Shadow Play
There is nothing better than the desert in the later evening as the shadows grow longer and the sun begins to set.
There is nothing better than the desert in the later evening as the shadows grow longer and the sun begins to set.
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Sep, 2016Views
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Runner Up in Black And White Textures Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Black And White Textures Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
After a long drive from Perth in Western Australia to the glorious and remote Nambung National Park. This shot was taken fairly soon after entering the white sand desert. The sun was still hot and bright but the shadows were staring to lengthen.Time
It was around 6pm, late afternoon. I usually arrive an hour or two before sunset to get familiar with a spot and work out where I want to be as the sun sets.Lighting
To the naked eye, the white sand desert was glaringly bright in places, even with shades on. When taking this shot, a lot of guesswork was factored in, working out how much detail could be picked up. The shadows tinged slightly blue I knew the shot could work both in black and white and colour.Equipment
Shot on my old Canon 1DS Mark II with a Canon 16 - 35mm Wide Angle Lens. Carrying a tripod and sets of lenses through the desert is not easy, especially in rolling sand dunes, but for me, it is a must to keep shots as crystal sharp as possible. Not forgetting a circular polariser, a bottle of water and some high sugar snacks such as chocolate.Inspiration
I had already been to the Nambung National Park many times before on photo shoots. The landscape is so inspiring for me, being so abstract, it is easy to create stories, themes or to be inspired by the ever changing abstract properties of the rolling sand dunes. Without a hint of human civilization around, you really do feel like an adventurer seeing the landscape for the first time. This shot happened by accident, coming over a ridge and around a corner, I noticed the way the sand was rolling around like waves on the sea. The sun was higher in the sky than I usually like to take shots, but the image was so clear in my mind, I knew the camera would pick something up, even though the light was glaring off the sand, making it uncomfortable to look at directly.Editing
It was pretty much a straight conversion to black and white, done in LAB colour space in Photoshop. A little bit of work balancing out the contrast and it was done.In my camera bag
These days I always carry 2 or 3 extra batteries - just in case. I do the same with SD memory cards, however I mainly shoot with my Canon 16 - 35mm Wide angle lens. I carry others with me, but rarely find the need to swap lenses. I always carry a UV and a CPL filter with me. Some curious items I keep in my bag may be particular to this part of the world - a compass, a fly hat, fly spray, sun block and after sun cream as well as a bottle of water.Feedback
Get there early enough to work out what kind of shots you are going to take, work out where the sun will be as the sun moves across the sky and sets - but not too early that you exhaust yourself before the sun sets low enough for interesting shadows to form and colours to glow in the sky. It is always better to go alone, less distraction and you can really focus on the simple elements in front of and all around you. Wear shades, white sand is often too bright to look at directly.
