Dave - really strong image. Like others have mentioned, dunes are so amazing to shoot (Especially in DV), difficult to get tired with an infinite number of possibilities. I love the initial comp and the cooler tone. I also prefer the original comp without the lower crop however the very low right maybe could use cloning out. To my eye the upper / back layer really doesn’t contribute much visual interest - wondering if you could burn that layer bringing more emphasis on the detail in the dunes. I also can’t help but think this would be an awesome image in high key with color tones minimized. Great work!
Stellar comp and light. The blues do feel a bit strong, but in some ways this just contributes to the abstract quality of the image. A very unique look at an overdone location.
What a splendid image… I love every bit of it. I somehow like better the original framing, with the U-shaped foreground in the lower part…
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Agree with @Antonello_Provenzale the original image with U-shape foreground is what makes your composition unique at an @Tony_Kuyper ‘overdone location’. @Ed_Lowe is correct about the distractions they should be removed they don’t add to the image. Fine Image making.
Thank you, @Hermann_Philips, @Alberto_Patino-Douce, @George_Kalantzes, @Tony_Kuyper, @Antonello_Provenzale, @Ed_Fritz for taking time to comment. Most appreciated. Dave
My first thought here was to remove the closest layer so that you have darkness rather than a tense sliver of light along the bottom edge of the frame - you want to draw the viewer through the scene to the back, and not have them hung up on the bottom edge in my opinion. So the crops @Ed_McGuirk and @Igor_Doncov suggested work great for me. I also like the cooler rendition and the cloning of the two distracting blemishes in the closest dark layer as Ed showed, but I think I prefer the balance of the centered crop Igor suggested.
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@Dave_Dillemuth Your original crop is solid. Notice how this image falls into the timeless classic Golden Spiral pattern. The elliptical sweep rarely occurs in nature. If you crop the base you transform this image into ‘overdone’ category and less interesting Also, the rules for eye travel are listed below, in this order and no other. Your image is true to eye travel.
- Patterns it recognizes.
- Moves from lights to darks
- High contrast to Low Contrast
- High sharpening to Low sharpening
- In-Focus to Blur
- High saturation to low saturation
@Dave_Dillemuth, I am late to this party, but I have to say that this is outstanding! Your OP carries the day for me.
Congratulations on the EP! 
–P
I definitely enjoy this more a bit on the cooler side and also cropping the bottom layer out, it flows better for me instead of having the jarring, bright sliver on the bottom edge, and my eye moves through the scene into the background. I love how clean the background is here, with that huge wall of pristine sand behind your tallest dune. I would probably do a warp and pull the whole scene down a bit so there is more space above the last, pointy dune in the center and give it some more breathing room from the top edge. Awesome scene! Very nice composition you found, not easy to do with dunes.
@Alex_Noriega, @Ed_Fritz, @Eric_Bennett, Thanks for the thoughtful and well considered comments. I was thinking I preferred the lowest sliver as a anchor but know you have me thinking…
Mesmerising alternating patterns in the dunes here. I love the cool balance as presented together with Igor’s crop.
Dave, I’m really not sure how I missed this one. I thought I’d commented sometime back on this scene. After scrolling through a couple times now I see I did not.
Anyway, what a wonderful take on this dune scene. I’m enjoying the variations, but the original works wonderfully IMO. And, the main perspective or POV makes this one work so well, no matter which version…
This is a beautiful piece of work Dave- the colour harmony and temperature are really nice. I also really dig the composition too.
The only things that I might change if it were my image would be to clone out those little imperfections in the sand on the first significant bank - they draw my eye. I guess thats very much dependent on what your appetite for that kind of modification is though.
Nevertheless, this is brilliant !!