Some Images from The Great Sand Dunes Workshop

What a terrific class we had for our first "Great Sand Dunes" adventure in southern Colorado.

A big THANKS to each of the talented participants:  John Crews of Santa Fe - Richard Hebhardt of Juneau, Alaska - David Levy of Santa Fe / St. Louis, MO - Charlie Lieberman of Agoura Hills, CA - Sanjiv Patankar of Ridgewood, NJ - Lindsey Segundo of Palm Springs, CA - and Harold Willens of Alanson, Michigan.

And a special THANK YOU to Dottie Lopez (Santa Fe), our terrific class coordinator / assistant, and to the staff of the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops for their vision in making it happen.  Also a Thank You to Chief Ranger Jim Bowman and the staff at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.

The class endured extremely long days (starting at 6:00 AM), cold temperatures, sand and icy water, adventurous dining, extensive driving and riding, and "me" ... And everyone was part of the "team" without exception.  An exceptional group for sure.

I thought you might like to see some samples of the images they created.  I've put together a simple gallery for you to view.  The images are only samples from their portfolios, in no particular order.  The photographers' names are in the "title"..

Let me know if you have any trouble viewing the gallery.

The GALLERY LINK IS ......

http://globaleventphotos.com/p580507629

If you'd like to have some nice music accompany the images, CLICK ON THE SLIDESHOW BUTTON in the upper right hand corner.  Feel free to leave comments.

                                                                © Lindsey Segundo

Sand Dunes Weather Check

With only a couple days left before the Great Sand Dunes: Capture to Print workshop, I wanted to do a quick post about the weather forecasts for Alamosa, the Great Sand Dunes National Park, and Santa Fe.

Alamosa, CO:

The highs should be range from 68 to 56 degrees with lows in the low 30's. 

Great Sand Dunes National Park:

The highs should be range from 69 to 56 degrees with lows in the mid 30's. The skies should be clear for us with a chance for some clouds.

Santa Fe, NM:

The highs should be range from 74 to 70 degrees with lows in the low 50's. 

It looks like we should have some great weather with warm days, some warm coffee should help us through the  cold mornings. This is a great time of year to be at the dunes and I look forward to going up there soon!

                                                                    © Dottie Lopez

Preparing for the Sand Dunes

With just nine days before my Great Sand Dunes: Capture to Print workshop, I wanted to do a quick post to let you know how to prepare for our adventure. My last posts have been about WHERE we will be and WHAT we will be doing, so you probably have an idea of what you will be bringing. This post might have a couple of things you might haveoverlooked.

Different lenses will allow for different creative options. A wide angle lens in the 15mm to 28mm range will capture more of the classical compositions of the dunes while a telephoto lens would be useful if we happen to see some wildlife. If you have both and decide to bring them, remember that we will be doing some exploring away from our cars. 

The weather this time of year can change pretty quick and the winds can easily create blowing sand so having some sort of lens filter (i.e. an UV) is strongly recommended. Rain and snow can also be an issue so a good weather proof camera bag can help protect your gear if we get wet. Bringing a plastic bag is also a great idea to help protect your gear in both wind and wet conditions and can be easily stored in your camera bag. The temperatures can vary from the 30's to the 70's so dressing in layers will help you stay comfortable as the temperature changes. Wearing a hat and sun screen can help you save yourself the discomfort of sunburn. 

Water! Hydration will be very important, especially for those of you coming up from lower, more humid, elevations. It is easy to get dehydrated in the high desert climate, so be sure to drink water often and always have some with you. 

I am looking forward to our adventure together in the Great Sand Dunes and I hope that these tips have helped you pack your bags for the trip.

                                                                  © Richard Hebhardt

Capture to Print

I hope to see you in my NEXT WORKSHOP with Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. This workshop will be a "Capture to Print" workshop. We will spend time in BOTH the wonderful outdoors capturing stunning photographs AND in the state-of-the art digital labs at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops campus.

Taking our time we will explore the Great Sand Dunes for two and a half days, looking to capture the spirit (the emotions or essence) in stunning photographs. Using our cameras we wil explore the sand dunes for new, interesting, or even traditional compositions that will tell the story of nature.

With our memory cards and minds filled we will head to the state-of-the art digital labs. There we will take the photographs from the memory cards through the entire digital work flow process, from import to final prints. The whole process will be done on color calibrated monitors and printers that will ensure the final prints compare with the images that will still be fresh in our minds.

My goal is that by the end of the workshop you will have learned useful skills both in the field and in the digital darkroom. As well as had some fun, met some great people, and made some beautiful photographs. If you haven't yet, visit the workshop page HERE to sign up.

                                                                      © David Levy

Get to know the Great Sand Dunes

Just four weeks until Great Sand Dunes: Capture to Print workshop. Happening from October 13th to October 18th, 2011.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in south central Colorado near the small town of Alamosa. Only about a four hour drive from the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops, it seems like a world away.

The sand dunes are the tallest sand dunes in North America, resulting from the drying of the ancient Alamosa Lake. Unique wind patterns that have trapped the sand, creating a vast expanse of rolling sand dunes will conjure up feelings of quite solitude with images of camel trains crossing the Sahara. The Great Sand Dunes are located at an elevation of around 8000 ft, giving them a unique environment, with a grassland ecosystem on the valley side and an alpine tundra on the other.

The Sangre de Cristo Mountains, often snow capped, make a stunning backdrop that will inspire you to create limitless compositions. These mountains are part of the same chain that the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops are nestled in, bringing a sense of connectivity to this workshop.

For more information:
Visit the National Park Service's page HERE
Visit the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops page HERE

                                                                © Charlie Lieberman