Death Valley Dune Wave Series

The Mesquite Flat Dunes in the Death Valley National Park is a study in contrasts. It is impossible to ignore the majesty and sweeping arc of the dunes set in a landscape so barren as to be almost other-worldly in nature. But below the tops of the dunes and in the small valleys between the peaks the view changes, with small details and shapes becoming more visible.

This print series is called Dune Wave, as I'm reminded of the fluid shape of water on the open sea. Much like water, thought in a slower and more measured way, the sand flows with the wind, creating undulating patterns across the landscape. The unobstructed wind through Death Valley is a constant force, blowing, pushing, and depositing the sand in sensuous shapes – so much so that no two visits are ever the same, even on back-to-back days.

The shape of the dunes is further emphasized by the shadows, which become long and dramatic as the sun reaches the peaks of the western mountains. There is a narrow window of time before the Sun’s rays disappear and the shadows and the wind-shaped sand work in harmony. These photos were taken during this time and are some of my favorites at Mesquite Flat Dunes.

To find out more about the sand dunes in Death Valley, visit:
  https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/sand-dunes.htm