Fire Wave, Valley of Fire State Park, NV

I was due in Las Vegas late Saturday morning. That meant a Friday arrival to avoid a crazy-early AM flight time. Friday flight costs were unfriendly, but Wednesday and Thursday flights were more favorably priced. Valley of Fire State Park, not too far from Las Vegas, was on my to-photograph list, and two extra days would enable that add-on. The Wednesday flight was selected.

The Fire Wave was my priority target, and two morning and evening shoots were dedicated to killing that location. While there may be opportunities remaining there, and changing sky conditions always provide differentiation, I have so many liked images that selecting one to share became a dilemma.

The Fire Wave is awesome, but it does not immediately offer all of its best perspectives, and time spent exploring the possibilities was rewarded. Patience is also required, as many people flow through this feature (despite it being a 3/4-mile hike from the parking lot). The strategy that worked best was to set up for a shot, wait until there were no people in it, and then work fast.

What is the best lens to take to the Fire Wave in Valley of Fire State Park? The Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens on an EOS R5 Mark II was my easy first choice, and I also used the Canon RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM Lens on a second R5 II at times.

This composition extended slightly out of the reach of the f/11 depth of field, but focus stacking enabled a completely tack-sharp image.

A larger version of this image is available here.