The Might of White

Gallery: LandscapePosted November 12, 2012342 views30 comments

I went to White Sands NM for the weekend, to film some of a music video im working on...so of course i took a bunch of stills while i was at it. I needed a real empty portion of the monument for the film, so i hiked out into the West Film portion for the afternoon and sunset. It was very empty and quite windy--winds were probably in the 30-40 mph range with some higher gusts. Nothing i'm not used to from all the time ive spent at GSNP--but as i discovered the sand at WSNM is finer, and it creates a billion small sensor spots...

I came away with quite a few keepers from just one day of shooting though--the wind and passing storm really created some amazing conditions. I still prefer the GSD because theyre bigger and more varied--but the uniqueness of White Sands is simply unparalleled! Here's sunset, hope you like!
5Dmkii; 24mm TS-E, stitch at f/11
C&C Welcome!

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on November 12, 2012 at 1:32 PM

I do like Stan! Beautiful golden light, and you captured a real feeling of vastness and desolation here. Looking forward to your other images from here!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on November 12, 2012 at 1:40 PM

Great sky! Real sweet image, Stan.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on November 12, 2012 at 1:59 PM

Great sense of openness - and those clouds . . . beautiful.
The little black rocks with wind tails in the L foreground look like they're moving in to take over the scene.

Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on November 12, 2012 at 2:32 PM

Pretty amazing scene Stan, and quite vast, colors and light are beautiful, definitely like it, cant remember the last time I seen a sky like that in my part of the country, yes I do, never, hope to someday. Gorgeous Stan.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on November 12, 2012 at 2:37 PM

A very engaging photo Stan. The colors are well balanced and captivates my interest.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on November 12, 2012 at 3:32 PM

I sure do like it!..It's Wonderful. Great comp with beautiful light, color and textures. I enjoy the open feel and that lit up cloud is fantastic! Really nice work here Stan.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Moore on November 12, 2012 at 3:33 PM

Really conveys the vast landscape well, I love the crisp underlit clouds. The line at the transition from dunes to sky has some uneveness to it, but I'm sure thats just looking at the compressed small version and would probably look great large

Registered on January 12, 2010, 84 Posts, 388 Comments

Comment posted by Shantikara Valuska on November 12, 2012 at 4:23 PM

Amazing shot! I love how the white sand reflects the colors from the sky. The square format works well for the image.

Registered on July 25, 2011, 38 Posts, 451 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Roberts on November 12, 2012 at 4:28 PM

Color above and texture below. Overall a very pleasing effect. Nice job.

Registered on March 9, 2011, 69 Posts, 501 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on November 12, 2012 at 4:35 PM

A fine comp and gorgeous color. A stunning shot. Just two tiny nits from me. There's a darker area under the bottom center cloud that seems out of place, and although it was probably that bright, the brightest part from the sunset still bugs me a little. Good to know you are stil Standune wherever there is sand.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 12, 2012 at 6:20 PM

Good catch on that area under the cloud--that's because i didnt feel like blending two exposures here (the clouds were moving fast for one thing) I can correct that, thanks Morris.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on November 12, 2012 at 6:32 PM

Might makes right they say and this feels very, very right. The pastel sands beneath the brilliant sky are heartbreaking. I can almost hear the empty wind. Stunning image.

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on November 12, 2012 at 6:40 PM

Doesn't really get much better than this. I could see brightening up the sands just a bit to more accurately reflect their name, but do understand that this is probably what your eye saw while there.

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 12, 2012 at 7:15 PM

Dont worry John--i got more white ones coming up

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Gasior on November 12, 2012 at 8:01 PM

Beautiful sky nice image

Registered on March 7, 2010, 99 Posts, 502 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on November 12, 2012 at 8:17 PM

Lovely!

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Greenwood on November 12, 2012 at 9:18 PM

You are the US sand dune master! The (roughly) square format works nicely. The right side stands on its own very well also.

Registered on November 9, 2003, 229 Posts, 1523 Comments

Comment posted by Russell Colletta on November 12, 2012 at 9:33 PM

Very nice Stan. Your trademark sharpness foreground to infinity, not to mention the color and light. Sweet! Gotta check out those "other dunes".

Registered on October 31, 2009, 114 Posts, 1008 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on November 12, 2012 at 9:49 PM

Very nice, Stan. The image has amazing clarity and a feeling of vastness. The clouds are quite spectacular.

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments

Comment posted by Colin H Sillerud on November 12, 2012 at 11:21 PM

Excellent work, Stan. White Sands is hard to shoot due to the lack of relief, but you managed some great depth.

Registered on May 26, 2011, 17 Posts, 58 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 12, 2012 at 11:30 PM

Thanks, guys!
Colin--yes, very true, which is why i hiked an extra bit to get to the highest point i could see.
I fixed the horizon--not worth reposting but obviously an improvement.

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by John Williams on November 13, 2012 at 12:23 AM

Weatherman, photographer, author, and music video rock star? You're Buckaroo Bonzai, aren't you?

Love the blast of color on the cloud!

Registered on September 6, 2007, 221 Posts, 5985 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on November 13, 2012 at 1:28 AM

lol--and unfortunately im old enough to remember that film too!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Overacker on November 13, 2012 at 12:38 PM

Beautiful Stan. Terrific balance between sand and sky. Fantastic color as well. For me, your choice of a square crop tops this one off. Excellent choices all the way around.

Lon

Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on November 13, 2012 at 3:32 PM

I like the cleanness of the scene, so pure looking. Great color as well!

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on November 13, 2012 at 4:12 PM

Wonderful capture! Like Lon mentioned, the balance between sky and land and the square crop make this a stand out image for me.

Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on November 13, 2012 at 7:26 PM

Beautiful light and color Stan. That mix of blue and orange is stunning.

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on November 13, 2012 at 8:27 PM

Love the vast feel your image evokes, Stan, a wide open expanse that seems to go on forever. Incredible color.