Outdoorshopping Blog

The best part about exploring the outdoors is the memories you make, and technology has allowed us to preserve those memories in photographs. As our tastes became more inquisitive, many began to take their outdoor photography to the next level. For one photographer called ‘Everyday Astronaut’, their bucket list included outdoor locations prime for photography art. One such location in Utah called the Bonneville Salt Flats was next on their list, but upon arrival, they were met with a flooded plain. Instead of turning away, they changed their plans for a beautiful result.

Photosessions can be inspired by a multitude of things like movies, books, and even the location itself. For Everyday Astronaut, the location played a large role in the result. After driving over 1,300 miles to the Bonneville Salt Flats, the photographer and his assistants were met with a flooded plain instead of the 40 square miles (30,000 acres) of stretching salt flats they had expected.

During the summer months, the salt flats are exactly what you’d expect. For miles, densely packed salt in the remnants of Pleistocene Lake Bonneville make for a crisp white landscape. Visitors are welcome to drive on the flats themselves, and even though there have been many years of brine withdrawal, there has yet to be a measured shrinkage in the salt’s depth and thickness. During spring and summer, the water slowly evaporates while winds smooth the surface into a vast, nearly perfect flat plain.

In wintertime, the salt flats routinely become flooded, covering the flats in an inch of water. In the evening hours, one may see the flats dry up enough for walking, but the salt still remains ‘squishy’, making for a messy trek. Such as was the case for photographer Everyday Astronaut on this particular trip. The result was a series of amazing photographs showcasing the beauty of the Bonneville Salt Flats during the flooded day and the drier evenings.

If you’re looking for a little inspiration for your next photography excursion, take a hint from Everyday Astronaut. Integrate an interesting idea (the astronaut costume is a truly unique touch for this photographer) with a beautiful location, and have a little fun! If you’re running on empty when it comes to ideas, take a movie or book and turn it into an inspiration. The movie Martian or the book Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy may have been Everyday Astronaut’s muse!

No matter what, photographers would likely agree that the best pictures come from within. It’s your passion which will drive the success of your photographs, and coupled with a beautiful location and a unique idea, one can create true art.