Sand Dunes National Park - Colorado

[David Stephens]

I visited Sand Dunes National Park last week with friends. The image below is about 5-minutes before sunset. The only small cloud in the Western sky had blocked the sun for a while and then, fortunately, broke out to reveal the ripples, colors and details in the sand near me.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1552/25830070922_89f9016a76_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FmvSbo)Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado (https://flic.kr/p/FmvSbo) by David Stephens (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/), on Flickr

Canon 5DsR, EF 14mm f/2.8L II, Av Mode, ISO 400, 0EV, f/8.0, resulting in 1/400-sec., hand held, with Raw conversion in DxO Optics Pro 10.5.4.

[Don Railton]

Hi David

I really like dune shots... Bit of a bonus to have both you and Adhika to post dune shots one after another..! This image is a well detailed landscape that has good appeal to me.. if i were to be ever so slightly critical i would say that the shadows in the sand are competing with the view a little, in my mind anyway...I think I might have liked to seperate the shadow play of the sand away from from the vista.. Still, i would be very happy with this shot as it is, good stuff..!

DON

[David Stephens]

Thank you Don.

[Adhika Lie]

This is one sand dunes I have always wanted to go. Beautiful pattern on the sand, Dave, and I love the contrast with the green mountain on the background. That sorta puts the Colorado context in place.

[Diane Miller]

Well done, with great light and detail! The lines in the sand lead in a gentle curve to the mountains, which have the perfect cloud to set them off. The clear air gives gorgeous detail on them and the bit of snow is a lovely touch.

What would you think of a crop from the left to remove the larger ripple in the sand? That wouldn't cut into the mountains too abruptly -- or maybe leave just a bit of the near dark ridge, with the small piece of the ripple to be cloned or not according to your ethics.

[David Stephens]

Well done, with great light and detail! The lines in the sand lead in a gentle curve to the mountains, which have the perfect cloud to set them off. The clear air gives gorgeous detail on them and the bit of snow is a lovely touch.

What would you think of a crop from the left to remove the larger ripple in the sand? That wouldn't cut into the mountains too abruptly -- or maybe leave just a bit of the near dark ridge, with the small piece of the ripple to be cloned or not according to your ethics.

Thanks again, Diane. You've got me thinking about two crop possibilities; a 2:1 crop above that offending ripple. I'm afraid that'll lose a little impact because the near-ripples won't seem as close. Another crop is to keep the same aspect ratio and simply pull up the LL corner. I like the cloning idea less, but I'm not against the concept.

We'll see if I can free up a little time. My turkey shoot this morning was a bust, so I might get to it this evening. ;-)

[David Stephens]

Here, I left the aspect ratio unchanged and cropped out the distraction at the LL. I tried a 2:1 crop, but I felt like it lost power because the ripples seemed further away.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1684/25428587853_c621abd265_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EK3afv)Alternative Crop (https://flic.kr/p/EK3afv) by David Stephens (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dcstep/), on Flickr

[Morkel Erasmus]

Late to this one - lovely light on the dunes and an overall pleasing scene.
I like the crop suggestion and subsequent repost!

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi David, beautiful scene. The repost is just about there for me...I would crop a smidge of the right side to evict the dark, shadowed dune...or you could remove via a quick mask. Very nicely done!