Every step you take in the sand dunes is a mark of your journey. You may not see where you are going, but you can look back and see where you have been. The wind may erase your footsteps, but it cannot erase your memories. The sand may shift and change, but it cannot change who you are.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO, USA
Sparks of Sand
When I photograph sand dunes, I normally seek out patterns in the ripples of the dunes, especially during the golden hours. But this time, I decided to focus on the faint shadow cast by the clouds as a gust of wind whipped up the sand.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO USA
A National Parks Journey - Great Sand Dunes National Park
I had visited five National Parks in 2018, with three in quick succession during a trip to Colorado. First on the stop was Great Sand Dunes National Park, one of the five National parks where you can find sand dunes, and the only one where the dry desert meets the Rocky mountains. Situated in rain shadow of the snow-capped peaks lay towering golden sand dunes more than 200ft high. From my past experiences spending the night in the dunes, I knew I that spending the night here would provide plenty of opportunities for photography, but first, I had to figure the logistics of doing that - including getting permits.
Having arrived late in the day leading up to the Memorial weekend, which was big for travel here, I was not particularly hopeful on getting a walk-in permit. Thankfully, the stars were on my side, and I had secured the last permit. After that, the next challenge was figuring out where to camp. So I saddled up my pack and walked towards the dunes, with no specific destination in mind. Climbing up sand isn't easy in the best of times, but climbing with a heavy pack with 4l of water and camera gear all under the dry desert heat was immeasurably worse. But once I settled in to an amicable spot, and enjoyed an afternoon siesta, my mood was certainly brighter.
Planning a night in the dunes is harder than a regular backpack, but all those troubles worth it for the serene sunset, beautiful night sky amidst the dunes, and the refreshing feeling of stepping into cold and soft sand.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO USA
Fading Footprints
I watched as the sun slowly set behind the distant dunes and as my footprints slowly faded away into the sand; wind wiping away memories just as the sun wiped away the day, setting up for a new dawn, a new beginning amidst the mighty dunes of the Great Sand Dunes National Park in CO.
As I reflect upon the year that is almost ending, this image seemed an apt metaphor for the multitude of events that happened this year. And just as the sun set on that day, so it will on this year. And just as the footsteps were erased by the wind, the canvas will be wiped clean for the next year, a canvas where we can forge new stories and new experiences.
In the last remaining month of the year, lets take a moment to remember the defining moments, and carry over the learnings to the future.
Great Sand Dunes National Park
CO USA