Post your Sand Dunes!

[GabrielSeri]

I did a forum search and I did not find a thread for Sand Dunes. I know a lot of us shoot them, they're a favorite subject for big neg photographers. Here are some of mine.

[GabrielSeri]

[Vaughn]

Eureka Valley Sand Dunes
Before it became part of Death Valley National Park

[GabrielSeri]

Very cool! When did it become part of the DV National Park?

[Erik Larsen]

Nice prints guys. One of these days I'll make it to DV, I just don't want to do it in the summer which is when I usually can get away. Here's some dunes a little more hospitable weather wise. GSDNP, CO
tmax 100 on mg4 fiber
regards
erik

[Zaitz]

Wikipedia says Eureka dunes became part of Death Valley in 1994. I'd love to get out to Death Valley again sometime soon. I did two 45min sessions out in Mesquite Dunes in early/mid July. The heat didn't seem insanely bad but I was beyond dehydrated afterwards. My face was also sand blasted raw.

I love sand dunes! For give me if I am mistaken, but I think you posted a photo ElRooster that was color and just of one larger sand dune. I remember seeing that photo in the landscape thread and I've tried to find it a few times but couldn't. Maybe it was someone else though.

I've only shot a few sand dunes on film so far. My favorite is this photo on 4x5 Velvia 50 with a 75mm Caltar. I spent the majority of 2 days on top of Star Dune and High Dune at Great Sand Dunes NP. The first days sunset was blocked by clouds. This second sunset from Star Dune just made it out from behind the clouds with less than 10 minutes to spare before sunset. For over an hour I watched the rays of sunlight work there way across the sea of dunes towards me until I was enveloped in sunshine! I was euphoric! I did use too small an aperture though but I am happy. The 2 hour trek down to the car in the dark was well worth it, hoping one of the two slides would turn out.



The hike up the large dunes was exhausting but so much fun. Mid-day was fruitless for photography, in my opinion. But around 4:30-5pm the sun had enough of an angle to create some interesting shadows and shapes within the dunes. The shadows weren't strong at all (very light) but I was thinking about trying my first employment of the zone system to create stronger shadows and contrast! I focused on finding abstract compositions with my digital camera. I really really wished I had a longer lens so that I could have shot a lot of 4x5 b&w (and so I could try the zone system). I now have a 24" Goerz Artar but I did not then. I like to practice or compose first on my digital camera and use the LCD and histogram as a guide to whether or not the composition might work. The 600mm on 4x5 would have been near perfect. My longest was only the 300mm Heliar which I did not even bother lugging up the dunes.

Ah, best day of the year. Wish I could do that every day!

[Jeffrey Sipress]

A couple from the Pismo Dunes, Central California coast. Probably shot on Acros 4x5

[SMBooth]

On the beach at Lakes Entrance on the South coast of Australia.
4x5, 90mm @ f22

Beach Dunes

[Heroique]

I was euphoric!

Wow, thanks for the fun narrative – I think your enthusiasm for dunes might infect us all!

[GabrielSeri]

Hey Zaitz

No that wasn't me. I don't shoot color landscapes, at least not yet. haha

I really like your shot I like the highlights on the sand dunes in the background. Awesome capture!