White Sands National Park

Last Sunday, I returned from New Mexico, where I spent three wonderful days in White Sands National Park. The park has been high on my list of places to go for quite a while, and it exceeded my expectations. The park is often described as "otherworldly," and I think that description is accurate. It is certainly unique. The dunes are comprised of gypsum sand, which gives them their white color. There are only three gypsum dune fields in the world, all of them within the Chihuahuan Desert. White Sands is the largest. While there are established trails in the park, you can also just wander out into the dunes and explore on your own. I did this and was amazed by the expansiveness and quiet of the environment, and the feelings of solitude these qualities provoked. The light is spectacular as well. It changes from moment to moment as the winds move the clouds, creating shifting textures on the landscape. And the evenings, just after the sun sets, are magical. The sky and sands take on pastel hues, and the park somehow seems to become even quieter. This picture from my first evening in White Sands hopefully gives a sense of that feeling. The textures in the fore- and mid-ground are remnants of dunes that have been moved by the wind.

I plan to post more pictures from the park in my newly created White Sands gallery in the coming days, so please check back if you are interested.

Image Information

Camera: Fujifilm GFX 100S

Lens: Fujinon GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR

Exposure: 1/8 second at f/11