Painted by Moonlight
Kachina Point, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park
Arizona's Painted Desert is a surprising land of contrasting colors, light and textures, accented with occasional tree fossils leftover from the ancient forest which flourished here 200 million years ago. These badlands are especially enchanting when washed in moonlight, as seen here.
To see this desert past sunset however, plan well ahead of time. The Painted Desert is actually part of Petrified Forest National Park, and as such is only accessible to the public after sunset in certain viewpoints, and that only with a controlled permit. This is primarily to lesson the likelihood of people freely taking fossils ("petrified wood") from the park. You need to reserve very early in the day as not many permits are available.
This worked to our advantage that night, as my son and I were the only ones there at Kachina Point. We had the park all to ourselves, with a full moon, a gentle breeze, and the happy peace of nature all around.
Selected for FLICKR Explore January 26, 2024
# 46
Single long exposure processed in Capture One.
*Press L or left click on the photo for best viewing.
Link to ~My best photos~
*** All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. ***
Painted by Moonlight
Kachina Point, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest National Park
Arizona's Painted Desert is a surprising land of contrasting colors, light and textures, accented with occasional tree fossils leftover from the ancient forest which flourished here 200 million years ago. These badlands are especially enchanting when washed in moonlight, as seen here.
To see this desert past sunset however, plan well ahead of time. The Painted Desert is actually part of Petrified Forest National Park, and as such is only accessible to the public after sunset in certain viewpoints, and that only with a controlled permit. This is primarily to lesson the likelihood of people freely taking fossils ("petrified wood") from the park. You need to reserve very early in the day as not many permits are available.
This worked to our advantage that night, as my son and I were the only ones there at Kachina Point. We had the park all to ourselves, with a full moon, a gentle breeze, and the happy peace of nature all around.
Selected for FLICKR Explore January 26, 2024
# 46
Single long exposure processed in Capture One.
*Press L or left click on the photo for best viewing.
Link to ~My best photos~
*** All my photos are © All Rights Reserved. ***