Scale Assignment Winner Valerie Millett

“I remember reading about Death Valley National Park when I was a kid and the impression in my mind was of a barren, undesirable, crazy-hot place that could kill you if you were careless,” says Millett. “I didn't pay much attention to it until I came across the works of Ansel Adams, then I got it. You can describe it any way you want, but until to you spend a few days just wandering around this huge national park, you can't appreciate the extreme beauty and diversity of the geography alone. Check out the night skies and wildlife as well. Better yet, go back and read about the geologic history of this area and you'll understand and really appreciate its uniqueness. It's simply a photographer's dream. The diversity of the landscapes alone will keep you hopping around for days studying the times and locales for optimum light. There’s no limit to the compositions. These are the challenges that I love. I've stayed in the campground and heard the coyotes sing all night and I've stayed in the resort, I've loved every visit and I can't wait to get back. In this shot, the winter storms were moving in, and I was waiting for a storm to move in over the Badwater Basin specifically, but I was a few hours early, so I was killing time by taking images of people walking around the park, hoping to capture the grandeur in the background. Eventually, the storm hit right on cue, and I had spectacular lighting and clouds over the basin. The wind eventually blew so hard that I could no longer control the camera and tripod or my own body.” Canon EOS 5D Mark II, Canon EF 70-200mm f4L at 200mm, Induro Carbon Tripod. Exposure: 1/13 sec., ISO 100.