# Shifting Sands **URL:** \ **Category:** Image Critiques\ **Tags:** abstract\ **Created:** [November 9, 2022, 12:52am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538 "2022-11-09T00:52:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rob\_Darby](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/rob_darby/32/48573_2.png) [@Rob\_Darby](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Rob_Darby)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 12:52am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/1 "2022-11-09T00:52:59Z")
![Shifting Sands](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/1/2/12fbd981add3aa755ea28c816fe5ec8c28e90af4.jpeg) I made this photograph in Great Sand Dunes NP shortly after the sun had dropped below the ridge of an adjacent dune. It was on the first day of an 11-day trip to Colorado, and the dune conditions weren’t what I was hoping for–footprints everywhere and an unappealing sky. So I basically pouted and left my camera in my backpack and used my iPhone to take this close-up of the sand. After I left, I looked at this more closely and wished I had spent time making similar photographs with my “real” camera. ### Specific Feedback Requested Since the sun had already set on this patch of sand, it’s a little cool. Would you warm it up any? Also, is there anything distracting about the photograph that you would address? Crop, contrast? Thanks! ### Technical Details iPhone 13. 77mm (35mm equivalent), f/1.5, 1/121 sec, ISO 40 ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_Payne](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/matt_payne/32/76789_2.png) [@Matt\_Payne](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Matt_Payne)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 3:54am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/2 "2022-11-09T03:54:36Z")
Welcome to NPN Rob! =) I think iPhones get a bad wrap! This is pretty cool! Sure, it’s cool in color balance but that’s fine for me. The grainy aspect of noise is a bit disturbing for me… and the comp seems bottom and left heavy with nothing but noise pulling me up and right. I’m super curious to see what Sarah says! ---
**Author:** ![Rob\_Darby](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/rob_darby/32/48573_2.png) [@Rob\_Darby](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Rob_Darby)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 4:11am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/3 "2022-11-09T04:11:42Z")
Thanks, Matt! Maybe I could try lowering Texture in LR. It started out as a JPEG–I’ve never tried the iPhone’s raw mode. I appreciate your comments. ---
**Author:** ![Matt\_Payne](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/matt_payne/32/76789_2.png) [@Matt\_Payne](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Matt_Payne)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/4 "2022-11-09T14:39:34Z")
Yeah I have not used RAW on my phone either but I suspect it would give far greater latitude in your editing. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Marino](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/sarah_marino/32/55494_2.png) [@Sarah\_Marino](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Sarah_Marino)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 12:29am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/5 "2022-11-11T00:29:02Z")
Hi Rob – Welcome to NPN! The experience you share is why a lot of photographers start working with small scenes and abstracts. When the light is working well for grand landscapes, I work on those. During the other 90% of the time when I am outside, I look for small scenes and abstracts. It all makes photography a lot more fun. Since you used your iPhone and Matt mentioned a few file quality things, I will minimize my comments on the technical details. In terms of the light, I don’t think the cooler color balance is an issue at all. Sand dunes can definitely look bluish-gray under flat light or at twilight. For the composition, I think the arrangement of ripples across the frame works well. With abstract subjects, I often flip the photo to see what works the best and I think the orientation you have chosen shows off the nicest flow and balance for the scene. It is interesting that Matt said the composition feels bottom heavy because I didn’t have that same impression. I like the transition from more ripples at the bottom to fewer on the top. It suggests some flow in addition to the repetition. I think you could be more aggressive with the contrast so the shadows and highlights offer more tonal contrast. With more contrast, the textures in the scene come out and I think it feels more dynamic. You can see some rough edits to the contrast below (it is more grainy since I am working with a web jpeg but you hopefully can get the gist). Thank you for sharing this photo! ![Great-Sand-Dunes](https://images.naturephotographers.network/original/3X/e/9/e95a88e8448225cbb4fc4721c4469ebb2fc31386.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Rob\_Darby](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/rob_darby/32/48573_2.png) [@Rob\_Darby](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Rob_Darby)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 4:50am UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/6 "2022-11-11T04:50:29Z")
Thanks, Sarah, both for the welcome and for taking the time to comment! I did rotate my image 180 degrees, to put the closer ripples in the lower portion of the frame, so I’m glad that transition seems to work. And I like the additional contrast in your reworked image–it is more dynamic. On another note, I want to thank you for sharing your thoughts/heart in the Notes from An Over-Photographed Landscape section of your recent DV e-book. Your comments and confidence make it easier for me to ignore a lot of the bravado and narrow opinions I see in landscape photography articles and social media posts, and feel better about just doing what motivates me and what I enjoy most about landscape photography. ---
**Author:** ![Sarah\_Marino](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/sarah_marino/32/55494_2.png) [@Sarah\_Marino](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/Sarah_Marino)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/7 "2022-11-11T15:00:06Z")
Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed my “over-photographed landscape” article. Getting past the narrow-minded views that are so commonly espoused in this field (weird for what is supposed to be a creative pursuit…) and just focusing on what I enjoy has been important for me in a lot of ways and I’m definitely happier because of it. I think focusing on what brings you joy and satisfaction is a perfectly valid approach to nature photography. ---
**Author:** ![LauraEmerson](https://assets.naturephotographers.network/user_avatar/community.naturephotographers.network/lauraemerson/32/42941_2.png) [@LauraEmerson](https://community.naturephotographers.network/u/LauraEmerson)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2022, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.naturephotographers.network/t/shifting-sands/31538/8 "2022-11-15T20:19:31Z")
Hi Matt, I can relate your experience of putting down the “real” camera and snapping what inspires you with the iphone - like a painter doing a quick sketch/study. This is nicely seen and I like the contrast that Sarah added. Look forward to seeing more from you!