# Prelude **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** weekly-challenge\ **Created:** [June 30, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216 "2020-06-30T03:10:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_Fach](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/bill_fach/32/78290_2.png) [@Bill\_Fach](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Bill_Fach)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 3:10am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/1 "2020-06-30T03:10:30Z")
Sony A77II Sony 70-400 GII @ 210mm ISO 200, 1/320 @ f8 **White Sands National Monument** On our way back home from visiting one of our sons in Scottsdale Chrissy and I detoured to White Sands NM. I had never been there despite being in the neighborhood on our trips to Arizona. We arrived in the late afternoon so we just drove around on a scouting trip. On one of the boardwalks I spied this play of light and shadow. I also liked the critter tracks. All comments welcome. \>=))\> ![Prelude-2-12385A77IIXXXL](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/e/f/efa01259d9f5420e7f8e0c70f9bdd2cc0cdfd00b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Seaver](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_seaver/32/231_2.png) [@Mark\_Seaver](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Seaver)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/2 "2020-06-30T12:22:41Z")
Bill, the interplay of shadow and detail are excellent. Your vertical comp. with the horizontal set of lines at the top works very well. Yes the tracks add extra interest. (Assuming that they’re less than roughly a half inch wide, I’m thinking that they look like beetle tracks.) ---
**Author:** ![linda\_mellor](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/linda_mellor/32/15806_2.png) [@linda\_mellor](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/linda_mellor)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 6:31pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/3 "2020-06-30T18:31:19Z")
Wonderful photo Bill. Really like all the lines and textures going on. Nice capture. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Freeman](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/shirley_freeman/32/11361_2.png) [@Shirley\_Freeman](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Shirley_Freeman)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/4 "2020-06-30T20:36:47Z")
Bill, I really am enjoying this image. The play of light, the textures in the sand with the shadows and the tracks, all make this a wonderful scene. I have never been there yet either, and have visited NM several times, but to visit family, so never had a chance to make it to White Sands. Maybe one day. Great shot, well seen. 👍 👍 ---
**Author:** ![Dennis\_Plank](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/dennis_plank/32/27033_2.png) [@Dennis\_Plank](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Dennis_Plank)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 2:38am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/5 "2020-07-04T02:38:44Z")
I love the intersections of the shadows from the Yucca and those from the wind ridges, Bill. The critter tracks do offer an interesting departure from the more parallel structures of the shadows. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Muller](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/mark_muller/32/78096_2.png) [@Mark\_Muller](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Mark_Muller)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/6 "2020-07-04T02:48:41Z")
This is such a cool composition, with those long, thin shadows coming from the plant with very short spines. That alone is a nice contrasting visual. I also like the velvety sand lines, and what looks like some critter tracks cutting across! Super job seeing this small scene! ---
**Author:** ![Chris\_Baird](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/chris_baird/32/72124_2.png) [@Chris\_Baird](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Chris_Baird)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/7 "2020-07-04T14:30:47Z")
I love the way the shadows and lines in the sand intersect and overlap. Nicely composed with the strong shadows diagonal and moving from the upper left to lower right. very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Igor\_Hoveijn](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/igor_hoveijn/32/76386_2.png) [@Igor\_Hoveijn](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Igor_Hoveijn)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 7:36pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/8 "2020-07-04T19:36:04Z")
> [@Bill\_Fach](#): > > …numentOn our way back home from visiting one of our sons in Scottsdale Chrissy and I detoured to White Sands NM. I had never been there despite being in the neighborhood on our trips to Arizona. We arrived in the late afternoon so we just drove around on a scouting trip. On one of the boardwalks I spied this play of light and shadow. I also liked the critter tracks. All comments welcome. \>=))\> What I had in mind has already been said. Well seen and well executed. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Zablotny](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/jim_zablotny/32/3919_2.png) [@Jim\_Zablotny](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Jim_Zablotny)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2020, 8:33pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/prelude/15216/9 "2020-07-04T20:33:25Z")
Hi Bill, The sand holds history and the beetle tracks were made by a fairly good sized tenebrionid beetle. A very nice scene and I like this one a lot. Well done…Jim