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Early morning shades

Mesquite dunes in Death Valley, California. Beautiful dunes in a rocky desert at sunrise

Mesquite dunes in Death Valley, California. Beautiful dunes in a rocky desert at sunrise
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NIKON D90

Aperture f/8.0 ISO 400 Shutter 10/5000 Focal Length 2000/10

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Feb, 2015

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken in 2012 in Mesquite Dunes, Death Valley Nat. Park, California

Time

It was the end of March, around 8 O'clock in the morning. I had no tripod and had to take a few pictures before getting close to what I was thinking to catch.

Lighting

I saw the place a few days before taking this photo. I imagined those dunes could have been wonderful on an early morning light. So I went back in the early morning with my camera and lens, the rest is just about chosing the right time to have the best natural light and wait till it makes the right shades.

Equipment

For this shot I simply used my old Nikon D90, with the Nikor 70/200 2,8, nothing else.

Inspiration

I was in the desert and I believe deserts may inspire photographers a lot. There are many possibilities to take great pictures, but I was looking for shades that natural light can make. Obviously the best time of the day is sunrise or sunset when shades are longer. It was only matter to find the right place and when I saw these dunes I immediately thought: here it is!!

Editing

This photo was taken in Jpeg, so i did not want to make a lot of post-processing. Sharpened a little as I did not have a tripod and a bit of contrast, that was all.

In my camera bag

What I normally bring with me in my bag, apart my new Nikon D600, is the Nikor 70/200 2,8 and the Nikor 24/70 2,8. Sometimes I take with me also the 50 1,8, but I use that more for portraits.

Feedback

Death valley is a place with so many different landscapes: dunes, rocks, dry lakes, obviously all about deserts, but you can also find prairies. I love dunes and if you like them too, wake up early in the morning, walk for a few minutes to reach Mesquite Dunes and look for what you think is the most attractive area. Be patient, wait for the right light, but remember that it doesn't last much, so your ideas of what your pictures must come out has to be clear from the beginning. You don't need particular equipment, just your camera and a good lens, nature will help you do the rest.

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Early morning shades