Sandhills Footprints

Gallery: LandscapePosted March 12, 2013114 views5 comments

Footprints are obstacles of nature photographers seeking pristine ripples in the sand for nature photography. I was attracted to the movement of animal tracks disappearing over the dunes at Sandhills State Park. Monahans Sandhills State Park is noted for the presence of sand dunes up to 70 feet high. Although desert-like, the Monahans Sandhills are not a desert; they are a part of a semi-arid ecosystem (average annual rainfall 12.3 inches (310 mm)) characterized by the presence of both groundwater and relatively nutrient-poor windblown sand.

Sony a700
16-80 Zeiss 3.5 zoom @ 70mm
f22
1/30 sec
ISO 200
CPL and tripod
raw LR4.2
PS5 adjustments

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on March 12, 2013 at 12:47 PM

Love the idea, the patterns in the dunes are cool--my only real issue is that the tracks lead off frame and are pretty far right--that's generally a compositional no-no, and i think it probably is in this specific shot

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

Comment posted by Rick Turner on March 12, 2013 at 1:32 PM

Thanks for the observation Stan

i must point out that the tracks do not lead out of the frame but zig right (a bit too close to frame) but zig over the dark shadow area and up to the rule of thirds position and right up and into the middle right frame.
A look at the larger version tells the tale but one man's treasure is another's trash.
thanks for looking.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on March 13, 2013 at 8:03 PM

A nice story telling image, Rick. Texas has everything in it for a state, doesn't it.

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

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on March 14, 2013 at 9:30 AM

I like the way the tracks wind through the frame Rick.
Nice DOF and light across these dunes, well done!
God Bless Texas

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments

Comment posted by Eirini Pajak on March 15, 2013 at 12:49 PM

I noticed the tracks curving back to the left right away...and actually there are loads more tracks here besides the main trail! I think this is a great comp!

Registered on December 13, 2011, 216 Posts, 1671 Comments