Photographing Sand Dunes - An Artistic Challenge
by Abhi Ganju

 

Drive by the Eureka dunes at midday, and you’ll barely notice the insignificant mounds of dirt. Yet, the right light can transform these mounds of dirt into a photographer’s paradise - offering design, patterns, textures, moods and storytelling.

First things first: LIGHT. Your main design element is light and shadow. Therefore, you need bright contrasty light. However, it still needs to be low-angled light, not overhead light. Once the sun gets high, the mounds of dirt become exactly that, mounds of dirt. Ergo, your best shots will be during the one and a half hour at either end of the day. Early and late sunshine bathes the scene with warm golden tones, adding drama. This means that you will need to walk to the dunes about 30 to 40 minutes before sunrise.

It’s important that you use a high contrast film, such as Fuji Velvia. Polarizers and warming filters will enhance your image too.

Exposure: the sand dunes are three dimensional objects. Thus, different sides get different amounts of light. This makes bracketing a must. Meter on a grey card, then bracket by two half stops on either side.

Composition: the most exciting design element are the wind created ripples that are sharply defined by low-angled light. Use them for a variety of close-ups, as well as for foreground interest. Get in close to capture the texture of actual grains of sand.

Compose scenic shots using a wide-angle lens (20-28mm range) and a hyperfocal chart. For example, with a 24mm lens, at f/22, I would set the lens focusing ring at 3.5 feet. I would set my tripod low, keeping the camera about 2 feet from the closest ripples in my viewfinder. Using the ripples for foreground, sand dunes for middle ground, and distant mountains as background, I would shoot some vertical as well as horizontal compositions. Desert plants and mudcracks also make interesting foreground elements.

Walk around on the higher crests and look at the shadows of the dunes. View them through a zoom lens (such as 70-300mm) and try to isolate interesting patterns by combining the ripples, dunes and their shadows. In bright light, the triangular crests and their shadows will form bold geometric designs, whereas the rounded dunes will form bold and sensuous designs. In diffuse light, the same areas will form soft and sensuous designs. In cloudy conditions (add warming filter), the sand will appear lighter in color and give a softer mood. Depth of field is limited in telephoto lenses, but using a small aperture and focusing a third of the way in your frame will get you the best possible result.

In some areas the ripples form swirls around a desert plant. These leading lines make a pleasing composition as well as tell a story. Similarly, mud cracks and tumbling weeds make interesting story-telling shots.

Remember to shoot a scene before you “walk” into it, except when you intend to have footprints in your composition.

The natural backdrop of mountains often turn obligingly pink at sunrise and sunset. And with luck, you’ll get dramatic skies at either end of the day.

Practical issues Plan about three to four days for the dunes, to improve the chances of getting good light. On weekdays you’ll find fewer footprints. Midday rest breaks could be a good idea: walking on sand dunes is exhausting.

Getting there: Death Valley National Monument is on the eastern border of California. The closest airport, Las Vegas, is a three hour drive. Plan to stay at Stovepipe Wells, which is closest to the Eureka dunes. Best times to visit are from November to March.

White Sands National Monument is close to the town of Alamogordo, New Mexico, about four hours drive from Albuquerque, two hours from El Paso, Texas. Winter is best for dune photography, but a variety of wildflowers can make for a fruitful spring photo trip.

Contact Numbers for Death Valley & White Sands:

Death Valley visitor info:760-786-3200
White Sands visitor info: 505-679-2599

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About the author...

Abhi Ganju is a physician and photographer who lives in the Chicago area. Her images can be seen at www.abhisphotos.com.