March 2024 iPhone Photos – Part 1 – Republished to correct an image display problem on website

As is my habit, I use my iPhone camera to make images while scouting photo locations and/or sometimes to record in route travel scenes.  This Post and others to follow will feature some of the many such photos made during my March trip to California.  Some of the photos in these post may be similar to those shot later with my DSLR.

I know there are many people that only use their cell phone cameras for photography, simply because it is convenient and nearly everyone always has a cell phone with a built in camera with them at all times.  The cameras in the newer model cell phones are quite good, although there are still limitations.  Nonetheless, it is possible to get good photographs with these convenient devices.  There are also camera apps that may improve a phone camera’s ability to shoot better images and there are plenty of in phone edit apps to enhance the photos.

Sharing photos taken via a mobile phone is also very easy.  It is no mystery why these small, pocketable devices have become so popular with those that just want to shoot a quick photo and share it to social media or via text message or via email.

3AM Window View

A snow storm came across the western U.S. at the start of my trip, threatening to delay travel for a day at least; but as it turned out, we only had slow travel over the Rockies through the area that received significant snowfall, after I-70 was opened just before our scheduled road travel.

I awoke at about 3AM my first night in Colorado and peeked out my bedroom window to check the weather and this winter scene filled my view.  So naturally, I grabbed my phone and captured a few images through the window.

3AM Window View 2

It is easy to see in these two images how light sensitive the camera sensors in these phones can be.  Of course, there was some light from street and house lights and the heavy cloud cover reflected the city light onto the snow, which bounced the light, too.  The detail in these 3AM low light photos is still remarkable.

The passenger in a moving vehicle might be able to shoot while moving along at highway speeds with one of these devices.  (The driver should pay attention to driving and not use the camera while moving).

Straight On

This image was made somewhere in Utah, the morning of our second travel day, as the storm seemed to be clearing; although, we continued to see storm warnings along the highway and we had driven through some snow flurries the day before in some higher elevations.

Until next time,

Ken

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 9

More hiking and scouting photos in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.

Shrub Valley, iPhone Photo
Color Walking, iPhone Photo
Geology Palette, iPhone Photo
Geology Bands, iPhone Photo
Desert Stems, iPhone Photo
Slot Walls, iPhone Photo
Narrow Canyon, iPhone Photo

This simple photo was chosen for Flickr’s Explore page (April 13, 2023) and as of this writing has garnered 6801 views and 237 faves.

Fire Wave, iPhone Photo
Two by Two, iPhone Photo

The rock layers upon which these couples are walking is the feature that forms the well know “Fire Wave” feature in this park.

Crevice Walker, iPhone Photo
Photo Hiker, iPhone Photo
Slot Hiker, iPhone Photo

Stay tuned for even more Valley of Fire and desert photography,

Ken

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 8

More scouting and exploration photos in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada.

Intricate Rock, iPhone Photo
Desert Flower, iPhone Photo
Desert Shadows, iPhone Photo
Natural Imperfections or Non-Photogenic Nature?, iPhone Photo

Nature is messy and cluttered.  Photographers don’t like clutter, even if it is a part of nature.  I cropped this photo to remove some of the natural clutter, mostly on the bottom left.  There remains some clutter on the bottom left and what about that unkempt looking bush and roots on the pond border?  Is it really necessary to clean up a natural scene, to make a more pleasing photo?  It depends upon one’s vies of the world and one’s idea of photography and purpose of the photo.  Sometimes one may want to show the clutter, sometimes not.  Sometimes clutter can’t be avoided.

X Marks the Spot, iPhone Photo
Nodular, iPhone Photo
Petrified Dunes, iPhone Photo
Rock Ribs, iPhone Photo
Droopy Rocks, iPhone Photo

The way my eyes look in the morning.

Ridgy Rocks 1, iPhone Photo
To the Desert Born, iPhone Photo

More desert scenes to come,

Ken

 

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 7 – Arches – Inside and Out

More photos from scouting and exploring Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, March of 2023.

Inside to Outside, iPhone Photo
Multiple Arches, iPhone Photo
Rock of Many Windows, iPhone Photo
Checking the LCD, iPhone Photo
Through an Arch, iPhone Photo
Arch Light, iPhone Photo
Photographic Inclination, iPhone Photo
Shouldering the Load, iPhone Photo
Sky View Arch, iPhone Photo

The number of arches in this area is almost unbelievable.  One could spend much time here just photographing arches from inside, outside and through.  I’m reminded of the Joni Mitchell song “Both Sides Now” about clouds and how it could be adapted to describe having seen arches from many sides and still not having seen all aspects of arches.

More next,

Ken

 

Valley of Fire State Park and Nearby, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 6 – Monochrome Desert

This is a continuation of hiking and exploration in Valley of Fire State Park and nearby areas, Nevada.  All of the photos in this post were shot with an iPhone 14 and converted to monochrome.

Mud Abstract, iPhone Photo
Cholla Shadow, iPhone Photo
Desert Texture, iPhone Photo
Rock Shelter, iPhone Photo
Dark Shelter, iPhone Photo

This “Dark Shelter” is not in Valley of fire.  This is along a 4 wheel drive road outside the park.

Monochrome Desert 2, iPhone Photo
Curvaceous, iPhone Photo
Desert Shadows, iPhone Photo
Energy Portal, iPhone Photo

More from the Nevada desert later,

Ken

 

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 5

This is a continuation of scouting and exploration in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada in March of 2023.

Linear, iPhone Photo

The geology here is fascinating.  The rocks have interesting variation in texture and color.

Variations, iPhone Photo
Big Dome, iPhone Photo

If one looks closely, one can just barely pick out hikers on the right side slope of that big dome in the background.

Veins, iPhone Photo
Rocky Desert, iPhone Photo
Twigs and Rocks, iPhone Photo
Intersections, iPhone Photo
Holes and Pockets, iPhone Photo
Muted Footsteps, iPhone Photo

To be continued,

Ken

 

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 4

A continuation of images made during a hike in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada in March of 2023.

Through an Arch, iPhone Photo

There were a few arches in the canyon walls bordering this hiking trail.  Small arches are plentiful in this area.

End of the Trail, iPhone Photo

This trail ends at a drop off into a narrow chasm, which at this time of the year contained a pool of water.

Arch, iPhone Photo

Another small arch atop a rock outcrop.

Arch, iPhone Photo

Another small, but still sizable arch along the trail.

Rock Eye, iPhone Photo

Light bouncing around inside some of the smaller arches and holes in the rocks creates interesting color, bringing out the patterns in the rock.  This one looks like an eye in a rugged face.

More exploration photos next,

Ken

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – March 2023 – Part 3

We returned to an area in Valley of Fire State park to finish a hike we has abandoned a day or so previously.

Petroglyphs, iPhone Photo

There were many petroglyphs on the rock faces along the narrow valley that we hiked through.

Petroglyphs, iPhone Photo
Petroglyphs, iPhone Photo

I only carried my iPhone on this hike, which was not sufficient for adequately capturing petroglyphs higher up on some of the valley walls.

Petroglyphs, iPhone Photo

The image above indicates that some petroglyphs have been lost due to erosion of the rock face.

Petroglyphs, iPhone Photo
Petroglyphs, iPhone Photo

To be continued,

Ken

Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Lakeshore Drive – March, 2023

My son and I utilized the middle of the day hours to drive around, exploring the local area and generally sight seeing.  We traveled to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam on a couple of occasions.

Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, iPhone Photo

The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is like art and an engineering marvel rolled into one, which is fitting for this location, the site of the magnificent Hoover Dam, built over a period of 5 years from 1931 to 1936.  That such a structure could be built in those early years of the 20th century is an astounding engineering feat.

Hoover Dam, iPhone Photo

I had to be sure to have a firm grip on my iPhone as I leaned over the walkway to shoot downward at the face of Hoover Dam.  It was a windy day and the wind hitting the dam face was deflected upward with a significant velocity.

Lake Mead, Nevada, iPhone Photo

The image above is of Lake Mead, behind Hoover Dam.  The bleached rock layers indicate the historic level of Lake Mead.  This is a very large reservoir, so that indicated drop in the water level represents a tremendous amount of water that is no longer in the reservoir.  Reading about the effect of the long drought in this area is concerning, but actually seeing the visible indication of how much water is gone, is much more impressive and startling.  Maybe the recent heavy precipitation in this area will provide some respite, but it will take years of above average rainfall to replenish this reservoir.  In the meantime, people whose water supply depends upon this water resource are having to adapt to using much less water.

Large man made reservoirs in the western U.S. have allowed more people to move into previously arid desert areas and increased farming and ranching activity, but now the lack of water resources is having dire effects upon that population and agricultural activity.

Hoover Dam Worker Tribute Sculpture, iPhone Photo

The drive between the Valley of Fire area and Hoover Dam is a scenic one along Northshore Drive.

Northshore Drive, Nevada, iPhone Photo
Along Northshore Drive, Nevada, iPhone Photo
Along Northshore Drive, Nevada, iPhone Photo

One can see from the clouds in these photos, that the weather was unsettled at times with intermittent rain and gusty winds and the light on the landscape changed as the clouds moved over.  The clouds added much drama to the sky and to the photographs.

Until next time,

Ken

 

Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada – Part 2

Arch View, iPhone Photo

There are many arches of various sizes all through out Valley of Fire State Park and in this area, in general, where the sandstone has been eroded away over long time intervals of exposure to wind, rain, freezing and thawing.  The arches are not on the size of those found in Utah’s Arches National Park, but seemingly more numerous.

Sunlight reflects around inside the arches, creating wonderful lighting on the rock surface.

Arch, iPhone Photo

The arches in this post are found along a short hiking trail and can be spotted by looking up into the canyon walls, which can be spectacular, too.

Canyon Wall, iPhone Photo
Cholla Desert, iPhone Photo

There is an open area along this trail with many nice cholla cacti.  I had to refrain from trying to photograph each one, as I’ve always found these enticing.

We stopped short of completing this hike today, since we wanted to get to an area that we had chosen for sunset photos.

We will revisit this area later,

Ken