White Sands Yuccas

Gallery: FloraPosted January 17, 2014135 views12 comments

The struggle for survival in White Sands between two yuccas.
Sony a900
70-200 G Sony @150
f6.3

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 17, 2014 at 12:50 PM

Rick: Oh this is fine! I have never been to White Sands but every time I see a shot like this I get a serious itch. I like the comp and I especially like your whites and the sand texture. Most excellent! >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on January 17, 2014 at 1:15 PM

Bill,
I love spending time in the deserts of the southwest and White Sands seems to have a pull on me above all others. The 200 square mile expanse of white gypsum sand, towering dunes and the harsh environment for it's plant life where only the strong survive.
One of my first photo trips as a young professional was in 1972 and White Sands grabbed me and never let go. Back then I was medium format tri x all the time.
I have a flexible plan to go back this February after a shoot in West Texas second week, camp out for a few days and get some of what it offers.

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Richard Ditch on January 17, 2014 at 3:41 PM

As Bill states I"ve never been to White Sands, either, but this image is a classic composition from there that speaks out to me.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1031 Posts, 12705 Comments

Comment posted by Rick Turner on January 17, 2014 at 4:04 PM

A slightly different process. I shot this at low dof to blur background and found some noise that bothered me a bit. Did lumanice nr in lr instead of nik define 2 and think results are better.
Thanks for looking and C&C

Registered on February 18, 2012, 534 Posts, 2755 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel Finchum on January 17, 2014 at 10:23 PM

Nice soft light and color range is ideal. Nice pic for sure.

Registered on September 8, 2013, 43 Posts, 222 Comments

Comment posted by Randy Runtsch on January 18, 2014 at 8:22 AM

Hi Rick!

This is a nice capture. The color and brightness of the sky in the repost improves the image, in my opinion. A tad more space above and left of the larger yucca might remove its crowded feeling.

A beautiful scene over all.

Registered on October 30, 2013, 50 Posts, 445 Comments

Comment posted by gary phillips on January 18, 2014 at 4:16 PM

I like these two isolated yuccas. What makes this shot for me is the detritus lying around in the fg along with the texture in the sand.. Nice job Rick.

Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on January 18, 2014 at 8:44 PM

I like this! I would like it even more if there were more sand and less of that innocuous sky

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on January 19, 2014 at 12:19 PM

This is an interesting combination of stark and attractive, Rick. The pale blue sky (emphasized in the repost) works really well with the whiteness of the sand and the clouds.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on January 19, 2014 at 12:55 PM

I like this shot a lot. I think that the conditions are not easy at all. Very well done.

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on January 19, 2014 at 3:16 PM

Absolutely gorgeous image, Rick ! The composition, light and overall tonality are just superb - this has a wonderful sense of time and place that for me marks a first class photograph.

Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on January 21, 2014 at 11:45 AM

Either one make one beautiful formal portrait of the yuccas and dunes. Very well done!

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