Some of the best light of the year and a friend and I were there to take it in. There is a state wildlife area near the NP and we found some great light there as a big rainstorm left the valley.
My first panorama so C&C appreciated. An eight-shot composite shot with a Sony a7r3 + Zeiss Classic APO-Sonnar 135mm.
My favorite of the day from San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area. My good friend Joel and I rushed to set up as the sun was setting behind us to the west. The Blanca Massif was in shadow and the shade in front of us was from the slight hill we stood on. I was content with what was before us and started shooting but as the sun continued to decline a tiny sliver of light escaped the cloud and lit the blooming rabbitbrush directly in front of my tripod! I couldn't have asked for anything better!
Image captured with a Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 DG DN ART + Kase CPL and Graduated ND filter.
Super cool set. I had seen photos of this place several years ago with a couple of people I know sandboarding. My sons and I have been wanting to sandboard Kelso Dunes in California. It about a great time to do it with the weather cooling down.
J. Pow wrote:
Super cool set. I had seen photos of this place several years ago with a couple of people I know sandboarding. My sons and I have been wanting to sandboard Kelso Dunes in California. It about a great time to do it with the weather cooling down.
Joel
I grew up near here and we spent a lot of time sliding off those hills - and there are some very big ones in certain spots! We started with cardboard (round plastic snow discs don't slide well) and finally used old skis. Been awhile since I climbed the dunes...knees aren't what they used to be.
adventure_photo wrote:
That's a fun place to photograph and you captured it well Al! I think my favorites are the last one and the two with the 200-600. Nice job!
Thanks! Though I visit this place 3-4 times a year rarely do I experience the conditions we found that day. Maybe we'll run into each other sometime.
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keepclicking wrote:
Al, those are some huge dunes! #2 is interesting from composition standpoint. 👍🏻
According to Google, Star Dunes is app. 750 feet tall which makes it the tallest dune in North America. Hard to climb up but a lot of fun to roll down!
The rabbitbrush & storm clouds shot is magnificent!
I was disappointed that the sunflowers weren't out in the numbers this year that they have been in the past. Just a few roadside instead of acres of them.
Monika C wrote:
The rabbitbrush & storm clouds shot is magnificent!
I was disappointed that the sunflowers weren't out in the numbers this year that they have been in the past. Just a few roadside instead of acres of them.
Last year a GSD Park Ranger (an old, dear friend) called and told me about the sunflower super bloom but I couldn't make time to get there.
Thanks for the comment about the rabbitbrush. I got pretty lucky on that one!
