Bird's Eye Gallery
Fine Art Photography of the Natural World
Micah "Doc" Daugherty
Scenic and majestic views of...
DESERT BEAUTY
I won't deny it, desert landscapes are challenging to photograph, but they are my favorite landscapes to shoot. Lighting is the first challenge. The sun is abundant and extremely strong in the Southwestern U.S. during any season. There is little cloud cover and the sunlight reflects brightly off the desert floor. This creates the challenge of overexposing the image. However, the use of good polarizing filters is a must. Using a circular polarizer is the best option because you can control the amount of light you let into the lens. The best times of the day to shoot in the desert are sunrise and sunset. Aside from the fact that it will be cooler in the summer months (although colder in the winter), the "golden hour" sunlight provides longer shadows and some additional color to create stunning images.
The second challenge is composition. Shooting the desert floor, even with mountains in the background, creates a boring image. It's always best to search out the location to look for trees, cacti, rock formations, and even contours in the sand with some plants or flowers in the foreground before choosing the location. Combine the composition with the sunlight and you'll find yourself loving desert photography as much as I do.
As I compiled this collection of photographic images of desert landscapes over the years, I considered all technical aspects of creating stunning landscape photos. The end result is "Desert Beauty", an exclusive portfolio of my favorite and most memorable desert landscape images. I created this page to showcase the beauty of the desert... and I hope that what I've captured through my lens will give you a different perspective of what "desert beauty" is all about. To learn more about my adventures in the Southwestern U.S., check out my blog "Desert Beauty, An Adventure in the Southwestern U.S."
"Contrast" was my first desert image. I created this photo at Desert White Sands National Park in New Mexico during our 21-day road trip across the U.S. in 2020. This photo has become a staple in my portfolio and one of my most iconic landscape images. I chose black and white for this image to detail the contrast between the sky and the sandy desert floor... and of course with a "lonely tree" as this image's focal point.
Contrast
Peek-A-Boo Canyon (also commonly called Red Canyon) is one of the more popular slot canyons in Southern Utah. Located north of Kanab off U.S. route 80, this slot canyon is accessible by taking an ATV through the trail system to the canyon entrance, or by vehicle with high clearance to a point close to the entrance. The hike is short, but the colorful canyon walls make it worthwhile and a great subject for photography.
Peek-A-Boo
As the first light of dawn breaks over Monument Valley, a weathered saddle rests on a sturdy hitch post, its leather softened by years of use. The warm hues of the sun cast a golden glow, illuminating the intricate stitching and the stories woven into the saddle's fabric. Surrounding the post, the iconic red rock formations stand tall, creating a breathtaking backdrop that captures the essence of the Wild West. The quiet stillness of the morning air evokes a sense of adventure, inviting the next rider to embark on a journey through this stunning landscape.
Saddle Up!
Sunrise at the Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park, Utah, is always amazing. The "golden hour" light of sunrise blankets the red rocks of the arch, creating a beautiful glow. Also, by using the arch to frame in the sun peeking over the horizon, you can create your own "Window of The Sun."
Window Of the Sun
Night Shade
It was an early, pre-sunrise start for us in Canyonlands with the goal of shooting a sunrise at Mesa Arch. To kill some time, we drove around during the "blue hour" (that hour or two before the sun rises or after setting) to search for something to experiment on for some night photography. This tree lit up in the headlights and I stopped for the opportunity. "Night Shade" is the result of this experiment!
Desert Trek
Every trip we take to the Southwest becomes an "adventure" to find wild horses. During our trip to Monument Valley we drove the 17-Mile Loop. It was a beautiful drive full of awesome landscape opportunities. But when a couple of wild horses strolled over one of the barren hills, this made the trek worth its weight in gold.
Death Valley National Park has a special place in my heart, and my portfolio. While shooting at Zebriskie Point, I paid extra attention to the contours of the badlands and knew that the shadowing and contrasting colors of the formations would make a great black and white image.
Contours
Painting a picture with this palate of color would be an artist's dream... and yes, these colors are REAL! These colorful hills in Death Valley, known as The Artist's Palate, are formed by the minerals within the hills. The colors become more prominent after the sun sets, but you'll have to use slower shutter speeds and a tripod to capture these beautiful hues.
Artist's Palate
A Delicate Sunset
The Delicate Arch is the iconic arch located at the end of a moderate 1.5 mile hike in Arches National Park. Sunrises and sunsets here are amazing. The park is located just outside of Moab, Utah, and is home to over 2,000 documented natural sandstone arches.
Another World
This was one of the most AMAZING finds in New Mexico. Called "The Valley of Dreams", this beautiful area of unique rock formations and hoodoos is located South of Farmington, New Mexico, and after a long drive through some fields over dirt roads and a 5-mile hike.