My buddy Mark and I went out to these dunes together for the first time in the Spring of 2025.  I mentioned last week that it’s a bit of a challenge to get out there, but even though it’s a significant time commitment, it’s also a bit of an adventure, and the landscape there is just unreal.  Admittedly though, when I got finished with my images from last spring, the thought did cross my mind that I don’t think I could ever do better than out there than my Starlit Dunes image, and wondered if it was worth going back.  That’s a pretty silly thought, given how often I go and shoot at the Foothills Parkway, but it was a thought none the less.  Regardless, when we went back this year, I told myself, “don’t shoot vertical” for fear it would be repetitive, but as you can see from the image above, that thought didn’t grow roots!  🙂  The lines of these dunes are just gorgeous, and as challenging as it is to get out there and shoot there (those dunes just seem to suck the light out of the air after dark) in the dark, I’ve decided it’s worth it.  …and yes, I do like this year’s image even better somehow.

Last week I also mentioned the storm clouds that spooked me.  If you scroll down to the Alternative Perspective section, I’ve shared a few images looking back that direction, the first of which you can even see the rain.  I’ve seen the desert flood out, and it’s definitely not something to mess around with.  Looking back towards the dunes, on the other hand, it’s perfectly clear!

More next week!

–Dan Thompson