Sand Star

Gallery: LandscapePosted July 22, 2009470 views31 comments

More llama light from my CO trip, this time at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Joe and I shot there two days during the trip. Since Joe has already innundated the board with his shots from our first day there (which was the REAL llama light), I am going to start off with a shot from our second day. The llama light wasn't really going on, but we had llama conditions, so to speak: gale force winds blowing stinging sand all over the place. Sometimes the sand would hit my legs with enough force that I couldn't help but scream in pain (a very manly scream, by the way, not some high-pitched squeal). I still have sand in my ears . . .

For those of you who do not know what LLAMA LIGHT is, visit the Mountain Trail Photo Blog for a thorough description . . .

Comments

31 comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on July 22, 2009 at 2:46 PM

This is remarkably unique and enjoyable! The inclusion of the sun and the blue/yellow contrast make this feel more like Saharan dunes than Colorado. I like this photo a lot.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Nicolas Belokurov on July 22, 2009 at 3:05 PM

A wonderfull layered landscape. And a great way for learning composition for those of us who just start.

Registered on July 22, 2009, 41 Posts, 533 Comments

Comment posted by Paolo De Faveri on July 22, 2009 at 3:18 PM

Great job all around Ian. Among the many beautiful feautures of this photo, I particularly like how you used the blown sand as a leading path to the sun.

Paolo

Registered on August 29, 2007, 318 Posts, 1651 Comments

Comment posted by Kevin Trinkner on July 22, 2009 at 3:24 PM

Very nice Ian, really like the fg dunes and blowing sand against the shadowed bg.

Registered on June 30, 2008, 203 Posts, 2641 Comments

Comment posted by Kurt Budliger on July 22, 2009 at 3:35 PM

Great shot here Ian and your post describing Llama Light is absolutely hysterical. Sounds like a killer trip, I'm so envious I could spit (like a llama of course).

Registered on June 11, 2006, 113 Posts, 2116 Comments

Comment posted by Gabi Lach on July 22, 2009 at 3:50 PM

That wind blow looks awesome, Ian, in combination with sharp edges. Great shot!!

Registered on May 1, 2007, 101 Posts, 3187 Comments

Comment posted by Aaron Ellingsen on July 22, 2009 at 4:11 PM

I'm just sitting here eating lunch, and clicked over to your llama light blog. I nearly blew my sandwich out my nose from laughing with my mouth full! Who knew you were a photographer, pioneering scientist, and comedian all rolled into one? Great stuff.

I need to go clean the ham and cheese off of my monitor and keyboard now....thanks.

Registered on January 16, 2008, 56 Posts, 953 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Plant on July 22, 2009 at 4:15 PM

sorry dude . . . I didn't mean to make anyone blow chunks . . .

Registered on July 7, 2008, 271 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Arnab Banerjee on July 22, 2009 at 4:35 PM

Your shooting into the sun shots are crazy - whenever I try this, I get unmanagable flares - of course, I dont have expensive glasses like you, but I am sure you know something that I dont know. The lines in this image is super cool - I specially like the partially illuminated ridge line below the sun

Registered on January 3, 2007, 313 Posts, 2270 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on July 22, 2009 at 5:32 PM

Silly Ian.. now I need to find me some llamas! Excellent work with the blowing sand, remind me of similar conditions I've had..

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on July 22, 2009 at 6:18 PM

A simple stunner!

How did you protect your camera and lens?

Mark

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on July 22, 2009 at 6:23 PM

Wonderful lines and shapes to compliment the blowing sand, Ian.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Plant on July 22, 2009 at 6:42 PM

thanks guys. Mark, I protected the camera and lens the old fashoined way . . . I did nothing! Lucky for me most of the sand was blowing below waist level, but face, eyes, mouth, camera, and lens all got hit with several dozen hair-removing sand blasts in the three hours I was out shooting that evening.

Registered on July 7, 2008, 271 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Eva McDermott on July 22, 2009 at 9:49 PM

Spectacular light and contrasts Ian! Gotta love that llama light!

Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments

Comment posted by Anish Desai on July 22, 2009 at 10:10 PM

What an great photograph. The composition is simply perfect, and you've captured the light as well as I can imagine you could have. This is one of my favorites from you.

Registered on May 23, 2009, 49 Posts, 410 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 22, 2009 at 10:26 PM

Well, it seems to becoming a badge of honor to have a blowing sand image in the portfolio now. I like this one, but it doesn't inspire this wind-wussy to just stay put when the gales are howling. I'll take my blowing sand vicariously. This is nice.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on July 22, 2009 at 10:32 PM

I really like the interplay of shadow and light. Just more great work!

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Younes Bounhar on July 23, 2009 at 12:13 AM

Great photo and even better post!

Registered on November 25, 2007, 81 Posts, 1234 Comments

Comment posted by Les Barstow on July 23, 2009 at 12:37 AM

It's not often you get a shot-into-the-Sun image out of GSD, and there's lots to like about this one. Great use of space and the blowing sand to create dynamic motion in such a static image.

Probably a bit more sand than I'd want to expose my lens to for 3 hours, though... (shudder)

Registered on May 15, 2004, 54 Posts, 135 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on July 23, 2009 at 5:41 AM

Tell me about it (blowing sand), ive got scratched corneas and im still digging sand out of my ears. It's always windy there. But ill keep going back, and from the looks of this great shot you surely can appreciate why

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Eric Vaughan on July 23, 2009 at 7:43 AM

Love that wind blown sand being back lit, wonderful. Great shot Ian.

Registered on April 29, 2009, 57 Posts, 670 Comments

Comment posted by Ricardo La Piettra on July 23, 2009 at 8:58 AM

Wow,
What a wonderful scene Ian, that enlighted flying sand is just beautiful.
I´m impresed by the perfect sharp edge of the dune on the bottom-right.

Registered on July 22, 2009, 62 Posts, 730 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on July 23, 2009 at 9:43 AM

Hope you have audio of said manly screams. =) I really like how this came out, with the dark dunes and the illuminated sand just kind of fading. One of the more interesting and different dune shots I have seen in a while.

Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments

Comment posted by Vance Gese on July 23, 2009 at 3:17 PM

That back lit sand plume is flat incredible. Super comp. Fantastic work.

Registered on November 13, 2008, 298 Posts, 6629 Comments

Comment posted by Paulo A.Lopes on July 23, 2009 at 7:57 PM

One of your best, amazing Ian!

Registered on October 14, 2008, 122 Posts, 836 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Metternich on July 24, 2009 at 6:18 PM

Hey Ian,

I have come back to this image a few times now. Although I love the image and gave you previous praises for it (with no critique) and I'm sure you interpreted it just the way you liked it, I do think that the darkness in the back mountains bugs me a little, and think that it gives a look like a overly strong grad was used. I think it might be improved (at least to my eye) if that contrast was lowered a little with a touch more detail in the shadow area there.

Having said that, again cool image.

Mark

Registered on June 19, 2009, 276 Posts, 6240 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Plant on July 24, 2009 at 7:33 PM

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your perspective. No grad was used on the shot. I wanted a graphic look for this image, and I wanted my shadows black to enhance the stark color contrast and to emphasize the shapes in the image. IMHO, in this day of HDR, too often folks want to open up every shadow. Which I think is a huge mistake, because shadows and the color black can and should be used creatively and powerfully. Personally, I think more detail in the shadows of this image would weaken its impact considerably. But hey, different strokes for different folks!

Registered on July 7, 2008, 271 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Roane on July 24, 2009 at 9:24 PM

Very dynamic image, Ian, with the blowing sand and the sun in the corner - well done

Registered on December 12, 2008, 213 Posts, 2226 Comments

Comment posted by Steve France on July 28, 2009 at 8:48 AM

lovely image Ian. Great use of ALL the eliments here. The backlighting /blowing sand leading to the sun is great. Good use of light and shadow.

Pet hate...personally... nothing to do with your abilities...just that I just cant get used to how the sun renders on Digital. I know you used to shoot film and maybe still do... so you understand what i mean, Compliments to you on your exposure control. I can never get a sun looking this good, as with others on NPN...it just ends up looking like a big blob of mess! LOL

Registered on September 26, 2007, 89 Posts, 1477 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Plant on July 28, 2009 at 11:30 AM

I hear ya Steve -- film was much better for sunstars!

Registered on July 7, 2008, 271 Posts, 1657 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Ward on July 30, 2009 at 6:53 PM

Ian,
It's all there for me; composition, drama, negative space, wonderful lines......

Registered on February 26, 2009, 304 Posts, 1365 Comments