White Sands, New Mexico – Sunset on the Gypsum Dunes
The white dunes of New Mexico offer a natural stage of rare visual intensity, especially at dusk. This photograph, taken with a Nikon FM2 and a 24mm f/2.8 Nikkor AI-s at White Sands during a trip to the USA in 1989, subtly plays with lines and volumes. The raking sunlight sculpts every ripple of the sand.
At the top of the dune, two perfectly placed figures create a graphic tension, a kind of balance between positive and negative space, between form and emptiness. Their position acts as a visual counterweight to the fan-like patterns in the foreground. This image relies on the power of minimalism, where negative space becomes a full-fledged compositional element.
The colors, faithful to the rendering of Fujichrome slide film of the era, enhance the warm and peaceful atmosphere of this desert evening. The smooth sky gradient contrasts with the crisp texture of the sand’s undulations, forming a composition that is both geometric and organic.
This photo, taken during my early years in analog photography, reflects an intuitive pursuit of harmony — between light, matter, and human presence.
About the author
Sebastien Desnoulez is a fine art, landscape, and architectural photographer. He captures the silent beauty of places, plays with light contrasts, and composes images where aesthetics meet emotion.
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