When I am photographing I usually go out in the afternoon to do some scouting in preparation for the evening twilight shoots that I love.
It’s when the last light is on the tips of the mountains and the sky begins to turn pale pink that I am in my zone.
I have written before about how most of the time my last shot is my best shot. But sometimes that isn’t the case.
Recently I visited Imperial Sand Dunes in California and, as usual, I went out in the afternoon looking for the perfect dune: the one with no footprints and great lines.
After climbing many dunes and doing some exploring, careful not to walk on any of the dunes that were potential subjects, I made this image one and a half hours before sunset.
This was the one. Please click the image to view a larger version.
After collapsing in the sand for awhile, my legs aching, and then doing some more exploring, I returned an hour later when the sky was starting to get some warmer colour. I just wanted to check on my dune and make sure there were still no footprints.
To see how the light was progressing I made another image and at first I couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
It wasn’t the same. Somehow it wasn’t as good as the first image. How is that possible?
It finally dawned on me – it was the shadow! In the mid-afternoon when the sun was higher in the sky the shadow was not as long and the shadow itself created a strong and balancing line in the first image. An hour later the shadow had crept up and filled the entire foreground. That strong line from the shadow was gone and the second image wasn’t as visually interesting.
I learned five things on this outing:
- Sometimes the image I make during the scouting trip turns out to be THE image (so I should never go scouting without my camera);
- If shadows are a factor mid-afternoon can be better than twilight;
- An image should be made when the scene is most dramatic regardless of the time of day; [tweet this quote!]
- People who never photograph in the afternoon are missing out;
- Walking on dunes is really hard.
I have many more images from the dunes to share with you. Some are peaceful and serene images like this one. But on the other side of the dunes, where we were camping, it was anything but peaceful. I’ll share some of that excitement with you too.
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You could have told me that you were in a desert in the Middle East and I would have bought it:-) Your shot is absolutely beautiful.
I’ve enjoyed your zoo pics recently too.
Thank you so much Sherri! This is the third time I have visited dunes in the USA. I wasn’t really aware they were here until I started travelling. The other two locations were White Sands in New Mexico and Coral Pink Sand Dunes in Utah.
White Sands is my favorite location ever. Love that place.
I really enjoyed it there too Jan, it is so beautiful! Thanks for your visit and comments.
Dune shots are on my bucket list. Love the curves and the shadows. White Sands National Monument, here I come…someday. I retire at the end of March 2013 so, more time to PLAY.
Hi Dennis, I love dune shots now too! White Sands is an excellent location, I’m sure you will love it there. But did you know it isn’t sand? It’s actually gypsum so it has an odd texture.
“Walking on dunes is really hard.” Sometimes you crack me up, LOL! Thanks for making learning from you kinda fun Anne…
I notice that you changed one of your rules. In “Before the Shutter” you talked about not taking a camera when just scouting so you can focus on seeing the possibilities. In the dunes shot taking the camera really paid off. Did you see that shot when you were just looking at the dune with the naked eye? Or did the camera “see” something the eye missed?
Hi Rob, ah you noticed that!! I was wondering if anyone would notice that as I was typing it. I guess I’ll still base whether I take my camera or not on how my back feels. What I really should do is take my smaller camera when I go scouting. I did see the shot with the naked eye. I really liked how the curve of the two dunes came together at the top and I wanted the bottom of the closer dune to come out of the corner of the frame. These images were made at about 100mm focal length so it isn’t too different from the perspective I saw with own eyes. I find that the times when the camera “sees” something I didn’t it is usually the different perspective you get with a wide angle lens. I am always surprised by how things look with the wide angle lens on. Admittedly I am very bad at spatial relations so perhaps that is why.
Great lesson here Anne. Sometimes we get programmed to shoot only in the golden hours and miss the best time. Love the images.
Hi Len, thanks for your comments. Yes, I agree, sometimes the best shooting actually is in the middle of the afternoon!
Good post and I know what it is like to try to find virgin untrampled dunes. I walked for what seemed miles in Death Valley and White Sands N.M. both trying to find unspoiled scenes done in by people, people and their dogs. Good 5 points too.
Hi John, we are going to Death Valley next week so I am kind of glad to get the dunes out of my system so I don’t have to spend time finding virgin dunes again! If I happen to come across one I’m sure I’ll photograph it, but I think I’ll focus on the other parts of the park. Thank you very much for your comments!
I’ve played volleyball in sand… so I can only imagine hiking in it!
I think the time of day where photography is “best” depends on the aim of your photography. If I wanted people to purchase it and hang it on their wall, sometimes I am sure the most dramatic/sunset/sunrise light might be best. However, if someone were to want to purchase a stock photo for a magazine showcasing the area, they may wish to show it as people will actually see it – which is during the day. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but this is part of the reason I’ll photograph at all times of the day.
That’s a good point Michael. I have noticed on lots of tourism websites the images they show are often taken during the day. Thanks for your comments!
I mainly photograph my kids when they are outside and most of the time it is not during the “ideal” sunset hours. But I keep photographing anyway. That has taught me to work smarter, with whatever light is available and gave me confidence to shoot at anytime during the day. It may be a different story with landscapes but, it the time is not right, we can always find different subjects to photograph that will work in less then ideal condition I think.
Your opening picture proves again the value you put in researching a location. Well done once again! Love the texture on the sand and you made me feel like grabbing it now.
Hi Fabio, I think you are absolutely correct. We should let the lighting conditions guide us to the right subject not the other way around. I don’t think there is such a thing as “bad light” only bad subjects for a particular type of light. Many thanks for your comments.
That first image has extraordinary beauty, Anne. Well written too – it just goes to show that even if we are looking for something better we shouldn’t pass up any opportunity that presents itself. Images don’t cost money, only space on a card – they can always be deleted.
You are so right Andy! I am surprised how often my scouting shots end up being better than the golden hour shots! Most of the time that isn’t the case but it does happen as it did in the dunes. Thank you very much for your comments.
Wonderful shots. Worth the effort.
Thanks Laura, my legs were killing me the next day!
Don’t forget Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado.
Oh, that’s one I haven’t been to yet. I would love to go to Colorado! Thanks for the suggestion Jack!
I’m not sure how I missed this post Anne. The image is spectacular.
Thank you so much Edith! I really appreciate that.