Morning at Badwater
by George Buxbaum
Title
Morning at Badwater
Artist
George Buxbaum
Medium
Photograph
Description
Morning at Badwater was made a few miles north of Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, California. When mud or salt sheets contain water and then dry out, they contract, so as to occupy less space. The basic form of contraction is that the ground contracts to a point in 6 directions, under ideal circumstances forming hexagons. However life is not perfect, and hexagons are rare. The general term for the shapes produced by this drying out-related contraction is "polygon". At Badwater, significant rainstorms flood the valley bottom periodically, covering the salt pan with a thin sheet of standing water. Each newly-formed lake does not last long though, because the 1.9 in of average rainfall is overwhelmed by a 150 in annual evaporation rate.
Uploaded
March 22nd, 2014
Statistics
Viewed 2,794 Times - Last Visitor from Sandwich, MA on 09/26/2023 at 9:56 AM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Similar Images
Comments (13)
Ann Johndro-Collins
Revisiting this fantastic image...talked with someone yesterday who just returned from visiting the park. Seems as if people are really changed by what they see there.
Ann Johndro-Collins
This image has a fantastic richness and drama to it...great work, George! I plan to see this area for myself one day. L/F
George Buxbaum replied:
It's an awesome place and so many different terrains in one place. I cannot wait to go back. I went in February and did not have to deal with the desert heat.
Kathi Mirto
Amazing nature doing her thing . . . can you even walk out there? fl
George Buxbaum replied:
Thank you Kathi. There is nothing to stop someone from walking out into this playa but it damages the the area and is frowned up. Kind of the leave no footprints thing.
George Buxbaum replied:
... and I am standing in ditch by the side of a dirt road to make this image. I did not walk out into the playa.
Recently Viewed
