RobertGaines
RobertGaines
Empty Spaces - Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado
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Empty Spaces - Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado



Two hikers travel across the dunes at the Great Sand Dunes National park in Colorado

Two hikers travel across the dunes at the Great Sand Dunes National park in Colorado
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cameraCanon EOS 50D

settings Aperture f/5.0 ISO 1600 Shutter 1/5 

upload_dateJul, 2012

Views

7306

Likes

Awards

Contest Finalist in Landscapes And Sand Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Our National Parks Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Around the World Photo Contest By Discovery
Contest Finalist in Sweeping Landscapes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Take A Stroll Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in From Afar: Landscapes Photo Contest
Runner Up in What Shadows Can Do Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in What Shadows Can Do Photo Contest
Runner Up in Painted Hills Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Painted Hills Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Sand Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Trekking Photo Contest
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Peer Award
davidjprosser TonyGuzmanG shayw Vorster gman176 arcrem jorgealbertopealozapealoza +277
Superb Composition
ppls6 crmacedonio Toine michellemace KS_Ramirez bobclemens borbalamarko +156
Absolute Masterpiece
Legammare NancyFlemingPhotography jdelmonte219 Stacy_the_Wanderer116 RAPJones Serg60 Sylvain_JC_Collin +103
Top Choice
JayneBug RUARG mcampi jackgarr sebastianmuglia ChrisBrunson Lohrentz +58
Outstanding Creativity
RGSeager SURREALIMAGE wideopenspaces dianakievit NatalieZvonar InaHoltzhausen Shulie1 +28
Magnificent Capture
RyanHuebelPhotography Pjerry StavruDaniel KenPurcell bethann_mundt joestanley chris-herzog +26
All Star
Maadhatter chuckmyer kenkast2 roblawrence visualambassador charlesdpeters Zanahr26 +11
Love it
Dammad clydekimsey neguth juvyjgreen dieter paulbracey ruslanas +11
Superior Skill
donnigislason angelinah eyerenechacha DebbieBayes jono_abdipranoto beamieyoung sigridbuene +3
Jaw Dropping
stevewilliams_2370 SymsImages traceprinslooreppin FrankSomma neillockhart limar1974 arnaudcharil +2
Exceptional Contrast
running56horses zayyarlynn melsteinberg SotosPanteliPhotography polynator
Genius
katherineplessner normsfotos dianarainbow
Virtuoso
vitor

Emotions

Impressed
chuckmyer
Happy
Zen77

Top Ranks

S Curves Compositions Photo ContestTop 10 rank
S Curves Compositions Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Color Explorer Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Color Explorer Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Outdoors Photo Contest Speed SeriesTop 10 rank
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The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Landscapes And Sand Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Landscapes And Sand Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Talent AwardsTop 20 rank
Rugged Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Rugged Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Rugged Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Desert Views Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Desert Views Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Our National Parks Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Our National Parks Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
A Sense Of Adventure Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Around the World Photo Contest By DiscoveryTop 10 rank
Around the World Photo Contest By DiscoveryTop 10 rank week 1
Far Far Away Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Sweeping Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Far Far Away Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Creative Travels Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Creative Travels Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Creative Travels Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Summer Adventures Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Summer Adventures Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Summer Adventures Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Take A Stroll Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Worldscapes Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Worldscapes Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Covered In Dust Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Covered In Dust Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Covered In Dust Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Around the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Discover America Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Around the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
From Afar: Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
From Afar: People Photo ContestTop 10 rank
From Afar: People Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
What Shadows Can Do Photo ContestTop 30 rank
What Shadows Can Do Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Painted Hills Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Painted Hills Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Heading Nowhere Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Heading Nowhere Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Nature And Myself Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Nature And Myself Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Sand Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Sand Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Get Out Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Get Out Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
National Parks Photo ContestTop 10 rank
National Parks Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
National Parks Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Tiny People Massive Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Tiny People Massive Landscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
ViewBug Image of the Year Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Trekking Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Trekking Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 3
Trekking Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Trekking Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Places Moments Stories Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Your View Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Adventure Photography ContestTop 20 rank

Categories

39 Comments | Report
otheses
 
otheses July 30, 2012
AWESOME CAPTURE
pennypal
 
pennypal August 02, 2012
An Amazing Photo. Perfect.
IsabellaD Premium
 
IsabellaD October 17, 2012
Beautiful shot, great potential here, good luck !
FrankSomma
 
FrankSomma October 17, 2012
....perfect theme shot Files and an amazing image in its own right!
lbernardin
 
lbernardin October 22, 2012
Awesome photography!
csmmacker2004
 
csmmacker2004 October 26, 2012
Beautiful Capture
lindqvistphotography
 
lindqvistphotography October 26, 2012
Beautiful shot
BrianpSlade
 
BrianpSlade November 25, 2012
Wonderful framing/symmetry/composition....congrats!
limar1974
 
limar1974 December 18, 2012
nice shot!
BrunoCote
 
BrunoCote January 19, 2013
Really Nice
rg5858 Platinum
 
rg5858 January 20, 2013
Great capture!!
LeighAnnC
 
LeighAnnC February 06, 2013
Simply stunning. Voted/award. Such an amazing capture.
johnpa53
 
johnpa53 February 07, 2013
fantastic shot, voted
jpblitz
 
jpblitz February 07, 2013
Phenomenal. Voted.
brodia65
 
brodia65 February 10, 2013
Beautiful shot!
korinna
 
korinna February 12, 2013
Voted! If you like any of mine, pls vote for it:
http://www.viewbug.com/contests/at-a-distance-photo-contest/1840816
http://www.viewbug.com/contests/at-a-distance-photo-contest/2412607
tamarguruli
 
tamarguruli March 04, 2013
very nice.
xelanya
 
xelanya March 21, 2013
absolutely beautiful!
Hari_Subagio
 
Hari_Subagio April 08, 2013
AWESOME CAPTURE
zyxwv
 
zyxwv June 16, 2013
Wow Amazing!
Timbo
 
Timbo October 14, 2013
Just an outstanding shot.....great use of line, curves and shadow.... Excellent...
limar1974
 
limar1974 December 14, 2013
great shot!
Timbo
 
Timbo January 23, 2014
Outstanding shot.....
diporzio
 
diporzio June 13, 2014
magnificent
edstilwell
 
edstilwell June 13, 2014
Stunning image!!!
Dacemac PRO+
 
Dacemac June 14, 2014
Superb choice of light! Congratulations!
traceprinslooreppin
 
traceprinslooreppin June 14, 2014
...fantastic image, congrats on your Finalist Award :-)
GBloniarz PRO+
 
GBloniarz June 14, 2014
Very impressive!
LaurenHeinatz
 
LaurenHeinatz June 14, 2014
Amazing image!
melsteinberg
 
melsteinberg June 18, 2014
An amazing image of one of the most unique parks I've had the privilege of seeing!
RobertGaines
 
RobertGaines June 18, 2014
I am about to embark on a month long photo project of this park. I will be posting new images from The Great Sand Dunes National Park within the next week. You can also follow the project at the facebook page facebook.com/MyJourneyIntoLife
anaperry
 
anaperry January 29, 2015
I didn't check out other photos before I submitted my photo of the Great Dunes. Good luck on your adventure, it is truly a beautiful park.
AntonioMarchetti
 
AntonioMarchetti November 13, 2015
Amazing shot !!
nandicmb PRO+
 
nandicmb November 21, 2015
Congratulations on both your Contest Finalist wins!
beverleypohlner
 
beverleypohlner January 24, 2016
Pure magic. Your play on light and shadows, perfection plus!
Elaine55
 
Elaine55 February 10, 2016
love this image
normsfotos PRO+
 
normsfotos February 25, 2016
Great image...thanks !
Workshopphotos
 
Workshopphotos September 05, 2016
Beautiful and amazing
Songbird2
 
Songbird2 April 18, 2017
Stunning!!

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#blue #colorado #dunes #footsteps #great #hike #hiker #hikers #national #park #sand #silhouette #sky
See all

Behind The Lens

Location
This was taken at The Great Sand Dunes National lPark in Colorado
Time
About 4:00 PM
Lighting
It was a relatively clear day with the sun to the left of the frame to give the strong shadows.
Equipment
Handheld Canon 50d and Tamron 17-55 2.8 lens, no filter other than skylight.
Inspiration
I was pleased to see the two hikers heading across the dunes. It gives the dunes scale and fills me with a feeling of privacy and isolation.
Editing
The only post processing was to balance out the shadows and highlights to bring just a touch of detail into the shadows while keeping them as deep as possible.
In my camera bag
I carry different equipment depending on the day's task. I use Canon. I use a Tamron 17-55 2.8 as my workhorse lens and a Canon 70-200 2.8 for telephoto. Lots of cards and batteries, a flashlight to get home after sunset.
Feedback
I always try to find a sense of drama or find a story in what I am looking at. I shot plenty of empty landscapes this day, but this is the one that gets the most attention and is most popular because it tells a story and has a sense of scale.

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