The Great White Sands: The Yuccas, the Dunes and the Stars Photo Workshop

About

Join Eloquent Light for an unique opportunity to visit one of award-winning photographer Craig Varjabedian’s favorite places to make photographs – White Sands National Monument. Understand for yourself why Craig has been returning to these beautiful dunes over and over again and why he was compelled to create a book dedicated to them: Into the Great White Sands.

WHAT: You will have the opportunity to dynamically explore the dramatic and fairy–tale like terrains of White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico, while fully immersing yourself in the legendary allure of rolling sand dunes and the stark beauty of landscape and sky. White Sands is a place that will not only leave you breathless, but also most certainly will inspire a whole new energy and passion within you while taking your photography to the next level.

WHO: This workshop is terrific for all digital photographers who have a good understanding of their camera and are able to edit images on a laptop computer. You need to know how to use auto bracketing on your camera. You will need to have Lightroom installed on your laptop computer and have a basic understanding of the software. You should be prepared to carry your own gear and be capable of walking and hiking on sand, rocks and somewhat varied terrain.

PLAN: Our incredible journey will be based in Alamogordo in south central New Mexico, as we spend four days at White Sands National Monument exploring the rolling white sands. The challenge of this workshop will be in capturing the high-low contrast of this remarkable landscape. At this time of year, we expect to see yuccas in bloom—the New Mexico state flower with its towering white blossoms. The intrepid photographer will be rewarded with indelible images of dream-like scenes and lost eras when a different aesthetic prevailed. Craig will provide hands-on one-on-one guidance in the field as needed.

During the workshop, we will be out photographing in both morning and evening light. As we have time and upon request, during mid-day hours we can be look at images on your laptop computer to provide feedback and further your progress.

Southern New Mexico is known for its great nighttime skies, especially for photographers. One evening we will be out late on the dunes photographing the night sky, weather permitting.

BACKGROUND: Rising from the heart of the Tularosa Basin is one of the world's great natural wonders - the glistening white sands of New Mexico. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dune field. White Sands National Monument preserves a major portion of this unique dune field, along with the plants and animals that live here.