Death Valley series 2 — first thoughts

Death Valley series 2 is upon us, and while the BBC is but one episode in, you can actually catch the whole series already on iPlayer. On the evidence of this, if you liked series 1 (and many did) I can’t imagine you not liking this.

A few months has passed since the cliff-hanger ending, and newly promoted DI Janie Mallow (Gwyneth Paltrow) has still to forgive John Chapel (Timothy Spall) for being involved with her mother. Of course it only takes a murder to bring them back together and re-establish the (sort of) status quo they had before.

Last series surprised me by sneaking in a bit of an arc, and I suspect the forthcoming arrival of Janie’s father will lead to another. I may rush the episodes, so at some point expect some overall thoughts as well as some audience tracking. Until then, if you’ve yet to watch, enjoy!

“A Boundary” — Cracked dry mud meets ejected volcanic materials.

Speaking as a complete non-expert, I think that what we’re looking at here is a boundary between the low point of a small playa-like section of dried earth and a slightly higher area with black pebbles. The pebbles appear to be volcanic material from a nearby eruption that took place hundreds or thousands of years ago. (The particular feature may have erupted as recently as 800 years, though it has also possibly been longer.)…more: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/05/16/a-boundary/

#deathvalley #desert #photo #photography #photoOfTheDay #lensCulture #landscapePhotography #photographyLovers #naturePhotography #fineArtPhotography #nature

“Aeolian Bedforms” — Wind-caused ripples in desert sand dunes, Death Valley.

This is probably the classic notion of what a desert looks like — fields of wind-formed sand dunes stretching into the distance. In truth, such dunes typically cover only a very small fraction of the desert landscape. That’s certainly true in Death Valley National Park, where large, impressive dunes are only found in a handful of locations. We visited one of them on the final morning of our late February trip…more: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/05/12/aeolian_bedforms/

#deathvalley #sand #dunes #photo #photography #photoOfTheDay #lensCulture #landscapePhotography #photographyLovers #naturePhotography #fineArtPhotography #nature

Death Valley returns next week

The BBC has announced series 2 of Death Valley hits our screens Sunday, May 17 on BBC One at 8:15. Timothy Spall and Gwyneth Keyworth return as retired actor John Chapel and disarming Welsh detective sergeant Janie Mallowan. I quite liked series 1 and this will fill a Death in / Beyond Paradise gap in the schedule for me.

What we know about Death Valley series 2

From the announcement:

Series two picks up a few months after the events of series one, Janie has been promoted to Detective Inspector and is busier than ever, with paperwork stacking up quicker than she can clear it. To make matters worse, she’s been ignoring John since finding out he’s been dating her mum. Janie’s hand is forced after a murder in a Community Payback group when DCI Barry Clarke forces her to bring John Chapel in as the department’s consultant.

Series two sees John reluctantly re-enter the world of acting, on the set of an epic Welsh fantasy TV series, when the pair are called to investigate a murder. Will this foray into his old thespian passion ignite something once forgotten in John? One thing is certain, whether investigating a murder in a coastal fishing village, a sustainable commune or the competitive world of rugby, John and Janie will continue to bring justice to mid-Wales.

The cast also includes Alexandria Riley (Helen Baxter), Steffan Rhodri (DCI Barry Clarke), Melanie Walters (Yvonne Mallowan) and Rithvik Andugula (DC Evan Chaudhry). To get you in the mood, here’s a trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyEIA0rMcBA

“Southern Death Valley” — Desert gold wildflowers, dark hills with ancient Lake Manly shoreline terraces.

There is something. a little unusual about this post. I didn’t pick this photograph so much for aesthetic reasons as for its inclusion of some fascinating features in this part of Death Valley. Let’s start with the obvious. There are desert gold wildflowers in the foreground, but if you look closely you can see many more of them across this broad Vally on the dark hillside. Keep reading to learn something about that hillside…more: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/05/05/southern-death-valley/

#deathvalley #photo #photography #photoOfTheDay #lensCulture #landscapePhotography #photographyLovers #naturePhotography #fineArtPhotography #nature

“Lake Manly, Morning Clouds, Reflection” — Panamint Range and morning clouds reflected in Lake Manly, Death Valley.

This season I took advantage of the rare opportunity to photograph reflections of desert mountains in Death Valley. We were there just before Christmas 2025 and then again near the end of February 2026. The Lake Manly was there both times, though it had visibly diminished on the second visit. But from up close its surface still reflected the surrounding mountains and sky…more: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/05/03/manly-lake-morning-clouds-reflection/

#deathvalley #photo #photography #photoOfTheDay #lensCulture #landscapePhotography #photographyLovers #naturePhotography #fineArtPhotography #nature

“Desert Mountains and Reflection, Morning” — Panamint Range mountains, clouds and morning light, reflected in Lake Manly.
Here is another morning photograph on Manly Lake. I know — that is a LOT of photographs of this feature! But I had several beautiful mornings there this season, and each produced quite a haul of pictures portraying different moods and surroundings. At the moment I made this one, a band of light was striking a ridge descending toward the lake, while the foreground and more distant shadows were in muted light…more: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/04/29/desert-mountains-and-reflection-morning/

#deathvalley #photo #photography #photoOfTheDay #lensCulture #landscapePhotography #photographyLovers #naturePhotography #fineArtPhotography #nature

“Morning Reflections, Lake Manly Shoreline” — Morning clouds and desert mountains reflected in Lake Manly.

By now, those of you who follow my posts have figured out that I made quite a few photographs of Lake Manly on this partly cloudy morning. I hope you’ll forgive me, but the appearance of this lake is not an everyday event, and I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. (Not only did I photograph it a lot on this trip, but I also photographed it two months earlier at the end of December.)…more: https://gdanmitchell.com/2026/04/27/morning-reflections-lake-manly-shoreline/

#deathvalley #photo #photography #photoOfTheDay #lensCulture #landscapePhotography #photographyLovers #naturePhotography #fineArtPhotography #nature

I know I've been showing (and enjoying!) some lush vibes, but I start to also miss that stark minimalist purity that only the deepest deserts can provide. Maybe soon I'll go back and experience "A Moonlit Night at Badwater"...captured by yours truly one December evening.

#art #photography #desert #sky #skyscape #nightsky #sublimelandscape #stars #landscape #California #DeathValley #DesertSouthwest #AmericanWest