A Sand Dunes Photo Adventure + Desert Camping

Desert camping. An unbelievable sunset. The first photos taken with a new lens. This Photo Adventure has it all!

I love camping, but it’s usually at a lake in the mountains surrounded by beautiful pine trees. But when the opportunity came up to camp out at Bruneau Dunes State Park, I jumped at the chance. Since photographing these dunes last year and not getting the shots I wanted, I was super excited for the opportunity to have a second chance of photographing these incredible sand structures. And this year, I have upgraded equipment, including the amazing 70-200mm zoom lens.

Guys, this photo adventure did not disappoint, and I can’t wait to share it with you! So if you’re curious how epic this sunset really was, or how my very first shots with the 70-200mm lens turned out, or even how I survived desert camping, check out this super fun Photo Adventure…

Featured Photos:

I found that the photos I captured on this adventure didn’t need a lot of processing, just a few tweaks here and there. So in the following photos, you aren’t going to see a huge difference between the foundation edits and those with Photo Veils added. But you will notice a boost in the warmth and depth captured in the photo, and that’s the work of the Veils. Slide the sliders to the right to reveal the photo with foundation edits and to the left to reveal the final image with Photo Veils applied.

I used Photo Veils from the Botanical and Illumination Collections in the following photos.

This was the first composition I created in the adventure and it’s one of my favorites. You can see the makings of a beautiful sunset start to take shape in the clouds…a hint of the epic sunset to come! I love how the mango-orange tones in the sky compliment the dainty wildflowers situated along the pathway.

Nikon D850 | 24-70mm lens at 40mm | Focus-Stacked Image

As we made our way up the dunes, we discovered this view. I knew right away, this was going to be “the shot.” I love the layers happening with the wispy grasses in the foreground, the brush lining the water’s edge, the reflection of the dunes in the water, the vibrant color of the dune itself, and the sky… wow, what an incredible sky! This is my favorite shot of the entire adventure, and it’s because of these layers; the complimenting warm orange light and blue/purple sky.

Nikon D850 | 24-70mm lens at 24mm | Focus-Stacked Image

After capturing the above shot, the structure of the dune in the distance caught my eye. I could see the makings of a more abstract image, featuring the complimenting colors in the dune and the sky. This was the perfect opportunity to pull out my new 70-200 mm 2.8 lens. The below image is the first photo I captured with this lens. I was a little nervous about switching lenses on a sand dune, but because there was absolutely no wind and I had my Peak Design Camera Bag where I could sling it over my shoulder and access the pockets without laying it down, I felt comfortable making the switch. I’m so glad I had it with me on this adventure!

Nikon D850 | 70-200mm lens at 180mm | f/8 | 1/160 | ISO 800

I then zoomed out to 70mm to capture this image as the light was changing so quickly. I love how the shadow just begins to make its way up the base of the dune.

Nikon D850 | 70-200mm lens at 70mm | f/2.8 | 1/640 | ISO 800

The light was changing so fast all around us as I fired off one shot, all I needed to do was turn slightly and there was another shot to be captured. Everywhere I looked was a gorgeous image. I love how the wispy grasses make their way up the dune, leading your eye to the two people making their way along the rim of the dune. And that sky was on fire!

Nikon D850 | 24-70mm lens at 32mm | f/8 | 1/6 | ISO 64

For these last two images, I went with a softer edit in order to draw the eye to the gorgeous clouds. Taken within minutes of each other, you can see how fast the sky was changing and how changing perspectives can give you two very different images.

Nikon D850 | 24-70mm lens at 24mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 | ISO 500

Nikon D850 | 24-70mm lens at 24mm | f/2.8 | 1/125 | ISO 500

What’s Up Next?

I hope you enjoyed this Photo Adventure. It truly was an epic one for us and super fun to put together for you! Next up, I’m taking you with me on a hike through the Idaho mountains in search of some pretty amazing waterfalls.

In the meantime, make sure you head on over to Youtube and subscribe so you don’t miss any of the fun! You can also sign up for our newsletter, where you’ll be the first to know when we drop a new episode. Until next time, get out there, get clickin’, adventure awaits!

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