizona has many designated Dark Sky zones, there are opportunities here that other states can’t provide. In March, club members will travel to one such dark spot, the Gleeson Ghost Town, which is about three hours southeast of Tucson (a bit longer if you stop for dinner in Tombstone). Using tripods, long exposures, and a technique called image stacking, a patient photographer can capture spectacular images of the Milky Way’s gorgeous band of light and color arching across the sky. Another fun thing is to photograph the sky with interesting foregrounds, such as a ghost town, some impressive rocks, or a stand of saguaros.
Also in March, we’ll take a trip specifically for bird photography. Birds move around, so the trip’s destination will be determined based on where they’re hanging out next month.
If these creative adventures appeal to you, stop by one of our meetings. All SaddleBrooke residents are invited to attend any of our events, and we’d love to welcome you and support your interest in photography, both at home and out on adventures. Check out our website at www.photosb.org.