THE ESSENCE

Sand ripples, White Sands National Park, New Mexico

It is easy to get carried away by colors, shapes and details, or the beautiful vistas of a landscape as we can find it in White Sands National Park, New Mexico during a first visit. Sure, I make my good share of documentary shots, like any other tourist, but at the end of the day I’m always asking myself, what did I miss, what is the story that can be embedded into a piece of photography art? Having this in mind while going back to a location another day always helps to get a little bit closer to an answer and maybe to a result that gives more satisfaction than anything captured during the first visit.

I know, many viewers today can’t find anything in a black & white photo anymore, but for me it often boils down to the KISS acronym, keep it simple stupid. The wind shaped dunes are always in motion, shadows can be different from one moment to the next in the ever changing light. What more do I need to photograph the essence of White Sands?

A DAY ABOVE THE DESERT

Rabbit Ears, 8,050 ft / 2454 m, Organ Mountain - Desert Peaks National Monument, New Mexico

I have been traveling for a few days last week but I didn’t forget about my promise to post some more pictures from our recent trip through New Mexico.

We pitched our tent on the east side of the Organ Mountains in “Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument” for a few days. The campground is located just below the “Rabbit Ears”, two magnificent summits. The facility overlooks the Tularosa Basin, home to White Sands National Park and White Sands Missile Range. A stormy day with very high winds was in the forecast and we decided to hike in the mountains near the campground. This high area is home to a number of plants and tree species not seen on the desert floor. Everything looked still very clear in the morning and we were blessed with gorgeous light on the Rabbit Ears above our tent during sunrise. Later during the day the harsh light makes you think twice before you hit the shutter release button of the camera…

Ornate Tree Lizard, a morning guest at the breakfast table

Prickly Pear Cacti, yucca, agave, grasses, and shrubs dominate the desert floor below the mountains

Most wildflowers were gone already but Rabbitbrush doesn’t look bad either between the rocks in higher altitude

Bizarre trees overlook the Tularosa Basin. A sandstorm hides the details of White Sands National Park and all the military installations of the missile range that surrounds it.

‘WISCONSIN DESERT’, VISIT ON A SAND PRAIRIE

Six-lined Racerunner

Last Sunday we went to an unusual nature preserve in our neighbor state Wisconsin. Here is a quote from the Wisconsin DNR website that gives a much better description of this 1,104 acres (446.8 ha) preserve than I can ever give you.

Spring Green Preserve, known as the 'Wisconsin Desert', features a rolling sand prairie on an old Wisconsin River terrace and harbors a unique flora and fauna that are adapted to the hot, droughty environment. The dry sandy soils contain many desert-like plants such as false heather, three-awn grass, and prickly pear cactus. Nearly 40 species of annuals and biennials thrive here, a high number for a prairie, […} Several sand blows, with shifting dunes and open sand, are scattered throughout. Bird life is diverse and includes large numbers of rare open country birds […]

Small part of Spring Green Preserve, a sand prairie born about 17,000 years ago.

Although already late in the season we still found a good number of interesting plants and insects. The biggest thrill for me was the sighting of a Six-lined Racerunners (Aspidoscelis sexlineata), a sun-loving lizard that lives in a variety of habitats, including bluff prairies and sand prairies. I have never seen one before and was very happy to get a few shots of this fast critter.

At places like the Spring Green Preserve is always a good chance to meet people that enjoy nature and travel as much as we do. Thank you to the couple from Madison for the interesting conversation! 

Great to see some real bees in the flowers

All photos: Nikon D750, Sigma 150mm / f2.8 APO EX DG HSM