We returned to the dunes in the early evening for sunset photography and I struggled to find satisfying compositions. Maybe we were not in the optimal location for this shoot. There were low clouds on the western horizon, which also blocked the sunset light.
As we were giving up and beginning to hike back towards the parking lot, there was a sudden and brief break through of light. My son, being much younger and more fit than I, ran to the west to catch the fleeting light, while I walked as fast as I could, hoping to get to a good vantage point before the light was gone.
I think the image above is the best one the I got during this outing. I was still far from the best vantage point for the best light, but I knew the light was fading fast and I had to stop and shoot now. I got low to catch the dim light in this grassy patch of sand with the fading light on the dune in the background and the interesting clouds over the dune.
After the light faded from that dune and illuminated the mountainside to the east, I pointed my camera in that direction to get this final shot.
Stay tuned for our final morning in the dunes,
Ken
You have certainly taught me through your blog entries how light can dramatically change a scene. Definitely challenging when you do a lot of landscape photography, not to mention just being at the right place at the right time.
Thanks, Shutterpug. Whenever possible, I will have scouted a location and picked a spot and composition that will take advantage of the anticipated light for sunrise or sunset. If I’ve not gone through the scouting exercise, then I just have to wing it and hope for the best.