Sand Dunes, Soft Light
Sand Dunes, Soft Light. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.
Soft morning light on overlapping sand dunes, Death Valley National Park.
It is said that photography is all about light, and nowhere is this more true than when photographing in the sand dunes. In the middle of the day the dunes can be difficult to photograph, with harsh light and little definition of their forms. But when the angle of the light is lower all sorts of magic can happen, and the dunes serve as a canvas to capture and reflect the light and all of its qualities of color, intensity, softness, and more. The colors can vary through almost every shade, from blue through red, and the light may be soft and gentle or stark enough to turn shadows deeply black. And at times the light passes through all of these stages and more in moments.
I’ve long felt that dune photography gives the photographer more creative and interpretive freedom than many other subjects. Because the subject is so basic, it is possible to take liberties with the light — its intensity and color — and render photographs of dunes in a variety of subjectively true ways. When I made this exposure the light was extremely soft, so I used to tools of the post-production stage to bring out the colors and forms of the subject.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.
Sand Dunes, Soft Light
Sand Dunes, Soft Light. © Copyright 2022 G Dan Mitchell.
Soft morning light on overlapping sand dunes, Death Valley National Park.
It is said that photography is all about light, and nowhere is this more true than when photographing in the sand dunes. In the middle of the day the dunes can be difficult to photograph, with harsh light and little definition of their forms. But when the angle of the light is lower all sorts of magic can happen, and the dunes serve as a canvas to capture and reflect the light and all of its qualities of color, intensity, softness, and more. The colors can vary through almost every shade, from blue through red, and the light may be soft and gentle or stark enough to turn shadows deeply black. And at times the light passes through all of these stages and more in moments.
I’ve long felt that dune photography gives the photographer more creative and interpretive freedom than many other subjects. Because the subject is so basic, it is possible to take liberties with the light — its intensity and color — and render photographs of dunes in a variety of subjectively true ways. When I made this exposure the light was extremely soft, so I used to tools of the post-production stage to bring out the colors and forms of the subject.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.